New posted show - large file

[LumenLux]

This feature-length presentation turned out so long that my first thought was to charge admission. But I decided maybe you might need your money to buy caffeinated popcorn.

Havasupai is 155mb download and runs for 35 minutes. I did leave the keyboard controls active so you can stop, forward and reverse.

Click Havasupai to download via Beechbrook.

I am personally excited because the .pte has languished "in process" for a year and a half. Just happy to have it done, and in the meantime, Igor brought us the mask feature, which I was able to try out in this one.

If anyone is able to watch the whole thing, I'd sure like your comments. Of course I'll entertain your observations whether you make it through or not. Personally, I love to watch it.

[Ken Cox]

Robert

great shots -- lots of rocks and water - nearly had to go for a pit stop

I think some of your effects could be left out - verticals at side etc -- others were great especially the face in the rock - ghostly - had to use arrow keys to verify

quite apparent a good time was had by all

ken

[cottage]

Bob, I've already commented to you in email. However as I mentioned - great presentation reflecting the bond between you guys and your enjoyment of the outdoors. What memories you have made! You've captured some marvelous scenery and also used some PTE magic to make an enjoyable presentation. Thank you for sharing it.

Bill

[dpeterso]

This feature-length presentation turned out so long that my first thought was to charge admission. But I decided maybe you might need your money to buy caffeinated popcorn.

Havasupai is 155mb download and runs for 35 minutes. I did leave the keyboard controls active so you can stop, forward and reverse.

When I read the specs on the show; 155 Mb and 35 minutes, I said that there was no way I could stay engaged in a slideshow for 35 minutes. You proved me wrong Robert. I found it very good and quite interesting. I'm doing a "Rim to Rim hike of the Grand Canyon in May with my brothers, so I was interested in the area you were trekking in. The pictures were beautiful and I liked seeing you and your friends in action.

A couple of comments about the technical aspects of the show: There seemed to be an awkward absence of music at the beginning, enough that I reached for the volume button on my speakers. The other little thing was the shift in the music genre that didn't seem fitting. However, I really liked the "Green Grass of Summer" piece. (if that's what it's called???).

I'll sign off by saying that it was 35 minutes well invested.

Dave

[LumenLux]

When I read the specs on the show; 155 Mb and 35 minutes, I said that there was no way I could stay engaged in a slideshow for 35 minutes. You proved me wrong Robert. I found it very good and quite interesting. I'm doing a "Rim to Rim hike of the Grand Canyon in May with my brothers, so I was interested in the area you were trekking in. The pictures were beautiful and I liked seeing you and your friends in action.

A daughter, her husband, and friends made a "rim to rim" late October just past. They loved it and are planning a repeat this summer, maybe in the opposite direction this time. Are you doing the hike in a single day, or staying in the bottom for a night or more? Everyone I know who has done a one day rim-to-rim" involve the "North Rim". Is that where you are planning? Could/should be a great experience, albeit with similarities and differences compared to Havasupai.

A couple of comments about the technical aspects of the show: There seemed to be an awkward absence of music at the beginning, enough that I reached for the volume button on my speakers. The other little thing was the shift in the music genre that didn't seem fitting. However, I really liked the "Green Grass of Summer" piece. (if that's what it's called???).

I'll sign off by saying that it was 35 minutes well invested.

Dave

I appreciate your comments, including the music. I must say, the soundtrack didn't happen without considerable thought but I am very interested in the experience of any viewer of the show. I too, think the silence is unusual and maybe, in at least your case, "confusing." My intent was two-fold. I wanted to isolate the quick lead-in to the actual hike. The wet, dim drive to the canyon rim, and the unusual trail head, operated by the Indians. Waiting out the rain in the parking lot, figuring out whether our packs would really end up with us, the old motor home with a Coca Cola license plate, the dogs, the porta-johns, all contributed to a feeling of uncertainty for us. I felt the silence could help express this and focus on the packmaster Indian as he was eyeing the situation. Maybe even cause the viewer to ask: "What is going on?"And then by having the silence, I could use the music as a metaphorical sunrise as we finally start down the trail. Do you think, because of the silence, you paid less or more attention to the pre-hike slides?

The Green Leaves of Summer, which I understand you liked, but felt "didn't seem fitting"? I understand your reaction. Yes, that shift was much more sudden than I would expect or normally seek. I needed the native-american sound as "the" key element as we hiked down to Suapi, the Havasupai village. I think the rhythmic beat was just right for trekking into the canyon. Then I wanted eventually to reflect "sheer beauty" of some of the scenery. And I also wanted to express the "excitement" I often felt. Realizing how long the soundtrack would be, I thought without variety it would surely be a sedative! Green Leaves of Summer comes in at a point where we all felt like we were suddenly in Hawaii instead of Grand Canyon. I thought the "syrupy" sound, along with the silly "hula?" pose, was a "fun", if unexpected change, at an opportune point. I also thought, if anyone did happen to remember the name of the music, it might be fitting imagery as well.

I must admit, not just with the music, but also with slide order, story line, etc - it all required more thought than ususal, because of the length of the production. All of which just makes me more appreciative than ever when someone makes a comment or two.

Thank you guys.

[Almark]

Some feedback as requested:

I didn't read the above replies before viewing the AV. But I too found myself wondering where the sound was. I too turned up the volume and then when the music did start - I had to turn back down again. For me the silence doesn't work. Perhaps some soft chanting or even birdsong, playing quietly would be better than silence.

You have three large dust spots that show up in the skies from time to time.

I loved the first scroll of the waterfall and red rock, wonderful work.

I liked the native American music, although I would have preferred no words as I was distracted by trying to make them out to seen if they linked to the photographs. There was one part were there was a clip of squaky voice saying something over and over again. I couldn't make out what he was saying. Maybe that was the point, but for me it was a distraction.

On two occasions you show a portrait on top of a landscape without blurring or darkening the background landscape. You do darken /blur them later on in the AV, so these two sort of stick out.

The cloned water fall images that form a border of the left and right of a beautiful water fall - I found distracting. I don't think it adds anything, except to prompt the viewer to say "Why has he done that?"

I loved the photography of the green foliage reflected on the chocolate coloured waters. Very effective, well done.

The colours of the waters seemed to change a lot. Milky blue to chocolate back to milky blue again, and so on. I am not sure if it would add anything to the overall flow to keep the coloured waters together, or to provide some text on screen to discuss the change from chocolate to milky blue. I am sure folk would be interested.

I liked the slow scroll up and then scroll down of the lush green valley and Canyon walls. If certainly created a sense of depth and height. Most impressive.

I liked the speedy boats portion and the three zip across transitions - just enough to keep my attention in this long AV.

All in all I was most impressed. I do short AV's, usually never over 5 mins and find myself getting bored on 10 mins photo harmony AV's, so I thought I might be hitting the escape key. But I didn't, I watched all the way through in one go. I found myself wanting to see what would happen next, where you were going next. I would have liked some more info and there is much scope for adding some narration here and there.

[LumenLux]

Mark, thank you very much for your observations. I know it takes a special effort to not only watch, but to keep track and comment. I hope to reply more completely to your comment - but at this very moment my wife and I are headed out the door for our wedding anniversary trip that just happens to be a photo destination of which I am very excited. Thanks again, and I will get reply further.

[Almark]

No probs...

Enjoy your anniversary! I just recently celebrated my 30th!

[LumenLux]

Thank you for taking time to comment. I will try to respond to most.

Some feedback as requested:

I didn't read the above replies before viewing the AV. But I too found myself wondering where the sound was. I too turned up the volume and then when the music did start - I had to turn back down again. For me the silence doesn't work. Perhaps some soft chanting or even birdsong, playing quietly would be better than silence.

I know silence can be uncomfortable, and misunderstood, and it appears it has not been useful in this case. I was uncertain myself and no one has suggested yet that it was "effective" in the way I intended.

You have three large dust spots that show up in the skies from time to time.

I loved the first scroll of the waterfall and red rock, wonderful work.

I thought I had rid the sequence of the dust on sensor spots! Obviously I need a better proof viewer person. Guess I'll have to look again. Thanks for noting the waterfall scroll, I like that result too.

I liked the native American music, although I would have preferred no words as I was distracted by trying to make them out to seen if they linked to the photographs. There was one part were there was a clip of squaky voice saying something over and over again. I couldn't make out what he was saying. Maybe that was the point, but for me it was a distraction.

I'm sorry you could not understand the lyrics. I seldom use lyrics but these had exceptional relevance to the situation of the Native Americans living there. When viewing AV's of others, I often feel badly that I can not understand some of the carefully composed lyrics, even spoken rather than sung, which are done with a fine accent of the British Isles.

On two occasions you show a portrait on top of a landscape without blurring or darkening the background landscape. You do darken /blur them later on in the AV, so these two sort of stick out.

The cloned water fall images that form a border of the left and right of a beautiful water fall - I found distracting. I don't think it adds anything, except to prompt the viewer to say "Why has he done that?"

Both these may be a case of getting better as I went along. I wanted to use the vertical of the chocolate falls and didn't quite know how. I rationalized that the tiled instances of the falls could convey the concept that the area was really an environment of many water falls.

I loved the photography of the green foliage reflected on the chocolate coloured waters. Very effective, well done.

The colours of the waters seemed to change a lot. Milky blue to chocolate back to milky blue again, and so on. I am not sure if it would add anything to the overall flow to keep the coloured waters together, or to provide some text on screen to discuss the change from chocolate to milky blue. I am sure folk would be interested.

My thought was the rain evidenced during much of the front of the show would be adequate explanation of the muddy brown and red water. But I can understand your confusion by not all of the brown water appearing before all the blue water. And the large Colorado River actually was still running very brown after the Havasu Creek was running blue. All in all, even with 35 minutes it was beyond me to cover all the possible story lines.

I liked the slow scroll up and then scroll down of the lush green valley and Canyon walls. If certainly created a sense of depth and height. Most impressive.

I liked the speedy boats portion and the three zip across transitions - just enough to keep my attention in this long AV.

All in all I was most impressed. I do short AV's, usually never over 5 mins and find myself getting bored on 10 mins photo harmony AV's, so I thought I might be hitting the escape key. But I didn't, I watched all the way through in one go. I found myself wanting to see what would happen next, where you were going next. I would have liked some more info and there is much scope for adding some narration here and there.

I'm sure a well done narration could add something. I do think it would require a careful effort to avoid disrupting the visual flow I try to produce.

Thanks again for your thoughtful viewing and pointing out also the parts that you found especially appealing.

[Almark]

Thanks LumenLux,

in relation to the sound, and lyrics, I am a bit deaf and have to work on headphones. However; even with headphones I found the speech just too hard to grasp. Thank you for taking the time to offer me feedback on my feedback ;-)

[Almark]

Good to see you on RB!