Helpful Posts Helpful Posts:  0
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Bonnie Scotland

  1. #1
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Bonnie Scotland

    The sun is shining; it's the warmest day we've had since about mid-November; there's a feeling of spring about to arrive; Silver Efex Pro is installed and working and, apart from my concerns that not all is well-in-the-world for so many people, all is well in my world today.

    Silver Efex Pro will undoubtedly make me the brilliant photographer that I always knew I could be. It's not about knowledge or skills ... it's all about the equipment! Or maybe not!

    Anyway .... I've been sitting on this for nearly a year. I could never get it to match the vision I had at the time I pressed the button.

    Even outwith the major cities with their social deprivations, Scotland is not always the nice, pretty place of Lochs and Glens, Heather and Haggis, Tartan-clad bagpipe players of popular imagination.

    Rob's Wales series inspired me to think what the first image I could subject Silver Efex Pro to, could be.

    Bonnie Scotland
    40D, Tokina 11-16 f2.8 @ 11mm. ISO 100. 1/125@f5.6. 07:14am.
    Last edited by Donald; 24th February 2011 at 02:42 PM.

  2. #2
    jiro's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Manila, Philippines
    Posts
    3,804
    Real Name
    Willie or Jiro is fine by me.

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Nice work, Donald. You'll going to really enjoy this software. Hope to see some more of your work using this soon.

  3. #3
    jeeperman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Seattle Washington
    Posts
    3,550
    Real Name
    Paul

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Yes Donald, very strong image. Well done.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Panama City, FL
    Posts
    3,540
    Real Name
    Chris

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    And there is a huge difference in the tonal quality with Silver Efex...I thought I'd found my way back to the darkroom and Agfa paper again. You're going to have a lot of fun and this image is reflective of that. I'd like to see you go back and do the trees above the creek you had out last month and apply Silver Efex using a finer grain film overlay....ooohhhhh!

  5. #5
    Peter Ryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Melbourne, Australia
    Posts
    1,968
    Real Name
    Peter

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Nice tones Donald. How did you find Siolver Efex Pro. Do you feel it added something to your processing?

  6. #6
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Ryan View Post
    Nice tones Donald. How did you find Silver Efex Pro. Do you feel it added something to your processing?
    Peter

    I think I read and watched everything on the web about SEP and its about to be distributed big brother SEP2, before buying. So I think I knew, almost, how to use it before it arrived.

    I've just had it plugged in for 24 hours and have been doing no more than 'playing' with it. But the degree of control it gives and ability to work on the nuances of tone and light to truly create the vision you had, seem to be immense.

    I will not criticise DxO and suggest that whilst it remains a powerful and excellent RAW conversion tool, that it is no longer an excellent B & W conversion tool. It is. I will continue to use it as my RAW converter and, I am sure, sometimes do my B & W conversions there as well. But it is the increased ability to carry out different work on small parts of the image that is available with SEP that is mightily impressive. So far, I am very pleased.

    The other thing about SEP is it's ease of use. It is very simple and straightforward.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    3,113
    Real Name
    Wendy

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    I remember this one, I looked for the original so I could compare, but it's not available - so from memory I like this one much better. The tone is just right for this shot. Memory fails, but I'm not sure if the crop is the same as the first one you posted (a long time ago) this one really says "messy humans have been here" (and I'm being polite in my description of the humans) Long story short, the composition and tone really work in this to get the message across.

    Wendy

  8. #8
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Quote Originally Posted by ScoutR View Post
    I remember this one, I looked for the original so I could compare, but it's not available - so from memory I like this one much better. The tone is just right for this shot. Memory fails, but I'm not sure if the crop is the same as the first one you posted (a long time ago) this one really says "messy humans have been here" (and I'm being polite in my description of the humans) Long story short, the composition and tone really work in this to get the message across.
    Wendy

    Many thanks. And to the others above, also many thanks.

    I'll need to check why the original is no longer there. I must have moved it on Flickr. I think the original was in a 4:3 or 3:2 ratio, whereas this has moved into my now preferred 7:5 ratio. The other change is that on the original version I cloned out the lamp-post and the top part of the pole holding the waste-basket (that didn't get used!).

    But I'm very pleased with the 'mood' I've been able to get in to this (the rest of you might not think there is any). And that is down to the fact I've been able to more easily and comprehensively work on different parts of the image independently in a way that I could not before.


    ps - Should have added to my reply to Peter. Am now going off air for an hour or so to join NIK's Webinair on how to create wonderful pictures with Silver Efex Pro. Be back after 10pm (UK time)
    Last edited by Donald; 24th February 2011 at 08:43 PM.

  9. #9
    wilgk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Victoria Australia
    Posts
    2,634
    Real Name
    Kay

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    For me the sense of dimension and depth are just superb

  10. #10
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Quote Originally Posted by wilgk View Post
    For me the sense of dimension and depth are just superb
    Thank you Ma'am.

    I'm signed into my first ever Webinar waiting for it to start in 8 minutes time. Hopefully I'll be an even better image maker in an hour's time.

  11. #11
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Quote Originally Posted by Donald View Post
    I'm signed into my first ever Webinar waiting for it to start in 8 minutes time. Hopefully I'll be an even better image maker in an hour's time.
    That was great fun .... and informative. The presenter used it as a walk-through SEP2 which NIK officially launched just a few hours ago (morning - Pacific Time). They're starting to ship out pre-ordered copies now (in the US). And the free-updates will be next in line.

  12. #12

    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA USA
    Posts
    1,382
    Real Name
    Mary... or Lucy... either is fine with me. ;)

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    That's not at all how I picture Scotland in my head. Recording real life...

  13. #13
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Glenfarg, Scotland
    Posts
    21,402
    Real Name
    Just add 'MacKenzie'

    Re: Bonnie Scotland

    Quote Originally Posted by ilovelucydog View Post
    That's not at all how I picture Scotland in my head. Recording real life...
    Mary - It's like everywhere else. There are the spectacular a glorious bits and then there are the 'other' bits.

    One problem that affects the UK is a litter problem. Huge numbers of people don't even notice that they just throw cartons, cans etc etc onto the ground. It's just so ingrained as 'normal' behaviour.

    Visitors from many mainland European countries just cannot believe the amount of litter that lies around and the 'don't care' attitude that seems to exist within so many members of our society. We don't normally have too much of a problem in our rural community, but this is taken at once-per-year event that takes place and I just wanted to make the point.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •