# Stairs



## Al-Wazeer (Apr 23, 2009)

what do you think?


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## dcclark (Apr 23, 2009)

Nice lines, in a variety of directions (the criss-crossing lines of the building, the steps, the railings.)

However, because of all the geometry, I _really_ notice the slight barrel distortion, and the slight crookedness of the image. Look at the very uppermost lines, for example -- that's very distracting, when the image is all about these lines.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 23, 2009)

dcclark said:


> Nice lines, in a variety of directions (the criss-crossing lines of the building, the steps, the railings.)
> 
> However, because of all the geometry, I _really_ notice the slight barrel distortion, and the slight crookedness of the image. Look at the very uppermost lines, for example -- that's very distracting, when the image is all about these lines.


hmmm i noticed that just now

is there anyway to get rid of this effect??


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## dcclark (Apr 23, 2009)

Yup, it's pretty easy. Photoshop and Gimp (and many other photo editors) all have a Lens Distortion filter. Play around with it a bit until the lines look straight to you -- it's mostly trial and error, unless you can look up some standard values (for your lens) online.

Then just rotate to make the lines nice and perpendicular.


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## timethief (Apr 24, 2009)

when you shoot lines make sure everything is straight. otherwise it just spoils it if you ask me.


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## ernie (Apr 24, 2009)

also, i would leave the watermark out. in photos like this, especially with a font like that, it reminds me of graffiti.
nice photo though, cool conversions.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 24, 2009)

timethief said:


> when you shoot lines make sure everything is straight. otherwise it just spoils it if you ask me.


there's nothing tilted, can you be specific? 


ernie said:


> also, i would leave the watermark out. in photos like this, especially with a font like that, it reminds me of graffiti.
> nice photo though, cool conversions.


i know, it doesn't look nice, but i have to save my picture from being stolen, thanks for the comment


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## KmH (Apr 24, 2009)

Nicely done.

A watermark won't keep your image from being stolen. It just makes a little more work for a thief if they decide they wznt to clone out the watermark or just crop it out.

If you put an image online it's at risk. I make my on image watermarks very subtle hoping most image thieves won't notice.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 24, 2009)

KmH said:


> Nicely done.
> 
> A watermark won't keep your image from being stolen. It just makes a little more work for a thief if they decide they wznt to clone out the watermark or just crop it out.
> 
> If you put an image online it's at risk. I make my on image watermarks very subtle hoping most image thieves won't notice.


thanks for the comment

may i see an example of your watermark?


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## dcclark (Apr 24, 2009)

Actually, the whole image is tilted -- that's what was meant above. I had already mentioned it to you in other words -- you need to straighten the lines AND remove the barrel distortion to truly "straighten" them.

Here's an example of my watermarking: Doorways. Look close! Very close!


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 24, 2009)

dcclark said:


> Actually, the whole image is tilted -- that's what was meant above. I had already mentioned it to you in other words -- you need to straighten the lines AND remove the barrel distortion to truly "straighten" them.
> 
> Here's an example of my watermarking: Doorways. Look close! Very close!


i still can't see the photo tilted 

now that's smart watermarking, in my new photos i'll do like that

thanks for the comment again.


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## KmH (Apr 24, 2009)

Just scroll the image to the top or bottom of the screen so a line is right on the edge of the screen.

Here's a link to one of my watermarked images here at TPF, its in the upper right corner. Go ahead and right click and copy the image so you can zoom it.

It says:

®© 2009 K Harrod Photography
All Rights Reseved Haverhill, IA

In the US, if your copyrights are not registered with the US Copyright Office *before* an infringement occurs, you'll have trouble finding an attorney willing to persue a suit against the infringer.


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## blash (Apr 24, 2009)

@KmH

Works don't have to be registered in order to be protected. If I make notes on a sheet of paper, that's considered original work and as such would be protected. Your problem with court cases is simply verifying that your work came before his.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 24, 2009)

KmH said:


> Just scroll the image to the top or bottom of the screen so a line is right on the edge of the screen.
> 
> Here's a link to one of my watermarked images here at TPF, its in the upper right corner. Go ahead and right click and copy the image so you can zoom it.
> 
> ...


nice job for watermarking , well i don't know about american law, but i think what blash says is right...


blash said:


> @KmH
> 
> Works don't have to be registered in order to be protected. If I make notes on a sheet of paper, that's considered original work and as such would be protected. Your problem with court cases is simply verifying that your work came before his.


yeah i think this is right..


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## KmH (Apr 24, 2009)

blash said:


> @KmH
> 
> Works don't have to be registered in order to be protected. If I make notes on a sheet of paper, that's considered original work and as such would be protected. Your problem with court cases is simply verifying that your work came before his.


You're correct in that as soon as a work is created it's copyrighted. The issue is, what constitues 'protection' and lets not confuse Copyright law with Patent law. 

In the USA if your copyright is not registered you are severly limited in what you can sue for. Basicly you can only sue for the income lost from that infringement only. If your normal charge for the image is $75, that's how much you can sue for. You cannot sue for attorney and court costs, which is why the first question an attorney will ask you is, "Is the image registered?" If you answer, "No it's not." they will tell you to get it registered ASAP and come back when it is. You have 3 months from the time the image was published by the infringer. You will still be somewhat limited on what your attorney can sue for.


If you register your copyright before the infringment occurs you can sue to recover any income the infringer realized by using your image without your authorization. Further, you can get additional awards if you can show the infringer knew they were infringing and did so willfully as well as recover your court and attorney fee's.

I followed a case in Florida. A realty company selling high end properties infringed 7 images of exteriors and interiors of several properties in a brochure. The court awarded the photographer $12 million because the infringement was willful.

If your images are registered and sound company infringes your work awards, after court and attorney fees, wind up right around $100,000.

Unregistered image suits wind up in small claims court.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 25, 2009)

KmH said:


> You're correct in that as soon as a work is created it's copyrighted. The issue is, what constitues 'protection' and lets not confuse Copyright law with Patent law.
> 
> In the USA if your copyright is not registered you are severly limited in what you can sue for. Basicly you can only sue for the income lost from that infringement only. If your normal charge for the image is $75, that's how much you can sue for. You cannot sue for attorney and court costs, which is why the first question an attorney will ask you is, "Is the image registered?" If you answer, "No it's not." they will tell you to get it registered ASAP and come back when it is. You have 3 months from the time the image was published by the infringer. You will still be somewhat limited on what your attorney can sue for.
> 
> ...



so you have to register  *EVERY SINGLE PHOTO* to make sure that it won't be stolen, isn't that too much? i'm just a hobbyist!


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## Torus34 (Apr 25, 2009)

Just as golf equipment manufacturers have a club for every lie, camera manufacturers have supplied a camera for every purpose.  Using a camera not suited to a particular type of picture can create no end of trouble.

If you wish to produce high quality prints of this type pick up a 4 x5 with tilts and swings [they pop up regularly on eBay] and you can get the shot right the first time without post-processing.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 25, 2009)

Torus34 said:


> Just as golf equipment manufacturers have a club for every lie, camera manufacturers have supplied a camera for every purpose.  Using a camera not suited to a particular type of picture can create no end of trouble.
> 
> If you wish to produce high quality prints of this type pick up a 4 x5 with tilts and swings [they pop up regularly on eBay] and you can get the shot right the first time without post-processing.


thanks for the advice, will think about it


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## KmH (Apr 25, 2009)

Al-Wazeer said:


> so you have to register *EVERY SINGLE PHOTO* to make sure that it won't be stolen, isn't that too much? i'm just a hobbyist!


That's just in the USA remember.

Registering your images won't keep them from getting infringed(stolen). The only way can prevent theft is to not put them on the Internet.

It costs $30 to register as many images as you can upload via the web in 30 minutes, if you do it online, and you can upload compressed files. Otherwise, you can register hundreds of images at a time by mail


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## abraxas (Apr 26, 2009)

Clean and sharp, nice tonal range and contrast. To limit distortion keep your lense at as much of right angles and parallel as possible.  Keeping the center of the lense higher in relation to the subject helps too- Raise the tripod up as high as you can. Watch the edges through your viewfinder and you can see what's happening better.  It makes it easier to correct later. Tilt-shift lenses get pricey.  Another possiblity is learn to take advantage of distortion.


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## Al-Wazeer (Apr 26, 2009)

KmH said:


> That's just in the USA remember.
> 
> Registering your images won't keep them from getting infringed(stolen). The only way can prevent theft is to not put them on the Internet.
> 
> It costs $30 to register as many images as you can upload via the web in 30 minutes, if you do it online, and you can upload compressed files. Otherwise, you can register hundreds of images at a time by mail


well, i'm in Bahrain and i don't think that there are any regulations that will help me to protect my photographs, but i'll ask bahraini photographers association, maybe they know something..


abraxas said:


> Clean and sharp, nice tonal range and contrast. To limit distortion keep your lense at as much of right angles and parallel as possible.  Keeping the center of the lense higher in relation to the subject helps too- Raise the tripod up as high as you can. Watch the edges through your viewfinder and you can see what's happening better.  It makes it easier to correct later. Tilt-shift lenses get pricey.  Another possiblity is learn to take advantage of distortion.


thanks for the advices, these are really helpful.


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## johngpt (Apr 30, 2009)

Great exposure range.

Have you thought about a really wild crop, getting everything on diagonals?


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## Al-Wazeer (May 1, 2009)

johngpt said:


> Great exposure range.
> 
> Have you thought about a really wild crop, getting everything on diagonals?


is this what you mean?


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