This is another case where I think something valuable was lost by the converstion (the great feather color) but don't understand what was gained.
Funny that, I was thinking the other way. I like the starkness of the, heh, contrast! I think it's a stronger shot in B&W - it becomes a story about the contrast and the shapes - a good story, for me.
Quite a bit of what I shoot now, I do without thinking through all of the steps, so you may have to bear with me a bit as I try to explain this.
This scene was shot in one of my favorite place out in Pungo, VA. Knowing the area quite well, I knew when I wanted to be there to get what I was looking for. I also knew that I was going to use 35mm film, would want to be able to easily enlarge the photo to 11x14, so set up my Bogen/Manfrotto tripod.
When I was on site, I knew I wanted clear detail to show up in the reflected surface of the brackish water. It was a clear days, and I was set up in the shadows. So I took exposure/light readings of the reflections in the water, and decided which ones I wanted to stand out the most. I also took readings of the brighter tree trunks and the grass on the far shore. Having those readings, I began shooting, Bracketting 2 shots under and over, finally taking 5 shots total. (Using F-16 shooting 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250).
I also repeated the shot at F-11 & F-32 Metering the same, with maybe three minutes between the very first shot and the last, at the very most.
I was fairly certain when I started that I would want the F-16 aperature so that I could get both a bit of foreground and far-trees in relative focus. I was not sure however if I would want the 1/30, 1/60/ or 1/125, but in the end, wound up using the 1/30 & 1/60 to attain the lighting richness that I wanted, and printed accordingly, adjusting for the highlights. This one is 1/60 at the F-16. No filters and no real photoshop tinkering. Just scanned in the negative with my HP negative scanner, and adjusted the levels.
Had I used the Bright grasses in the background as my metering point, the image would have been underexposed for what I was looking to achieve, and the print would have had too little detail. Had I used the deep shadows, then the opposite overexposure would have occured, and I would have had a very dense negative. But then I'd rather a dense negative than a thin one, anytime.
Did this help?
ginette
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Taken at dinner a few nights ago. We just happened to get the right seat so I excused myself for a few moments and went to the car and got the camera.
Very Nice, DirtDog... Very Nice indeed!!!
My family hates when I do stuff like that though... They complain about my having my cameras glued to my hand, and wonder if I even enter the bathroom without one.... So I just assure them "One should never pass on an opportunity to capture art..."
I do like it!
ginette
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
Thanks for the comments, folks. I was getting some interesting looks from the diners at the next table, just told them it was a school assignment. They bought us drinks.
One of my motorcycle riding buddies and I had stopped for a moment to discuss some techniques for riding in rough terrain. I noticed his shadow on the rock wall and grabbed the gun for a quick shot.
In this case I exposed for the beautiful late afternoon sky instead of the building. The silhouette of the building is by far the best thing about it.
I listened to myself and took an exterme approach. After all the assignment is contrast. What do you think?
Now it reminds me of this Magritte painting Empire of Light II. If only I could get some lights in the window and cars with headlights on the street...
One of my motorcycle riding buddies and I had stopped for a moment to discuss some techniques for riding in rough terrain. I noticed his shadow on the rock wall and grabbed the gun for a quick shot.
Great stuff. Real shadows. Now that would be an assignment of the week!
I listened to myself and took an exterme approach. After all the assignment is contrast. What do you think?
Now it reminds me of this Magritte painting Empire of Light II. If only I could get some lights in the window and cars with headlights on the street...
You've merged two different definitions of contrast. Nice.
"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
Comments
Funny that, I was thinking the other way. I like the starkness of the, heh, contrast! I think it's a stronger shot in B&W - it becomes a story about the contrast and the shapes - a good story, for me.
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
http://www.mcneel.com/users/jb/foghorn/ill_shut_up.au
Very nice shot!
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
rutt:
Quite a bit of what I shoot now, I do without thinking through all of the steps, so you may have to bear with me a bit as I try to explain this.
This scene was shot in one of my favorite place out in Pungo, VA. Knowing the area quite well, I knew when I wanted to be there to get what I was looking for. I also knew that I was going to use 35mm film, would want to be able to easily enlarge the photo to 11x14, so set up my Bogen/Manfrotto tripod.
When I was on site, I knew I wanted clear detail to show up in the reflected surface of the brackish water. It was a clear days, and I was set up in the shadows. So I took exposure/light readings of the reflections in the water, and decided which ones I wanted to stand out the most. I also took readings of the brighter tree trunks and the grass on the far shore. Having those readings, I began shooting, Bracketting 2 shots under and over, finally taking 5 shots total. (Using F-16 shooting 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250).
I also repeated the shot at F-11 & F-32 Metering the same, with maybe three minutes between the very first shot and the last, at the very most.
I was fairly certain when I started that I would want the F-16 aperature so that I could get both a bit of foreground and far-trees in relative focus. I was not sure however if I would want the 1/30, 1/60/ or 1/125, but in the end, wound up using the 1/30 & 1/60 to attain the lighting richness that I wanted, and printed accordingly, adjusting for the highlights. This one is 1/60 at the F-16. No filters and no real photoshop tinkering. Just scanned in the negative with my HP negative scanner, and adjusted the levels.
Had I used the Bright grasses in the background as my metering point, the image would have been underexposed for what I was looking to achieve, and the print would have had too little detail. Had I used the deep shadows, then the opposite overexposure would have occured, and I would have had a very dense negative. But then I'd rather a dense negative than a thin one, anytime.
Did this help?
ginette
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
Very Nice, DirtDog... Very Nice indeed!!!
My family hates when I do stuff like that though... They complain about my having my cameras glued to my hand, and wonder if I even enter the bathroom without one.... So I just assure them "One should never pass on an opportunity to capture art..."
I do like it!
ginette
In this case I exposed for the beautiful late afternoon sky instead of the building. The silhouette of the building is by far the best thing about it.
Now it reminds me of this Magritte painting Empire of Light II. If only I could get some lights in the window and cars with headlights on the street...
Oops..wrong thread.. I'll try again;
By the way... That's a great picture!
A collonade...
Riding with No Hands...
Planting Shrubs...
And Some Sticks...
I need to crop the truck out.
not really the photography "contrast" definition, but
You've merged two different definitions of contrast. Nice.
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin