Demo Farm

[Bobobird]

A historical/educational facility maintained in one of the provincial parks around here.

Comments gratefully accepted.

[Donald]

Bobo

Not sure about the first one, as I find it quite difficult to work out what I'm looking at. But I think it's not so surrealistic to be thought of as a an abstract image.

I really like how you've gone in close on that tractor and not been concerned to include the whole vehicle in the shot. that's bold and imaginative and works really well, I think.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Donald.

First one is one of those windmill thingies for drawing water. That was the only angle ie straight up that was'nt being killed by the reflections. Anyway I was too close to get it all into a farm setting sort of shot.

We see so many of the same maybe it was time for a different angle.

[Daisy Mae]

I love the first one Bobo. It pleases my eye.

Third one also...simple but effective.

Good stuff.

[jamn4ex]

I like the tractor best Bobo ( but that may just be the boy in me) I remember machines like that from my youth... great shot I think out of the three it catches the essence of the farm best.

[Bobobird]

Thanks Sharon. Glad those got some fans.

Thanks James - but then red/yellow is usually a pretty good eyecatching colour.
Don't now about essence - always have a hard time with such concepts. Maybe I am just too item oriented.

[JPS]

Tractor work for me Bobo.

[Bobobird]

Thanks John.

[Pjerry]

Hi Bobo,

@1
I recognised at first sight the windmill (LOL Donald), but that maybe caused by the fact of beiing a Dutchman, I've got something with windmills.....
I'm always a bit allergic for high lighted skies (unless it was totally grey and so you've got nothing to lose, but that wasn't the case, I think).
I don't know which camera you use. On my Nikon I've got a D-lighting function which remedies the shadows a lot and makes it possible to give a nice texture to the sky. I think the picture will improve that way.
Are the blades made of metal? If so, than wouldn't a POLA help much, otherwise could the reflection be dimmed by using such a filter.
But moreover, what is wrong about reflections on metal? A little under-exposure, a detailed sky and reflection on the blades, looks really nice to me.
I agree with your POV, I think this POV is more interesting than a POV with the total windmill (déjà vue....)

@2
I really love this picture. It got so much detail and all parts are well lit. Did you use HDR?
As a consequence of the detail the picture is a bit flat, too less contrast. But that could be a well-considered choice......

@3
I think you love this kind of pictures or you don't. I do. I love the light tones without any lost of detail. To my (modest) opinion is the focal point and the DOF are very well chosen.

Just my 2 cents .

Pierre

[tbob]

Thanks Sharon. Glad those got some fans.
.

A pun?

I like all three. Of them the tractor is my favorite. No reflection on you, but I wish the park hadn't put rubber tires on the front; it's a real clanger of an anachronism for me. Should be metal rims and spoked wheels

Did you consider reducing the highlights on the left hand bales? I would have to hold judgement until seeing the result as to whether it would be an improvement

[Bobobird]

Thanks Pierre for the detailed C&C. Much appreciated.

Mine is a Canon 550D and it has a highlight protection function and does what the Nikons do. However it makes the base ISO 200 and adds a bit too much noise in the shadows. If it is off, and using ISO 200 (which is my standard daytime setting) the problems of noisy shadows is much reduced.

Dutch windmills are like nothing else and really unique and beautiful structures. I was fortunate to be able to visit your country and was quite fascinated with your beautiful countryside.

This particular windmill - the sky was indeed beautifully blue and lots of very nice white clouds. At the time of taking the pic the intention was to capture the beautiful sky and let the windmill become a nice dark silhouette. However in pp, the textures on the metal blades turned out to be more appealing then the clouds so lifted the exposure and lost most of the blue sky in the process. I did try merging 2 exposures but became more like any other windmill shot so went towards an "abstracty" crop and finish.

The purpose of the trip was hawks, owls and other birds and only had the zoom with me. Will post the bird shots when pp is done. But thanks for the pola reminder I will carry it when next out. I think a polarizer may in fact be good for bird shoots as well because on a bright day any reduction in sky brightness can always be useful for a good exposure.

#2 - no HDR only a bit of a saturation increase of the red and selective dodging/burning to bring out the darker areas. I know it a little flat but do not know how to fix that in pp.

#3 - was a long range shot into the storage shed. Have been hoping for a long time to get those rolled hay bales in a field type of landscape. This is the closest I have come to rolled hay for a while so just took the shot without thinking.