Snow Gum in the Mist - Monochrome

[gcowan]

This is a monochrome conversion of a colour photograph I took three years ago. I made the monochrome version in response to the images that Donald has recently posted. This is our Alpine region in June our winter. It is low down and the first snows only arrived later on the weekend that I was there.
I don't get much practice at misty and moody, so this is my first shot at a B&W. It is fairly contrasty; but it gives a fair picture of the day.



Snow Gum in the Mist

Graham

[Polar01]

Great tones in those limbs with the peeling bark, have not seen the coloured image but I would say that this beats it.

Cheers:

Allan

[gcowan]

Thanks,

I am not sure the reds and green against the white of the bark is special.

Graham

[Daisy Mae]

I like this a lot. yes it is contrasty but the foggy background adds another dimension so it is both striking and subtle..

Great stuff.

[Mike Buckley]

I would never know that this is your first B&W conversion. I really like the high contrast in the foreground and the natural low contrast in the background brought on by the mist. The texture in the grass is gorgeous.

[Donald]

Graham

I'd love to see this at a much larger size. If you posted it at something like 1200 or 1500 on the long edges, we'd really get to see it by clicking on it a viewing that larger image in the Ligthbox.

I think this is a beauty. You need to cleanse your mind of thinking in colour and start thinking in tones. I think there is a wonderful harmony of tone in it. I think the composition is wonderful. The line from the gum tree to that first one behind and to the right. And then from that one up and left to the back of the image along the trees behind it. And then back to the base of the gum tree. A very strong triangle right at the heart of the image.

For me a good B & W is all about line, shape, tone and texture. This one has got the lot.

[gcowan]

Graham
Sharon, Mike & Donald,
Thankyou for your comments..
Mike... This isn't my first monochrome conversion, but it is the first time that I have converted any of the landscape photos I have taken in digital format, and gone on to post it.

"I'd love to see this at a much larger size. If you posted it at something like 1200 or 1500 on the long edges, we'd really get to see it by clicking on it a viewing that larger image in the Ligthbox."

Donald,
I will spend some more time trying to resolve the problem I am having with Tiny Pics and FLICKR. I don't know if there is a trick to it or just that I don't have enough patience.

""

See I think there should be a bit more quote but..

I am really a B&W film person, and I agree with you; but since I turned digital I have been trying to do some of the things I couldn't do with colour film. I must admit that the B&W work does form the basis of what I try to do even in colour. The two monochrome things I posted before were shot in colour, and one of them was even posted in colour without conversion and nobody seemed to notice.

Graham

[Coinneachmhor]

Great image - the tones, contrast and textures really work for me. A| great one to frame up and put on the wall!

[gcowan]

Graham

I'd love to see this at a much larger size. If you posted it at something like 1200 or 1500 on the long edges, we'd really get to see it by clicking on it a viewing that larger image in the Ligthbox.

OK here goes. I had to reodo the conversion and I didn't take the same route so I hope it looks as good large.



Graham

[FlyingSquirrel]

Beautiful photo, I love it! If I may add my own opinions/critique...

First off, I prefer the softer, less contrasty version that you originally posted, vs this newer one. Regarding the photo composition, my eye keeps getting drawn to the left where the bush is. I find it distracting and feel it doesn't add much to the photo. I'd rather see it cropped just to the left of the big foreground tree, so my eyes can be drawn into the center and right side of the photo where all of the fantastic tones, textures, and mist are. That middle and distant area is where it's at!

I see some people off to the right there too, which is kind of cool.

Excellent work

[jstp]

Hi Graham,

I think this is a great photo, everything about it catches my eye, I really like how you can see some people, well I hope they are people, or I really need to have my eyes checked, through the mist on the right. Really nice work, please, some more.

Cheers

J

[Sahil]

Beautiful picture & equally good conversion.

[Mike Buckley]

It's great to see the larger image but I prefer your treatment of the first version. If I hadn't seen the first version, I would still be raving about the second version.

[GrahamS]

Graham, change the frame to black......

[Donald]

OK here goes. I had to reodo the conversion and I didn't take the same route so I hope it looks as good large.

Like others above - it's still a good one. But the original was more subtle in its treatment of contrast and for that reason, I do prefer it.

[Bobobird]

Lovely conversion.