Iceland: Farm at bottom of mountain

[Mike Buckley]

To bring my images of Iceland to an end (luckily for you!), this is the first of several images that I am posting in separate threads. I'm doing that because I think these particular photos stand alone better than when being presented together.

[Donald]

I've been trying to identify and describe why this one wasn't hitting the bullseye for me ... and I think I've just seen it. That bit of sky at the top left.

I can appreciate that getting the scale of the hill behind is part of the image and, particularly, getting those features near the top. Cropping out the sky would result in them also being lost.

However, I'd suggest that it works. I'd even go so far as to suggest that it adds to the drama, because then all we see behind the farm buildings is this great mass of land reaching away out of the top of the frame. And I think that crop throws more attention onto he buildings as the main subject in the frame.

Anyway, an option to consider.

[Geoff F]

And cropping a similar amount from the right side would reduce the area of dark shadow; and give more impact to the rest of the scene. It would still leave a good upward sweep of the hillside to the right.

[Ken Curtis]

Just to be different, I like the contrast of the shadows and would want to keep them. I agree with Donald in that the sky seems to adversely contribute to the image, so I wondered if replacing the sky with something having a cloud wouldn't spice up that corner. Don't know. It was just a thought.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks so much for the very helpful feedback about your reaction and suggestions to improve the image.

I cropped some off the top, left and right sides and also darkened the shadow on the left. That's because the new crop tells a little bit different story in my mind. I felt that the shadow on the left had to be more foreboding, as if it's on a mission to engulf the buildings. (This is just a quick edit and I may darken it some more later.) Also, this new crop emphasizes the similarity in shape between that shadow and the lay of the land on the right. Both aspects are elements that I did not see until I tried this crop, so thank you very much!

Thanks also to Ken for your idea, but I like the simplicity of Geoff's and Donald's suggestions.

Your thoughts about these changes?

[graynomad]

I prefer the cropped version, when you can't see the top of a hill the mind extrapolates it as far as it likes and the effect is IMO to make it appear larger. You wonder just how far it goes, with the original version you know.

[Dave Humphries]

I like the second crop Mike

[jeeperman]

The crop for me as well Mike, I would call it done. Nice image.

[Mike Buckley]

Glad to know that all of you prefer the second crop. Special thanks to everyone who recommended it in the first place!

when you can't see the top of a hill the mind extrapolates it as far as it likes and the effect is IMO to make it appear larger.

Very true. An important point that it took me far too long to appreciate.

[Cantab]

I'll join the chorus of folk who like this crop.

[Karm Redland]

Cropped version is a lot better. House now looks nestled by the mountains which conjures up in my imagination all kinds of things.

Karm