Fusing with the 5 Elements: Mactan, Shangrila

[karlo reyes]

I wanted my girlfriend to relax and just chill -out far away from her patients, THE duty, over flowing coffee and all the angst of being a Doctor in the hospital. And the best place to experience and spend the weekend here in Cebu is at Shangrila Mactan!

That hotel is really something! The amenities, staff, the view and the spa is great! 2 days is simply not enough to have quality time with her. As she returns to Manila, I wanted her to See and Feel Cebu not as another vacation spot, but as our Second Home. Just a small set but the memories and experience being here is nothing short of Grand!

THE SHANGRILA EXPERIENCE
ISO 50 l 17mm l f4 l 30"
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[Asher Kelman]

I'm glad you two got away!

However, why the letters on the picture like a billboard? I looked at the picture in photoshop and it appears better with the distortion removed. As it is, the picture is overshadowed by the lettering and that black bar.

Try to deliver a picture without any letters or decoration of any sort. Let it work by itself with just your introduction and a title.

Asher

BTW, what are the "5 elements"? Earth, wind, fire, water and then what?

 

[Alain Briot]

I agree with Asher. The purpose of the lettering is unclear to me and questionable as well.

As it is we need your text, your "story" to make sense of the lettering. But the problem is that the story needs to be in the photo, not in the text, unless you will be providing both together and not just in this forum.

 

[nicolas claris]

BTW, what are the "5 elements"? Earth, wind, fire, water and then what?

Agree with Asher's comments on typo etc.

I think the five elements means five shots at different exposures and then blended to get HDR…

 

[karlo reyes]

I'm glad you two got away!

However, why the letters on the picture like a billboard? I looked at the picture in photoshop and it appears better with the distortion removed. As it is, the picture is overshadowed by the lettering and that black bar.

Try to deliver a picture without any letters or decoration of any sort. Let it work by itself with just your introduction and a title.

Asher

BTW, what are the "5 elements"? Earth, wind, fire, water and then what?

hi asher!

im really excited when you give your comments haha! just being playful on the whole concept of a magazine print out. I have no intentions to advertise shangrila mactan but to merely my kickoff to to the thread. The 5 elements are wind water earth fire and metal. This is the concept of chi spa fusing the body with the elements to give a more relaxing and "out of body" experience with them.

as per advise see attached below. all the best guys!

much respect,
karlo

 

[karlo reyes]

SHANGRILA
ISO 50 l 17mm l f4 l 30"
---------------------------------

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Karlo,

Thanks for giving us the clean image. Now we are allowed to enter this space. It's already better.

If you are game, consider this. I'd suggest you select the layer and go to Edit, Transform, Perspective. This will allow you to make the lines of the lights in the front vertical. The light on the left can be half hidden. That way we are forced to actually enter the place. You will lose a little real estate but the picture will be better for it. If you really want to try something interesting, convert to B&W. Even just desaturating this image will be a worthwhile experiment.

Remember, there's no reason why the gnomes in Japan that make the cameras firmware can get the spirit of the place just by one click.

Asher

 

[karlo reyes]

hi asher!

anything about learning and new experiments in photography I'm always game! I do hope this attached imagem, following your advice, suits you and how your vision is for the earlier image..

much respect,
karlo

 

[nicolas claris]

Hi Karlo

I guess you used perspective instead distortion as now, the lamp on the right is leaning…

 

[nicolas claris]

Agree with Asher's comments on typo etc.

I think the five elements means five shots at different exposures and then blended to get HDR…

The 5 elements are wind water earth fire and metal. This is the concept of chi spa fusing the body with the elements to give a more relaxing and "out of body" experience with them.

OOOOOps! sometimes I get really wrong !