NO TIME

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: us heu preguntat alguna vegada què n'ha estat de Chernobyl?. Hi ha llocs on s'ha acumulat el material radioactiu i els objectes brillen d'una manera especial. Hi ha gent i animals que hi viuen. També hi ha gent que s'atreveix a visitar-ho, com l'Elena (vegeu http://www.kiddofspeed.com/). El nínxol de formigó que cobreix el reactor està deteriorat i s'ha de refer. Qui ho farà i qui ho pagarà no se sap ... Ens hem de preocupar? Segons en Hawking la nostra existència a la terra té els dies comptats. Els nostres quartos aviat no valdran un borrall perquè el sistema capitalista ha entrat en crisi i ningú no és capaç d'aturar-ho. En fi, fem fotos, fem fotos, que el món s'acaba! (o no anava així la dita?)

Post-processat: només veure aquesta pared i aquest rellotge em varen recordar a Chernobyl (no hi he estat mai, però segur que les pareds són així). Volia donar-li un toc radioactiu a l'escena. Per això calia augmentar el contrast, refredar els tons de la pared i "posteritzar" (que vol dir sobresaturar) els colors del rellotge.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: have you ever asked yourselves what's left of Chernobyl? There are places in Chernobyl where radioactive materials has concentrated to a degree when objects begin to glow on their own. Some people and animals manage to live there. There are also people who are brave enough to go visit the place, like Elena (see: http://www.kiddofspeed.com/). The cement grave that covers the nuclear reactor is damaged and needs repair. Who will do it, and who will pay for it ... Should we worry about it? According to Dr. Hawking, our life on earth will come to an end pretty soon. Our money will soon be worth nothing because the capitalist system collapses and nobody is able to stop this. Let's keep shooting while our batteries are still charged!

Post-processing: the moment I saw the clock and the w

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Mètode

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: us presento en Mètode. En Mètode és un peix molt singular. Encara no us puc desvetllar els seus secrets, ni el perquè està aquí. Esper-ho poder fer-ho d'aquí a uns quinze dies. M'agrada aquesta foto perquè el Mètode està ple d'excepticisme.

Post-processat: s'ha tractat la fotografia en clau alta (una corba desplaçada cap a les altes llums) i amb una gama cromàtica equivalent a una película Fuji Superia 200 (això es pot aconseguir fàcilment amb una corba predefinida de les que corren per Internet).

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: let me introduce you to Mètode (Method). Mètode is a very peculiar fish. I can't tell you much more about him now, you'll have to wait about fifteen days, then I'll be able to explain all his secrets. I like the scheptical face that Mètode has used in this shot.

Post-processing: high key curves + Fuji Superia 200 chromatic treatment.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

La Mare de Déu de la Mercè

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: ara us enganyaré i us diré que la foto està moguda a propòsit per donar moviment a la Mare de Déu, però no és cert. El cert és que hi havia un munt de gent, la majoria fotògrafs, que lluitàvem per obtenir la instantània de torn. I jo la vaig obtenir, però no és aquesta. M'explicaré, el concurs Fotomercè 08 obliga a presentar obres que no hagin estat publicades (i penjar a Flickr és publicar), per tant, no puc penjar les fotografies que hi presento fins que no donin els premis. Quan els donin, com que no me'n tocarà cap, llavors les podré penjar com vaig fer l'any passat. Per cert, tot i que no em "vaig menjar ni un rosco", com a mínim me'n varen seleccionar una de les que vaig enviar en paper l'any passat. Aquí va la seleccionada l'any passat.

 

Tota aquesta parrafada és per poder-vos mostrar la fotografia que he presentat a Fotomercè 08 en format digital. Com que resulta que les fotografies en format digital sí que les publiquen immediatament per part dels organitzadors, llavors us puc posar un enllaç a la còpia que ells han penjat i no estic pas violant les bases del concurs.



O sigui, que avui teniu tres fotografies pel preu d'una.

Post-processat: aquesta fotografia de la Mare de Déu està feta en condicions de contrast extrem i els colors no surten massa bé, per això l'he convertida a blanc i negre. He hagut d'aclarir un xic les cares de les persones i augmentar el contrast de la Mare de Déu. També he afegit un lleugeríssim split-toning tintant de blau les ombres i de groc les llums.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: now I'll tell you a lie, the shot is blurry because I wanted to stress the movement of the Virgin Mary statue. The truth is that the place was pretty crowded, full of photographers trying to get their shot. I got my shot indeed, but it's not this one. I'll explain it to you, the Fotomercè 08 photografic contest doesn't allow you to enter pictures that have already been published (and posting a picture to Flickr is a kind of publishing), thus, I cannot send my entries in the contest to Flickr untill they publish the winners. But there is an exception to this rule, the organizing comitee publishes the picture you send in digital format, so I can link you to the official posting without violating the contest rules. Please see next comment to look at my entry.

Post-processing: this shot of the Virgin Mary has been shot under extreme contrast conditions and colors render badly, that's why I've used b&w. I've also had to lighten people's faces and increase the contrast of the statue. And finaly I've used a very slight split tonning turning the shadows a little blue and the hightlights a bit yellow.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

Kick wheel (not to be mistaken with Kill Bill)

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: d'aquesta foto m'agrada l'energia i la ràbia que deixa anar. La il·luminació a contrallum, juntament amb la pols que deixa entreveure li dona el toc de gràcia.

Post-processat: calia accentuar el contrast per fer més palesa la pols i donar un to càlid a la llum fent més saturats i lluminosos els tons grocs i ocre.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: I like the energy and hate in this shot. The backlight and the visible dust certainly help the shot pop-up.

Post-processing: I added contrast and warmed the light by increasing the luminance and saturation of the yellow and orange colors.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Castle Magic

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: l'Ajuntament de Barcelona ha volgut aprofitar el Castell de Montjuïc per les festes de la Mercè i hi ha programat actuacions relacionades amb el circ, la màgia i alguns espectacles musicals. Aquest mag de la foto ho feia molt bé, però no vaig poder evitar fer palès el truc perquè estava situat molt avall. De tota manera la imatge té un cert dinamisme que la fa mitjanament interessant.

Post-processat: senzill, només enfosquir un xic les cantonades i il·il·luminar al mag i a la nena. Pràcticament no es va haver de corregir el color.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: During the Mercè's celebration, Barcelona's City Hall has scheduled several circus, magic and musical performances in the recently acquired castle of Montjuïc. The magician in this shot was a great one, but I couldn't help uncovering his trick because I was shooting to low. Nevertheless, the image still retains some interest due to the dynamics of the subjects involved.

Post-processing: easy one, just a little darkening at the edges and some lightning of the magician and the girl. Hardly any color correction.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Runner 5501 - Cursa de la Mercè

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: les persones singulars són sempre un bon tema fotogràfic. No hi ha dubte que aquest home, el dorsal 5501, és un home singular i també és un habitual de la cursa de la Mercè. Algú en sap més coses d'ell?

Post-processat: el dia era gris, amb la qual cosa els colors eren més saturats que de costum. Vaig refredar el fons afegint tonalitats blavoses i el vaig enfosquir una mica també. Als tres corredors del mig, perdó quatre, els vaig afegir lluminositat, contrast local i uns tons més càlids.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: peculiar people are always a good photographic subject. You will certainly agree that this man, number 5501, is a peculiar guy and he never misses this event: "Cursa de la Mercè". Do you know him? I'd love to know more about this guy.

Post-processing: it was a dull day thus colors were a bit more saturated than usual. I cooled the background adding blu tones and also darkened it a bit. The three runners in te middle, sorry they were four, I lightened thema bit, added some local contrast and warm tones also.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Houba - Samba Rock

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: el que m'agrada d'aquesta imatge és la sensació apocalíptica d'un home tocant el tambor al capvespre amb la ciutat de fons. També m'agrada la diagonal que dibuixen els pals. Els extrems dels pals borrosos pel moviment li donen un dinamisme interessant. L'òptica que he fet servir és molt tova i li dona a la imatge un to demodé de pel·lícula dels anys quaranta.

Post-processat: s'ha eliminat el to groc-verdós de les llums urbanes i s'ha baixat la saturació del blau. Una mica de vinyetat per concentrar l'atenció en la cara del músic.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: I like the apocalyptic feeling of a man playin a drum at dusk with the city as a background. I also like the diagonal drown by the drum sticks. The blurred stick heads account for an interesting dynamism. The glass I've used gives very soft renditions and gives the image a demodé look that resembles a film from the forties.

Post-processing: I've got rid of the green-yellow cast of urban lighting and turned down blue saturation. I ended with a slight vigneting to draw attention into the musician's face.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

The swimmer

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: vaig quedar encisat per aquest nadador des del primer moment. Me'l vaig imaginar sortint de la pared i començant a nadar en mig d'un esclat d'aigua fresca. Ja sé que és una escena surrealista molt obvia, però em va agradar de tota manera.

Post-processat: vaig convertir la imatge a b&n amb una vinyeta força intensa per amagar el fons. A continuació vaig emmascarar el nadador per tal de que es veiés la imatge original i, per últim, vaig afegir una mica de contrast al color. Aquesta tècnica d'emmascarament ha estat molt utilitzada, fins al punt que moltes revistes de fotografia (gairabé totes) ignoren les imatges que la utilitzen. A qui li importa! A mi m'agrada el resultat i això és el que compte.

P.S.: podeu criticar tot el que vulgueu, no m'enfadaré pas i, fins i tot, us podria arribar a fer cas, qui sap ... :-)

English: the moment I saw this swimmer I imagined him breaking out of the wall with a big splash of fresh water. I know it is a fairly obvious surreal scene, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

Post-processing: I've converted the image to b&w with heavy vignetting to let the background get dark. Then I've masked the swimmer to let the original image show up. I've added a little contrast and that's all. This technique has been widely used and many photography journals (almost all) hate it and reject images that use it. Who cares! I like the final result and that's all that counts.

