b/w conversion attempt II

Dripfaucet

i got lots of good feedback from my first post. I thought i would try another photo. .here is my second attempt:




I'm having trouble cropping these vast landscapes to give it a "subject". perhaps i need a better eye for composition when shooting? anyone have any good reads on finding the shots in "big" situations?

Wil Davis

Here's my totally biased take on it (coming from A Curmudgeon…)

B&W and colour are two totally different things; what works in B&W doesn't (usually) work in colour.

You need light. Your picture shows light, but there really isn't all that much contrast.

I'm not sure what the subject is either…

Trees… lots of trees… and there's a crag or a rock in the middle… it's a bit far away and at this distance I can't see if there are any Valkyries riding around it on their winged steeds (we might need to get closer to see that…)

It's pretty flat (no, not the landscape, silly…) I mean there's not really any depth to the picture; my eye's not really being led anywhere, it's sort of wandering around on its own…

Apart from that, it's practically perfect (in every way - just like Mary Poppins )

- Wil

BTW Welcome to dgrin… (take no notice of my wretched meanderings… there are better critics here, who will give you far better advice, and are not backward about coming forward )

InsuredDisaster

Dripfaucet wrote:

i got lots of good feedback from my first post. I thought i would try another photo. .here is my second attempt:




I'm having trouble cropping these vast landscapes to give it a "subject". perhaps i need a better eye for composition when shooting? anyone have any good reads on finding the shots in "big" situations?

I'll take this down if you have any problem with what I've done, but I find your image a bit washed out. This may be just something to my tastes as I tend to prefer higher contrast BW images. Now, I'm not a photoshop wiz, and using your above JPG did create some limitations, but I tried to really boost the contrast and add some blacks into your image. What do you think about the below edit? This is just one possible way you might look at going.

And if your above image is what makes you happy, then that's great. That's the important thing.

Dripfaucet

Wil Davis wrote:

Here's my totally biased take on it (coming from A Curmudgeon…)

B&W and colour are two totally different things; what works in B&W doesn't (usually) work in colour.

You need light. Your picture shows light, but there really isn't all that much contrast.

I'm not sure what the subject is either…

Trees… lots of trees… and there's a crag or a rock in the middle… it's a bit far away and at this distance I can't see if there are any Valkyries riding around it on their winged steeds (we might need to get closer to see that…)

It's pretty flat (no, not the landscape, silly…) I mean there's not really any depth to the picture; my eye's not really being led anywhere, it's sort of wandering around on its own…

Apart from that, it's practically perfect (in every way - just like Mary Poppins )

- Wil

BTW Welcome to dgrin… (take no notice of my wretched meanderings… there are better critics here, who will give you far better advice, and are not backward about coming forward )

thanks for the feedback. more contrast, more defined subject. better flow and direction, get up closer on the valkyries. noted!

Dripfaucet

InsuredDisaster wrote:

I'll take this down if you have any problem with what I've done, but I find your image a bit washed out. This may be just something to my tastes as I tend to prefer higher contrast BW images. Now, I'm not a photoshop wiz, and using your above JPG did create some limitations, but I tried to really boost the contrast and add some blacks into your image. What do you think about the below edit? This is just one possible way you might look at going.

And if your above image is what makes you happy, then that's great. That's the important thing.

i don't mind you tweaking my image at all. i see where you were going with the contrast, but it goes beyond what i saw through the lens. i think i'll meet yours in the middle somewhere.

InsuredDisaster

Dripfaucet wrote:

i don't mind you tweaking my image at all. i see where you were going with the contrast, but it goes beyond what i saw through the lens. i think i'll meet yours in the middle somewhere.

Haha, normally we see color through the lens.


Look forward to seeing your next photos.

Robbug

If I were taking this shot I would have concentrated on that interesting rock outcropping. Composition depends on what you want to show specifically (IMHO). You have several neat elements going on here. The rock outcropping, the masses of trees (composition of many), and the textured sky. If I had taken this photo I would have concentrated on one of those elements and let the other two "support it". Here is my "edit" of this photo. Also if you want me to I will take it down immediately.



I intended in this edit to draw viewers to the sky and then move the eyes down through the rock outcropping. Of course that is my interpretation of your photo.

Edited with Aperture and Photomatix Pro to bring the sky to the front.

Rob

p.s. I would love to see the color version though. I think this one would be better in color since the trees just die into the background.

thapamd

Beautiful, moody shot, Brad! I think Rob's crop of your image improves the composition, but your shot is also beautiful as is.

Dripfaucet

InsuredDisaster wrote:

Haha, normally we see color through the lens.


Look forward to seeing your next photos.

haha. well color, yes. but i meant there was not a huge black storm brewing over the mountains.

Dripfaucet

Robbug wrote:

If I were taking this shot I would have concentrated on that interesting rock outcropping. Composition depends on what you want to show specifically (IMHO). You have several neat elements going on here. The rock outcropping, the masses of trees (composition of many), and the textured sky. If I had taken this photo I would have concentrated on one of those elements and let the other two "support it". Here is my "edit" of this photo. Also if you want me to I will take it down immediately.



I intended in this edit to draw viewers to the sky and then move the eyes down through the rock outcropping. Of course that is my interpretation of your photo.

Edited with Aperture and Photomatix Pro to bring the sky to the front.

Rob

p.s. I would love to see the color version though. I think this one would be better in color since the trees just die into the background.

good suggestion on the crop, i do like that comp better. i'll see about posting the color version when i'm back at home.