Master salesperson, Martin, must be making heaps of commission out of NeatImage sales, heh.
The scene in the image seems to have been sculptured in cake icing...is that one of the NeatImage features? [grin]

Kathryn: lol Ray. Martin, umm I am not sure. He is not really a "talker" like a few other SCers

Funny thing you mention the cake icing look. This is a very old and beautiful church http://www.st-michaelis-hildesheim.de/

However, it is in the process of being renovated and the designers made the decision (and a very poor one in my opinion), to cover the beautiful old stone walls with some sort of creamy stucco like plaster. They also pulled out the beautiful old dark wooden pews and replaced with with wood composite chairs.

The poor old Bishop is probably rolling over in his sarcophagus in his recently cake iced room

Love the tones Kathryn and how the window draws you in, inviting you to look through it. The touch of red is a hit.

Kathryn: Thanks for taking time to look and leave a comment, Tracy. I liked the window too and the depth is adds!

The lighting and warm tones are gorgeous. This is a beautiful image.


Thank You for the welcome.

Kathryn: My pleasure and I am looking forward to see more of yours.

A very effective picture (even though perhaps Neatimage has flattened off the textures just a fraction TOO much). Beautiful work.

Kathryn: Nick, thank you so much for the comment and your thoughts. I've gone back and looked at the original and the texture in it are quite flat too, perhaps do to the flatness of the stucco type walls, the lighting, and the exposure time.

But all that said, you are so right, "There is no such thing as a free lunch."

I like this image Kathryn. It's giving us the impression of leaving the sad shadow to reach the joyful light.

Kathryn: Thank you so much. It does have a certain sense of light to it that gives that impression. Thank you for pointing that out.

This is a very nice capture, I love the tiny border around it, the atmosphere is delightfull, is it called serenity? love it

Kathryn: Thank you, Astrid. It does look serene now that you mention it.

It has a dreamy feel to it, Kathryn, so maybe the Bishop is not rolling over at all. I think he's in La-La Land! There's a sweet simplicity to this photo which I really like.

I wonder if the free Noiseware that many of us use would have done the same thing? Now I wish I could compare.

Kathryn: Thank you, Ginnie.

What is the free Noiseware you use? If I can find it for a Mac, I could download it and run it through and we could have a look! You know how much I love a good experiment!

Nice composition and light, the window is particularly pleasing.

It does look like a useful tool and one I will probably invest in over Xmas, still getting to grips with CS3 ;o)

Kathryn: Thanks Mike.

Neatimage is quite an easy and effective little CS plugin.

Beautifully constructed, Kathryn. The arch within, the arch, within the arch. So appealing and very soothing on the eye. The red just adds that little bit of `punch`. (:o)

Kathryn: Thanks, Roz. I miss the stone, but the arches and their creaminess do make a soothing photo. Glad you enjoyed it.

The free noiseware can be found on www.imagenomic.com and look for the Noiseware Community Edition which is free. I don't know if it is intentional, but this free thingy strips out the EXIF. Question - does this happen with Neatimage as well? Martin has recommended this software to me before - I just didn't have time to take a look yet - but we are entering the summer holiday season so some time is coming up

Great picture with excellent results under the circumstances.

Kathryn: Louis, thank you so much for the link. I will have to check it out in the next day or so. Ginnie also sent me the link via email. Neatimage is such a nice little plugin for PS and quite simply to use as well.

And as always, thanks for your comment.

Love the simplicity of this shot and the natural frame.

Kathryn: Thanks for looking and thanks for leaving a comment. Glad it appealed to you.

There is both a strict and spiritual feeling in this one. Very nice subtle colours.

Kathryn: There are times when I think that the two are inseparable in churches (religions).

Thank you for taking the time to look and to leave a thoughtful comment. Nice to know you enjoyed the colors.

I like how you've framed this Kathryn.