P.S.: feel free to critizise as much as you like, I won't get angry and I might even follow some of your recommendations, who knows ... :-)

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Broken symphony

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: vivim en un món que ha perdut el to i s'està escapçant dia a dia. La imatge ens ho fa encara més palès si tenim en compte que no es tracta pas de cap muntatge, m'ho vaig trobar així tal com raja, no vaig tocar ni una nota. Que cadascú s'ho prengui com vulgui.

Post-processat: vaig provar color, blanc i negre, de tot. Volia que es veiés bé l'ampolla i que les notes també destaquessin. Finalment vaig optar per un blanc i negre amb un lleuger to blavós a les ombres, força contrast i molt de gra per enterbolir un xic l'ambient.

English: we live in a broken world with tonal distress. This image proves my assert. I found everything as it is shown, I didn't touch a single note. It's up to you to take whatever conclusions you wish to.

Post-processing: I've tried color and b&w, everything. I wanted the bottle to rise from the background and I also wanted the notes to popup. I finally choosed the b&w version with a slight bluish tone in the shados, strong contrast and heavy grain to let the scene become a bit muddy.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

The eye of the beholder.

CATALAN AND ENGLISH COMMENTS

Català: Aquesta fotografia l'he escollida perquè condensa el pas del temps en mostrar un ull aparentment adult en el cos d'una nena gràcies a l'efecte òptic del vas.

Post-processat: calia fer servir el color per modelar l'aspecte emocional. També calia focalitzar l'atenció en l'ull sense que l'efecte fos massa evident. El fons es va desaturar, refredar amb una mica de blau i es va afegir un xic de "glow" (desenfoc brillant) per afegir un xic de misteri. L'ull es va mantenir càlid i el més enfocat possible.

English: I've chosen this shot because it collapses time by showing an apparent adult eye in the body of a girl thanks to the optical behaviour of the glass.

Post-processing: color was needed to help with the emotional component of the shot. There was also a need to focus the viewer's eye into the girls eye without overdoing the post-processing effect. The background was desaturated, cooled with the aid of a slight amount of blue and a little glow was added to achieve a sense of mystery. The girl's eye was kept warm and as much sharp as possible.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Farewell

This is a tought shot. Girls relate to the rower geometricaly but not emotionaly. Anyhow, there is still some kind of contrast between earth and sea or between dullness of the previsible life of the girls and the adventurous fate of the rower. I like the strong stright lines in the composition.

Post-processing: has been pretty difficult to achieve a warm foreground with plenty of detail and a fuzzyer and cooler background. The mist is artificial, sorry. I needed to add some drama. The foreground has been enhaced with local tonal contras to make detal showup and give a cartoonish look to the scene. A little desaturation in the background to help the scene fade-out. The black mate helps keeping the eye inside the frame. All in all, not an easy job.

The man that feeded the birds at night by the sea

I love the smell of meditation in this shot. I've tried it in color but it was too distracting. Just he and the birds, plentry of food and no schedule to follow. Slow shutter speed (1/30th) and narrow depth of field to allow the birds to blur adding movement to the scene.

Post-procesing - b&w conversion, contrast enhancement and a bit of vignetting.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Three of a kind

I wonder why tourists like buying mexican hats in Barcelona. I enjoy the contrast between the stright lines in the floor and the curved lines of the three girls. Curves are one of the biggest visual impact resources, stronger than diagonal lines I would say.

Post-processing: Black and white and burning the edges. Getting rid of superfluous details. And I think that's all it was needed.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Zooka Yung is happy

Zooka came to Barcelona Elements exhibition all the way from Taiwan to see his photo glooming in the wall. He was absolutely gorgeous and full of joy. (see his photostream at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zooka/)

I like this picture because freezing people's emotions always captivates the viewer. I just had to color correct the yellowish tint in the scene, lighten his face and wipe out some anoying bright lights in the background and the picture was ready to upload.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Elements exhibition initial opening at Maremagnum Barcelona 2008-09-09

Today the initial opening of the Elements exhibition has been held at Maremagnum Shoping Center in Barcelona. The exhibition has been organized by Barcelona Photobloggers management team and Maremagnum. Thanks all of them for their gorgeous work. In case you might want to know, I've got 3 photographs of mine shown out of more than 1500 shots. People living as far as Twain have managed to be at the grand opening just to see their work hanged in a wall.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Freedom

I wanted to compare the free movements of a cat against the sturdiness of the wired wall.

Post-processing: split-toning + selective sharpening + vignetting.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Thoughtfull rest

I took this shot because I liked the way the oriental women broke the dull western building geometry (CCCB - Centre de Cultura Contemporànea de Barcelona). The marble reflexions widen the image showing that not everything is calm and that something else is going on. Postprocessing work: I had to cool the walls and light and warm up the women. Slight vignetting to let them pop-up a bit.

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Music on the go

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Men can also do two things at the same time

During the Fourth European Photobloggers Meetup 2008, hosted by Barcelona Photobloggers, Benjamin proved he is a multitasking guy.

Reading

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

About time and space

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Upside down

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Follow me

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu

Esglèsia d'Angostrina - Cerdanya Francesa

- cameraphone upload by ShoZu