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Thread: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

  1. #1
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Yesterday I posted up, here, what was for me an image full of contrast. I think the consensus was 'Okay, but ......!'.

    Well, let's go to the opposite end of the contrast spectrum and return to closer to my normal sort of territory. But even I will admit that this is pretty low contrast. This will have those who like their B & Ws to have B & W, banging their heads off the wall.

    It was just too spectacular a scene not to photograph, but then you wonder if it was one of those that fall into the category of - 'A wonderful thing to see, but it won't make a good picture'.

    I have my thoughts. What do you think?

    A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin
    40D, 70-200mm f/4L IS @ 111mm. ISO100. 44s@f16

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    escaladieu's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by Donald View Post
    Yesterday I posted up, here, what was for me an image full of contrast. I think the consensus was 'Okay, but ......!'.

    Well, let's go to the opposite end of the contrast spectrum and return to closer to my normal sort of territory. But even I will admit that this is pretty low contrast. This will have those who like their B & Ws to have B & W, banging their heads off the wall.

    It was just too spectacular a scene not to photograph, but then you wonder if it was one of those that fall into the category of - 'A wonderful thing to see, but it won't make a good picture'.

    I have my thoughts. What do you think?

    A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin
    40D, 70-200mm f/4L IS @ 111mm. ISO100. 44s@f16
    Harking back to Sharon's recent post it looks erotic ... clearly a pair of breasts - Shame on you ...

    I think it works -

    1) As an abstract image - lots of layers & texture
    2) As a landscape image - it resonates with me, but probably requires some context - placing the mountain in the centre was a good move IMO

    I like it a lot

    J

  3. #3
    MilT0s's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    A very simple criticism:

    - I like watching it
    - It makes me think
    - If it was mine I'd hang it on the wall

    So yes I like it.

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    Mark von Kanel's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    does nothing for me im afraid Donald, but then again i liked yesterdays mostly!!

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    Ken Curtis's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    I find the image very pleasing. All the shapes are gentle and the tones work well together. My eyes go right to the center "humps" and always return back to them. I don't know what this scene is, maybe the ocean, but it is easy to look at and fun to contemplate what it could be. Good job, Donald.

  6. #6
    jprzybyla's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    As Ken said... I find the image very pleasing for all the reasons he writes about. As I shoot and process predominately in color I cannot help but wonder what the image would look like in color.

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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Donald: it does not make a good picture, it make a damn good picture, I usually like my B&W with very rich deep blacks, and by the way where can I purchase my copy.

    Cheers:

    Allan

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    oleleclos's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    I like this picture very much, but if I had made it I would have played a little more with the tonality to get more of the drama which was no doubt present in the scene translated into the picture.

    In fact, I have played with Donald's picture in Lightroom and would like to show what I mean, but being new to this forum I don't know if posting an edit of someone else's picture to illustrate a point is the done thing. Don't want to tread on any toes.

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    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by oleleclos View Post
    In fact, I have played with Donald's picture in Lightroom and would like to show what I mean, but being new to this forum I don't know if posting an edit of someone else's picture to illustrate a point is the done thing. Don't want to tread on any toes.
    Please go ahead.

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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Thanks Donald. As I said I really like your picture and recognise the scenery from my own surroundings here in Guernsey. So here's what I would have done in Lightroom 4 had I made this picture:

    1. Applied a gentle S-curve. I find myself doing this to most of my digital images; maybe to recreate the film look I am more used to, I'm not sure, but I feel it makes both colour and b/w images come alive.

    2. Use Lightroom's fantastic brush tool to apply local changes: tone down the top, lighten the mid-cloud band, ligthen (even more) the breaking waves, increase local contrast in the rock, and finally ligten, sharpen and increase contrast in the foreground.

    As always when editing a picture in this way, the question is where to stop, but this is what I think I would have done to a similar picture of my own.

    Hmmm... Not having much success uploading the picture as part of this reply. Will try again.

    MOD EDIT - Inserted image inline

    8122132566_5b741af3ff_b-2.jpg
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    Last edited by Donald; 27th October 2012 at 09:34 AM.

  11. #11
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Ole

    First up have a read of this thread to help you understand how to post images into your messages - HELP THREAD: How can I post images here?

    Thank you for putting this up as an alternative suggestion. For me it pushes beyond the mood and atmosphere that I experienced at the time of capturing the image. The scene was not this vivid or bright and was was very much what it felt like to be there that I wanted to put into the finished image.

    And thank you, too, to the others who have commented above. You always get somethign to think about out of the views of other people.

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    Daisy Mae's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    A year ago I would have been saying 'bump' up the contast, no question about that. However I like to think my eye has become more sophisticated in the appreciation of B&W ( brought about in no small part by viewing your work Donald).