Good composition and lighting ...
What follows is not intended for K's image but is a general thought. I do have a slight dilemna about altering things more than just 'fine tuning etc etc ' in order to get a result. It's a result that is in danger of becoming more important than the original product and just have the challange of using PS wizardary to over-alter an image because you have learnt how to. The dilemna really hits me as I'm the last person to want to crush creativity and experimentation and of course I've over fiddled a few of my own images. richard.

Kathryn: Since R brought it up, Nick mentioned what he perceived as too much flattening, and Ginnie was interested in the differences in the Neatimage and Noiseware, I figured I would post the original so you can make comparision for yourself. I only resized the original to the same size as the image I posted here so they would be comensurate.

http://www.lehigh.edu/~kad9/originalphoto.JPG

Now to my answer of Richard's question. I have come to look at photography as it is today's digital age as an expressive art that takes many avenues. To say one process is "better" than another or that a product is better than another because of how a process is employed or not, for me is unneccessary. We express ourselves in many ways. I do though, whenever asked, have no qualms in discussing the processes I used. Perhaps that is because I am an educator, and I certainly respect the right of others to not.

Thanks for posting your thoughtful remark and topic for discussion here, R. Only wish you had done it earlier so everyone could join in.

Very pretty atmosphere, Kathryn! I like as she resists the zones darkened with the applied affluent light of the bottom! Bravo!

Kathryn: Thank you so mich Jose-Angel!

Nice photo. I want to know what there is behind the second door ... These warm colours are great !!! Ann

Kathryn: Thank you. I don't know what is behind the second door. Next time i will peek and see!

I am glad it worked out! This is a wonderful image to salvage with this nifty tool. (FYI, I used the free noise removal software before upgrading to neatimage, and unfortunately you get what you pay for in terms of performance and convenience.)

Kathryn: Thanks, Martin. I really appreciate your help!

I really like this, it's like you're drawn into the picture towards the window.

Kathryn: Frida, glad you like it and thanks for looking and leaving a comment!

A great composition - Bravo !

Kathryn: Thanks so much!

I like how all the colors flow into each other... Stunning photo Kathryn !

Kathryn: Thanks so much, Ferdo. I appreciate your comment!

This is a lovely composition Kathryn. This software has clearly got rid of the noise, but there is a bit of the feel of those pictures you see of tinpot dictators who have this flawless strange coloured complexion in the giant posters that adorn every building. I think I'd rather have a few warts! Does this make any sense?

Kathryn: Bill, as someone who prefers old LPS to CDs because of the "noise," I sure do know what you are taking about. Yeah warts!

beautiful use of light and shapes kathryn
bravo

Kathryn: DrAw, thank you... *smiling*

The result is beautiful. Very soft light.

Kathryn: I love low light photographs and am glad you like it as well. Thank you for stopping in, taking the time to look, and leaving a comment.

The softness works with the muted tones Kathryn

Kathryn: Thanks, Chris. Where are you that it is so wet and windy?

I visited yesterday, in a hurry, came back today and read all the comments. Boy what you miss out on when you visit eary. I just like the shot, love the softness and the little bits of red on the window.

Kathryn: Yup, Aussie. The interaction is what makes it for me!

This is really beautiful work. The neatimage has given it something of an airbrushed feel but I very much like that with this composition and the honeyed tones. Eliminating the noise was certainly the choice I would have made too but I've never heard of this software.

I know it is of a church but it really does convey that quiet, disciplined, timeless air of a monestry or convent and I can imagine a nun or a monk gliding silently down that passage.

Kathryn: Thank you. I try very hard to judiciously use software. I think in this case, I think the software has allowed the image to retain its integrity and accentuated the qualities you highlighted.

The church is attached to a monastery and a convent and it is not far fetched to envision nuns or monks.

Thanks for your thoughtful critique!

I do like the soft light here.

Kathryn: It was quite dark where I was and the lighting was very soft. Those walls tend to mute light, I think.

Very nice shot.