San Francisco de Assis Church, Rancho de Taos, New Mexico

WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
edited April 26, 2011 in Other Cool Shots
3_dsc_0435_prop-3_dsc_0437_prop-edit-2-XL.jpg


Thanks for looking, comments appreciated
Werner
http://wernerg.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    Awesome! Your perspective and the elements reminded me of one of Ansel Adams' image shot also in New Mexico. This is definitely a winner for me, everything from the composition to the handling of the highlights just shouts "well done." thumb.gifthumbthumb.gifthumbthumb.gifclap.gifclapclap.gif
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    I'm in agreement with jiro .. Awesome thumb.gif
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 24, 2011
    Thanks Jiro and Mary, I found the Ansel Adams image when I got back and was surprised to see that he shot the rear of the church. Georgia O'Keeffe also painted the rear of the church. There is a plaza in the rear (its seems strange that the plaza would be behind the church) and from the rear the church is a series of free-form, soft round bulges and curves and I guess this is what intrigued Adams and O'Keeffe. I liked the way the front flows out from under the bell towers (and the light was better there).
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,955 moderator
    edited April 25, 2011
    Nice shot. It has an IR look. Well done. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Richard wrote: »
    Nice shot. It has an IR look. Well done. thumb.gif

    Thank you Richard.
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • FlyNavyFlyNavy Registered Users Posts: 1,350 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Nice capture! Ansel would be proud.
    http://jmledy.com/


    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003085685580
  • Carmelo75Carmelo75 Registered Users Posts: 232 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    jiro wrote: »
    Awesome! Your perspective and the elements reminded me of one of Ansel Adams' image shot also in New Mexico. This is definitely a winner for me, everything from the composition to the handling of the highlights just shouts "well done." thumb.gifthumbthumb.gifthumbthumb.gifclap.gifclapclap.gif
    15524779-Ti.gif COMPLETELY!!!

    Andrea.

    P.S: I need to find Ansel Adam's picture, just for curiosity...
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/carmelo75
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Carmelo75 wrote: »
    P.S: I need to find Ansel Adam's picture, just for
    curiosity...

    Try this link, Andrea: http://momentc.blogspot.com/2010/10/georgia-okeeffe.html
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Good link, Jiro, it has both of them. I had the Adams image in a pdf link which was clumsy to download. The Adams image seems very un-Ansel-like.

    And thank you all for the nice comments.

    PS: Jiro, Spring has come and the grass is starting to grow by itself.... what should I do?
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    WernerG wrote: »
    PS: Jiro, Spring has come and the grass is starting to grow by itself.... what should I do?

    You don't do nothing. Let the grass grow by themselves. The quote is actually addressing us. When the moment has arrived, you cannot stop the growth coming inside and it will just resonate outward. nod.gif I have too much coffee again in my system to say such stuff right now. :crazy
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • EiaEia Registered Users Posts: 3,627 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    The given links and info is very interesting. And YOUR image is breathtaking!bowdown.gif
    ~AnnaMaria~ My little life in God's big universe
  • KevXmanKevXman Registered Users Posts: 945 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Eia wrote: »
    The given links and info is very interesting. And YOUR image is breathtaking!bowdown.gif

    +1 clap.gif
    Enjoy today, tomorrow is not guaranteed.

    My Site, My Book
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    Thank you Eia and Kev for your comments.
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2011
    I agree as well. Good light, good composition, and good processing.

    Good image!

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • rwellsrwells Registered Users Posts: 6,084 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    Very nice comp!

    I love shooting NM churches and architecture.
    Randy
  • Carmelo75Carmelo75 Registered Users Posts: 232 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    jiro wrote: »
    Try this link, Andrea: http://momentc.blogspot.com/2010/10/georgia-okeeffe.html

    Jiro, thanks for the link, I just opened it... it is interesting to see how the sky was used differently in the two images. Actually I'm still deciding which one I prefer (which tells how much I like Werner's image!!!:D). Maybe, after looking at Ansel's I now would like to see more tonal variation in the church walls in Werner's version... would that be possible?

    Andrea.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/carmelo75
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    Carmelo75 wrote: »
    Jiro, thanks for the link, I just opened it... it is interesting to see how the sky was used differently in the two images. Actually I'm still deciding which one I prefer (which tells how much I like Werner's image!!!:D). Maybe, after looking at Ansel's I now would like to see more tonal variation in the church walls in Werner's version... would that be possible?

    Andrea.

    Of course, it is always possible. That's where Ansel Adams' technique in the darkroom shines. If you will immerse yourself with Ansel Adams' work, you will find that all his images exhibit such richness in tonal variation, something that is quite extraordinary and hard to copy but doable with years of practice. I think it can be equated with the the process of dodging and burning using digital darkroom via photoshop or other post-processing software. Technically, it all depends on how you interpret your subject. Ansel was a musician first before being a photographer so you can understand why his work has such richness in tonality. He addresses photography in the same way as he plays a musical piece - a succession of notes - up and down just like hills and valleys- a play of light and shadows - with movements in between. Hope this helps, Andrea.
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    rwells wrote: »
    Very nice comp!

    I love shooting NM churches and architecture.

    Thank you Randy, I really enjoyed the Santa Fe area. I love the way the light wraps around the soft adobe walls at almost any time of day. Old town Santa Fe in the Canyon Road area is one big photo-op and the various mission churches along the High Road to Taos are great subjects.
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    Andrea, Jiro; easy on the coffee :D, this was a snapshot taken at high noon on a family road trip. Ansel played poker at high noon. This church gets re-mudded every year by volunteers and the tones of the mud are somewhat uneven so I took a shot at both of your suggestions to try for more tonal variation. The side is naturally darker because it is vertical and rough textured, even though it is in direct sunlight so I darken it a bit more using NX2 control points. I lightened the top of the sloping front wall and left the lower part alone. I also darkened the part of the far wall by the door since it is at the same angle as the side wall. I also darkened the paving stones a bit. Finally I lightened the opening in the bell tower a bit, something I forgot to do the first time.

    3_dsc_0435_prop-3_dsc_0437_prop-edit-3-XL.jpg

    I'm not yet sure I like it better, it will have to perc for a few days. If I were to take this shot again, I would take a step left to move the statue entirely in front of the sloping church wall and not block that nice soft corner of the church. I should also have done a exposure bracket to get more detail in the bell tower, probably 0, +2 EV would have been enough.

    Thanks for the ideas and take it easy on the coffee thumb.gif
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
  • Carmelo75Carmelo75 Registered Users Posts: 232 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    I personally like it much much more now thumb.gifthumbthumb.gifclap.gifclapclap.gif.

    The tonal differences in the walls now give the church that "3D-like" feeling that makes the image pop.

    Incidentally (or not...), also the clouds in the sky got a bit whiter and more popping...

    Very well done!!!

    Andrea.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/carmelo75
  • WernerGWernerG Registered Users Posts: 534 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2011
    Thank you Andrea, I appreciate your comments very much.
    Werner
    http://wernerg.smugmug.com/
Sign In or Register to comment.