    I love the original and not in an abstract sense, I can feel the cold and the mist whipping around my throat stealing my voice, enfolding and engulfing the mountain and reaching down to the land, displaying the ownership of the scene by the weather conditions. In Scotland we only ever see what the weather chooses we should see. The mountain wears it's shrould like a cloak, gently swirling and teasing the viewer.

    For me..it's perfect and made me think of Michael Marra's 'Happed in Mist' so is timely upon the loss of one of our finest musicians.

  13. #13
    oleleclos's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Thanks Donald - also for putting the edited picture inline. I did read the help thread first and tried to use TinyPic to upload an inline image, but no dice. Maybe it's because I'm on a Mac using Safari?

    I agree I may have overcooked your picture to the point where it does not represent the original scene, but in my view most pictures don't need that degree of honesty. Except in documentary work, I'm happy to use whatever trickery at my disposal to make an image that is effective in its own right. That used to be done via choice of materials and processing, and dodging and burning during printing; now it's so much easier and more accurate with digital post processing. But I admit, it's easily overdone.

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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by oleleclos View Post
    Thanks Donald - also for putting the edited picture inline. I did read the help thread first and tried to use TinyPic to upload an inline image, but no dice. Maybe it's because I'm on a Mac using Safari?
    It's not Safari or Mac. Many of us use that combo.

  15. #15
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by Daisy Mae View Post
    For me..it's perfect and made me think of Michael Marra's 'Happed in Mist' so is timely upon the loss of one of our finest musicians.
    I've just read the lyrics. I think it's the perfect title for this image and I don't think he'd mind.

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    Daisy Mae's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by oleleclos View Post
    I agree I may have overcooked your picture to the point where it does not represent the original scene, but in my view most pictures don't need that degree of honesty. Except in documentary work, I'm happy to use whatever trickery at my disposal to make an image that is effective in its own right.
    Hi Ole, nice to meet you.


    To me, and I suspect many others here, it's the level of honesty and integrity that make Donald's work so special. He is charting a land, its history and people, telling Scotland's story and making a supposedly 'nicer picture' by substantially altering that truth just isn't on the agenda.

    ( I am sure he will be the first to correct me if I am wrong! )

    I am sure you will understand all the better the longer you are with us so welcome aboard and I look forward to seeing your pics.

    Cheers
    Last edited by Donald; 27th October 2012 at 02:39 PM. Reason: Close Quote tag applied

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    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by Daisy Mae View Post
    ........and making a supposedly 'nicer picture' by substantially altering that truth just isn't on the agenda.
    I hope that is the case. But I also acknowledge that via the mere fact of extracting colour from the scene, I am altering the reality. But what I hope I am doing is making images that capture they convey (to me and to others) a reality in terms of the mood and atmosphere that I felt and wanted to to be in the image at the time I captured it.

    I'm not sure that I have the vocabulary to explain this as well as I would want. The closest I can get is to talk about it in 'feeling' and emotional terms. It has nothing at all to do with technical 'correctness'.

    Maybe the fact that many of my images are low contrast, not 'in-your-face' and a bit muted, tells you quite a lot about me.

  18. #18

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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    It is a very evocative "soft" image with rather more contrast within it than at first appears and I like it a lot.

    It is funny the way the eye works, but if you put it in a black frame rather than a broad white one, then this becomes more apparent (at least to my eyes), and improves it (also to my eyes). This might go some way to changing the opinions of some others in the thread.

    I haven't been here long enough (and too lazy to look back) to see whether broad white frames are your thing, but personally I generally prefer black for the above reason although there obviously are situations where white is significantly better.

    I haven't posted my new "version" because in general I don't believe in posting a revised version of someone elses work, believing it is up to them to do so if they want to re-present it, but that it should be left as is if they don't. - Hope this is OK

    rgds Steven

  19. #19
    Daisy Mae's Avatar
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    Quote Originally Posted by Donald View Post
    I hope that is the case. But I also acknowledge that via the mere fact of extracting colour from the scene, I am altering the reality.
    That's a funny thing. I never see B&W as substantially changing an image, even though it is the most obvious of alterations.

    Must be my age...I was born before they invented colour!

  20. #20
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    Re: A Blanket on Beinn an Eoin

    My personal choice here is in favor of the less contrasted image. I often like more stark contrast, especially when it serves to contrast significantly different elements, or different aspects of the same elements and helps us to better appreciate those distinctions. The image I see here is more lyrical than prosaic, and I think celebrates the awesomeness of the whole, with each part contributing to an overall oneness and interacting within itself, rather than distinct aspects existing and moving in separation. The continuity of the mist brings it all together.

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