THE Orlando Photo Thread

[Camillo Sitte]

You guys that feel like you have to make your photographs look a certain way have to realize something. You alter your graphics depending on the job you are working on. Since you don't do graphic design, you think that one person's idea of a perfect 100% picture is what all photos are supposed to look like. Don't bring yourself down.

Your original that was altered by Camillo, made the orange barricades look red and the lights on top of the SunTrust Tower too lit up for a dark photo. If it was that light outside (which it wasn't) then you would never see that much yellow and white light for that matter. You have to make adjustments in your camera before you take it. Just like computing... GIGO. Garbage In, Garbage Out. Either change your white balance or you should be able to change the exposure. In this instance, either should work.

And I think your photo was perfect for that day. I went outside and that's how it was... overcast. Don't beat yourself up. Play with your PS settings to get different effects, but don't think that there are any rules that you must follow.

I was in the middle of composing a response to bande's personal email and I then saw this.

1] bande isn't "beating himself up" and no one is being critical of him. He and I are in the middle of a friendly, polite, and ongoing conversation here that you have just jumped in on. You might want to ask questions before you assume things not in evidence.

2] There are 'right's' and 'wrongs' in dealing with digital photography. Sorry to burst your bubble but that is just the way that it is. Bande's original image, that you say looks just fine, suggests to me that you really don't know much about photography [seriosuly, I am not trying to be offensive, just honest] or you are just trying to not "hurt" bandes feelings. I don't think that bande will be offended as he has laways asked for suggestions.

The truth is that all other issues aside bande's original looks as though the image were taken through heavily tinted three-pane insulated window. I for one don't think that that was the "look" he was going for.

3] I did not alter the colors from bande's original one bit. If the colors look altered to you then your monitor is in serious need of calibration, which was going to be my larger point to bande.

Some of the barriers in bande's original looked red, others looked orange; my adjustments did not affect the color balance. While my alterations may make the scene look

Edited February 6, 2006 by Camillo Sitte

[bulldogger]

I was in the middle of composing a response to bande's personal email and I then saw this.

1] bande isn't "beating himself up" and no one is being critical of him. He and I are in the middle of a friendly, polite, and ongoing conversation here that you have just jumped in on. You might want to ask questions before you assume things not in evidence.

2] There are 'right's' and 'wrongs' in dealing with digital photography. Sorry to burst your bubble but that is just the way that it is. Bande's original image, that you say looks just fine, suggests to me that you really don't know much about photography [seriosuly, I am not trying to be offensive, just honest] or you are just trying to not "hurt" bandes feelings. I don't think that bande will be offended as he has laways asked for suggestions.

The truth is that all other issues aside bande's original looks as though the image were taken through heavily tinted three-pane insulated window. I for one don't think that that was the "look" he was going for.

3] I did not alter the colors from bande's original one bit. If the colors look altered to you then your monitor is in serious need of calibration, which was going to be my larger point to bande.

Some of the barriers in bande's original looked red, others looked orange; my adjustments did not affect the color balance. While my alterations may make the scene look

[bande_originale]

Yeah, um, sorry to act like I

[Camillo Sitte]

Original, untouched.

Manual levels, bring in white and black points, adjust gray point for shadows

Remove some of the heavy cyan cast from overcast

Use a small amount of increase shadow detail and twice that much highlight detail to preserve the 'overcast' look.

Increase a bit the saturation of all colors equally

moderate sharpening [smart sharpen] for web presentation and finish with a nice but very slight 'S' curve to add some three-dimensionality.

**********

[1] original [2] after post [3] darker after post]

**********

Edited February 6, 2006 by Camillo Sitte

[UPSDAN]

Can we stop this? All the pictures posted here are great for the forum...

[Camillo Sitte]

Yeah, um, sorry to act like I

Edited February 6, 2006 by Camillo Sitte

[Camillo Sitte]

Can we stop this? All the pictures posted here are great for the forum...

Woops.

Someone disagreed with someone else about photos in a photo thread.

Disagreement causes disruption to the hive-mind. The hive-mind must not be disturbed...

***

[Woops, again. Does humor lead to disruption as well?]

[RestedTraveler]

The GSA under its former director really did sponsor some good architecture. When the Orlando Federal Building was first being designed the new federal building in San Francisco was in our studio at the time.

The original design for the Orlando building was a reasonably elegant glass box, particularly for Orlando.

However the head federal judge [can't remember her name] who holds a lot of sway over these projects, was this hard core conservative who wanted a Mediterranean/Casa/white stucco/red-tile roof thing.

It was her dislike for "liberal" modernism that is responsible for what we have here now.

As I recall, the design of the Orlando Federal Building was changed drastically after the Oklahoma City Federal Building was bombed. The amount of glass was reduced to provide less shrapnel should any such attack be carried out against the Orlando building. I'm sure there were many alternatives from which to choose; however, I have to agree that it looks like a prison.

[Camillo Sitte]

OK, this is it, I promise.

Camillo, how about this?

Before (taken today at lunch):

After:

I discovered Shadow/Highlight in PS. Is that how you're getting your effect? Tried more with white balance, but today was just too bright. Circular polarizer is on the way!

Sorry, missed this question.

This situation is more difficult. There is so much stray light hitting your lens at so many angles that it really robs the image of color saturation and contrast.

As you mentioned, a C-PL filter would have done wonders for this image.

It looks to me that you used to much shadow/highlight [maybe too much curves] which really skews the colors as you can see. There is so little original contrast here that there isn't much that can be done.

I first removed the cyan cast [which several of your images seem to have] which lets more of the real color information through. Then very little shadow/highlight, very slight 'S' curve, and just a little bit of manual levels.

While someone might, for example, like the color of the sky in your untouched original the best, it is also adding an artificial cyan cast over the entire image so you have to make a few compromises in order to get an image that, overall, is pretty accurate.

If you look at the colors of the various building materials you can see that these are now much more accurate even though some of the sky has been "lost".

That is about all that can be done, but it is still a workable image.

Your original

Your PhotoShop

My PhotoShop

Edited February 7, 2006 by Camillo Sitte

[sunshine]

Please continue your photgraphy chat in pvt or in the Coffee House Section.

[Camillo Sitte]

As I recall, the design of the Orlando Federal Building was changed drastically after the Oklahoma City Federal Building was bombed. The amount of glass was reduced to provide less shrapnel should any such attack be carried out against the Orlando building. I'm sure there were many alternatives from which to choose; however, I have to agree that it looks like a prison.

Actually the architects had made enough changes to their 'glass box' to meet the "new" conditions such that the GSA gave its approval.

It was the judge who used the "too much glass", "shrapnel" points to argue against the design of the Modernist box, which she hated.

There was a pretty good article about this in Architectural Record a few years ago. I will try to find it.

Cheers.

[prahaboheme]

While Miami's new federal courthouse is all glass....

[depechecureguyorl]

Please continue your photgraphy chat in pvt or in the Coffee House Section.

Thank you! It was getting rediculous! Even after a couple of requests to stop, it still continued.

[Camillo Sitte]

Thank you! It was getting rediculous! Even after a couple of requests to stop, it still continued.

But...Does not your post in fact continue to draw the issue out?

The rest of us had already moved on.

Doesn't this mean that your desire to get in one last shot trumps your belief that the thread had gotten out of control?

How positively hipo...Aw shucks. There I go again.

Never mind.

Cheers!

[RestedTraveler]

Actually the architects had made enough changes to their 'glass box' to meet the "new" conditions such that the GSA gave its approval.

It was the judge who used the "too much glass", "shrapnel" points to argue against the design of the Modernist box, which she hated.

There was a pretty good article about this in Architectural Record a few years ago. I will try to find it.

Cheers.

Thanks! I'd be interested in reading it.

By the way: I find the photography discussion interesting. Sunshine: Is there any way all of these posts can be moved into a new thread specifically (other than the Coffee Shop)? Just a suggestion.

[sunshine]

If you want to talk about photograph, I would suggest you start it in the coffee shop, after all, this is a forum for Orlando development & news, not for photo discussion. Hope you understand, I dont want other moderators or members complain to me. I found it interesting too.

[depechecureguyorl]

The rest of us had already moved on.

...apparently, you hadn't...but that's just me wanting to get my last word in..."Aww Shucks!"

[WeNeed2Progress]

I have photos taken of the rubble that will be 55W from yesterday. As soon as I host them somewhere, I'll put them up here.

[WeNeed2Progress]

Behold what will become 55W!

[orlandonative]

Thanks for the photo. I was amazed once everything came down how large this lot actually is. At the risk of sounding redundant: i'm also amazed how close the lot truly is to The Plaza. It should create one hell of a view headed West, and East for that matter on I-4.

Did anyone else notice that they haven't done anything across the street? I could be wrong, but the earlier renderings appeared to have completely rebuilt "The Esplanade". Perhaps they are taking it down in stages? Sorry Sunshine, feel free to move this to the correct thread.

[WeNeed2Progress]

Here are some other pics I've taken from around the city the other day. BTW... I was looking in a book of US skylines... yea, Orlando already beats Jax and Tampa despite our lack of vertical-ness and we're only getting better! Hope you enjoy!

[iris32]

Very nice pics!!!!

Thank you for sharing.

Does any one have updated pics from the other developements?

Black and White pics preffered!!!

lol!!

Just kidding!

Thanks guys for sharing your pics with us!

[Tim3167]

[prahaboheme]

huge lot!

[Tim3167]

My Flickr Images