Upper Michigan

[dpeterso]

I have one more travel show I want to share with you. Why? Well, for several reasons: I want your feedback in order to learn what works and doesn't work, and secondly, I want to share with you. Some of you just might enjoy it. Let me know your impressions, good and not so good. Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.epetersons.com/slideshows/Upper...gan%2804%29.zip

Regards,

Dave

[Ken Cox]

NICE RELAXING "HOMEY" PRODUCTION

am surprised ya put the HOG in

ken

[morturn]

Hi David

Again as a record of a journey, I found this a very interesting slide show that conveys a message to me that you enjoy nature and managed to spend some quality time with your daughter too.

Some of the images especially the sunsets were a great addition and added an extra bit of interest. There were a number of images which I think could have had more impact, I would ask you if are you doing any image manipulation in Photoshop or other software, if not I suggest you do the following:-

Straighten the horizons, and crop

Check the levels

Boost the saturation a little

Sharpen the finished image

I see this time you have included a pan and zoom effect which works great panning along the road and the zoom out from the bike to your daughter works very well. I am not so sure about the rest of them, as they did not seem to have a purpose to them

I found the initial theme of the show quite good, but the narrative seem to go off track when you introduced the images of your daughter, did she travel the whole journey with you or join you part way?

I also thought that you over used images of her riding the bike, it seemed to break the narrative up a little. One or two of the shots were a little too busy too.

Again I like the commentary, it seem to bring the show to life, with he map holding things together nicely.

A great show David and a great record of some quality time spent with ones children, thanks for taking the time to show it

[d67]

I have one more travel show I want to share with you. Why? Well, for several reasons: I want your feedback in order to learn what works and doesn't work, and secondly, I want to share with you. Some of you just might enjoy it. Let me know your impressions, good and not so good. Hope you enjoy it.

Hi Dave

As it is much easier for me to comment a sequence (I have to translate each word) with ADB's (alias Andrew) grading shows, I will make use of it this time again :

PHOTOGRAPHY/GRAPHICS

Overall good shots with some beautiful and very moody pictures.

Unlike Peter, I find saturation matching well the weather conditions.

A pair of images with the lake surface in background need a little straightening of the horizons.

Some shots with a unique person as subject are too subject centered : photo with the subject a bit left or right centered would be much pleasant.

SOUNDTRACK

Nice choice for the 3 times of the sequence.

TIMING

No particular comment apart, perhaps, that you could have benefitted from the keener rhythm of the second part to make use of shorter timed transitions and give so, more punch and vitality to the photos centered on your daughter ... incidentally ... as pretty as a picture (no matter for the number of shots concerning her ! )

PTE MASTERY

Sober execution by using basic fade in and out transitions but, sadly, nearly all of them are more or less jerky (big photos ?).

I know, my PC is "aneamic" (I am from far not isolated this side of Atlantic sea and Channel) but I will not start again a discussion with forum members saying I have to upgrade my master card and video card ... just in order to view 2 or 5% of PTE slideshows behaving jerky.

As Peter, I think that only 2 pan and zooms are really interesting : panning along the road and the zoom out from the bike to your daughter (this one is a bit to slow to my mind).

The exit of the sequence is a bit ... violent.

The transition of the last slide of the first time of your sequence (the one just before the focus on your motorbike) is too short.

WATCHABILITY

Would watch again with great pleasure... even with jerky transitions.

OVERALL COMMENT

For a viewer not directly involved in the journey, this slideshow is a litlle bit long, but, thanks to the photos quality, the music and rythm, the changing and mix of subjects (scenery, road, camp, persons) this is not a big issue and, as said, I will rewatch it with pleasure.

Giving a map of the journey in introduction of the show is great.

Dave, keep going !

Just as a point of interest, this simple comment took me 50 minutes (not included looking at the sequence) ... perhaps thats why I, as many others, comment a show only if I have time to and not just by disinterest.

... And, these comments are strictly personnal thoughts and in no way an injunction to modify your slideshow to my ideas !!!!

[KyDan]

http://www.epetersons.com/slideshows/Upper...gan%2804%29.zip

Hi Dave,

I thought the show was familiar. You have posted it before??

I enjoyed it again.

Some transitions seemed overly long to me but the music was nice

and leisurely so the transitions didn't really detract.

That paddle wheeler did seem to be going up hill but it's the

only one that jumped at me as being out of "kilter".

I thought the music fit pretty well too.

I enjoyed it.

I agree there were lots of shots of the pretty gal and her motorcycle-

maybe too many for us strangers but not too many for a family show.

I also take and include many shots of family.

I have over 2 hours of OLD home movies shot by my dad.

These are old Kodak 8mm shot with a wind up movie camera.

TWO hours of home movies showing me in a baby chair, my brothers

and sister and Aunties and grandparents.

Shots of big fish and shots of vacation cabins and new cars....

There are exactly 10 seconds of my dad in there.

He NEVER handed the camera to others.

I don't know why but I suspect it was just modesty.

He wanted shots of US.

Now I --wish-- I had footage of him.

Don't stop taking pictures of yourself.

One day you will be gone or others in the photos will be gone

and these family/friends photos and photo shows will be

priceless to your family.

Thanks for sharing!!

Peace!

Dan D.

Louisville Kentucky USA

[dpeterso]

I have one more travel show I want to share with you. Why? Well, for several reasons: I want your feedback in order to learn what works and doesn't work, and secondly, I want to share with you. Some of you just might enjoy it. Let me know your impressions, good and not so good. Hope you enjoy it.

http://www.epetersons.com/slideshows/Upper...gan%2804%29.zip

Regards,

Dave

Just a quick note to thank Ken, Morturn, Patrick and Dan for your comments. You all had to invest some time and thought to make a response. I appreciate that; it helps me considerably.

Best regards,

Dave

[fh1805]

Hi Dave,

I've enjoyed travelling in the US with you again. Much of what I wanted to say has already been said. So all I'll say in that respect is that I didn't find any problems with your very gentle pans and zooms. They added just a little bit of variety without appearing to be simply "gimmicky" - and some of them were very effective indeed.

One small piece of advice I would offer is: check all around the edges of your images. There were at least two instances where there were distracting out of focus objects on the bottom edge of the frame (in both cases the main images featured farm silos). These distractions could have been easily cloned out with Photoshop.

I would also suggest you listen and watch carefully at the points where the music changes from one piece to the next. I'm not sure the timing of the transitions is quite as tight as it might be. That said, you have an excellent feel for matching the mood of the music to the mood of the images.

I look forward to your next offering.

[Barry Beckham]

Dave

Seeing as there has been comment of late about lack of comment, here goes.

I think your show is aimed mainly at family and friends and particulalry those who took part in the trip, but it has a wider appeal too. The picture quality was good and that held my attention and the presentation worked well with the outline. The inclusion of the map and route was a must and a good choice. Those of us outside of the States generally have a fascination with the USA, but much of it when you get out of the cities is very much like the UK.

The music you chose worked well for me and the animation was slow and measured, just about right in my view.

I thought you could have made a bit more of that beautiful Harley motorcycle and adding some creative photography into your travelogue. It would not have done it any harm and may have given more impact.

Judges in the old days would have said. Good record photography, meaning everything was very competantly handled, but maybe lacking in vision a bit. However, with a travelogue there is not much esle you could do, the people have to feature in it. I agree with one comment about keeping your portraits off to one side rather than central in the frame, but as travelogues go, I sat through this and enjoyed it.

The only thing I would try, if I were doing the same thing, would be to try an add some creativity to the images, so that the sequence does have a greater appeal outside of family, friends and us enthusiasts.

Keep up the good work I say

[Peter S]

Hi Dave,

I enjoyed our second trip with you. As a memory for those on the trip it is probably ideal and that is what I think was your main aim. As an "outsider" I would echo Barry's comment and suggest some creative touches to increase the wider appeal.

As with your earlier show I thought the map was a great addition putting the trip into context. I also thought the music was a good choice.

I have quite a library of images from far away places and have always been reluctant to put them into a posted show. You have ceratinly set me thinking about having a go.

Kind regards

Peter

[dpeterso]

Hi Dave,

I have quite a library of images from far away places and have always been reluctant to put them into a posted show. You have ceratinly set me thinking about having a go.

Kind regards

Peter

Peter,

Thank you for your comments. I was really nervous about posting a show that was largely personal. The responses so far have put me somewhat at ease, though I'm still not sure if it's appropriate. Time and feedback will tell. Regarding your "travel" pictures, I for one would like to see them in a show. I haven't seen a show yet that I didn't learn something from. And if it spurs some dialogue, then we all learn.

Thanks again for traveling along with me.

Dave

[dpeterso]

Dave

The only thing I would try, if I were doing the same thing, would be to try an add some creativity to the images, so that the sequence does have a greater appeal outside of family, friends and us enthusiasts.

Keep up the good work I say

Barry -

I'm especially slow in thanking you for your helpful comments. You are the gold standard of the slideshows that I've seen, so I value your input.

Thanks for your help Barry. Have a nice day.

Dave