Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: a few more without the farms

  1. #1

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

    a few more without the farms

    When I cam across the hill and saw this scene I wanted to make a mountain out of a molehill. The piles of gravel looked like mountains in the distance. How do I shoot this to get a mountainous look?

    a few more without the farms
    1/125; f16; ISO 400; 18mm; +1 1.3

    Not the best shot technically, but I liked the scene and the coldness of it.
    a few more without the farms
    1/160s; f16; ISO 400; 200mm; +2/3

    In this one I just liked all the curves and contours of the land and trees.
    a few more without the farms
    1/320s; f16; ISO 400; 31mm; +1/3

    Thanks for looking, sorry about the flood, but it was such a nice day and I haven't taken any shots I liked for such a LONG time. C&C welcome as always

    Wendy

  2. #2
    JPS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Essex, UK
    Posts
    1,475
    Real Name
    John

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Hi Wendy,
    I have been looking at both of your posts, my compliments on both.
    I must say last picture in this set does it for me, well done.

    I wish I could capture as many good shots on one day, I don't get this many in a month.
    John

  3. #3

    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    northern Virginia suburb of Washington, DC
    Posts
    19,064

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Three very nice images, Wendy. Very creative stuff that is not the usual run-of-the-mill collection of photos.

    Why try to make the gravel mounds look like mountains when the scene that you captured is so beautiful as it is? I think you would have to eliminate the context of the man-made stuff and to shoot from a different perspective to make the mounds look like mountains. Consider making the look of the land more consistent with the look of the sky. You could either increase the contrast in the land or tone down the sky, perhaps by lowering contrast and/or saturation.

    In the second one, the many layers detract from the subject for me. Consider cropping below the middle cloud. If you could do that with a capture that has the horse and buggy on the right side rather than dead center in the middle, that would make it even more appealing for me.

    Nothing to say about the last one other than to print it large, frame it, and let everyone know that you made it. If people try to talk you into using more contrast and pop, ignore them.

  4. #4
    MilT0s's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Athens, Greece
    Posts
    719
    Real Name
    Miltos

    Re: a few more without the farms

    There are all fantastic Wendy. Congratulations for your work.

    What I don't like is the tilted "horizon". Apart from that they are perfect to my eye.
    Last edited by MilT0s; 30th December 2012 at 04:36 PM.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    2,342
    Real Name
    Steve

    Re: a few more without the farms

    All 3 are very nice wendy. ( The second one looks a little crispy ,in the foreground. Perhaps too much contrast.)

    As far as making mountains, you would probably have to get real close and use a wide angle lens. Perhaps get really low to the ground as well, to give an illusion of height. Not too shure, but worth a try.

  6. #6
    rpcrowe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Southern California, USA
    Posts
    17,389
    Real Name
    Richard

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Very nice images, Wendy. I really get the feeling of the cold. It that an Amish buggy in the second shot?

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Portland Oregon
    Posts
    161
    Real Name
    Connie Keyes

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Brrr they all certainly portray the cold. I like them and especially the format that you have created and posted them in. The drop shadow and little black frame make them really stand out.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    South Devon, UK
    Posts
    14,401

    Re: a few more without the farms

    The only alternative for #1, Wendy, is to crop closer.

    Try reducing the foreground by around half and a similar amount from the right side. Alternatively, crop a little less from the right plus a little from the left so the smoke appears to be exiting the frame.

    You have sufficient detail in the sky so I think the foreground crop will work and concentrate the view more on the sky, and those 'mountains'.

  9. #9
    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Windsor, Berks, UK
    Posts
    16,737
    Real Name
    Dave Humphries :)

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Hi Wendy,

    I'd go with getting lower (as Steve suggested) in answer to your question regarding #1, to my mind we need to get more of their bulk against the sky. If you're unable to get onto that field and move around, allowing the use of a wider angle from closer, then getting low is all you can do from where you were, but I'm not sure if it would make enough difference.

    On #2, me being me, I'd clone the horse and carriage across to the lower left third, but not everyone agrees with taking such liberties in PP.

    Now, where's that other thread?

    Cheers,

  10. #10

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

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Thanks John, it's been a pretty lean year. I've deleted more than I've kept and most days I've come back pretty disappointed. It was a very depressing year, so this was a nice way to end it.

    Mike: I don't know why I want to make mountains, I guess I just want to be able to put into the photo what my first impression was. Besides, I don't have any real mountains to shoot.
    I just discovered this location and it's an easy walk for me so I will just have to go back and try again. I'm not sure how I'll get the right perspective Or if I can but I'll have fun trying. I'll also work on the contrast and tones in some of these as you suggested. I think I know what you are getting at and agree that it would be a nice look.
    Re: #2 I think I will just wait for the right situation and reshoot it. It's really not good enough to fool with, I shouldn't have posted it. I like the concept, but the horse and buggy are just too far away and I did not get them placed properly

    Thanks Miltos: regarding the tilted horizons, are you referring to the first shot? I'm not seeing it in the others, but I really have trouble with fine tuning sometimes. The first one is shot at a really wide angle and I think it is more perspective than anything else. I could be wrong though. I used the chimney stack as a guide for straightening.

    Thanks Steve: as already mentioned, I think I'll just go back and try to reshoot the second one. The quality is bad and my timing was way off.
    Re: #1 Yup, that's what I was thinking - get closer with a wide angle. If we both thought of it then it has to work

    Thanks Richard: Yes, it is and Amish or Mennonite buggy. LOL, I knew the quality wasn't good but....

    Hi Geoff: I tried various crops, but they just don't work (for me) I definitely have to try a reshoot.

    Thanks Dave: Hehe, that makes 3 of us with the same idea on how to shoot #1, now I really have to try it. As for number 2, I think it's back to the drawing board.

    Thanks everyone, very kind and very helpful. Much appreciated

    Wendy

  11. #11
    zen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Clarence, NY
    Posts
    493
    Real Name
    Zen

    Re: a few more without the farms

    Hi Wendy,

    I think no. 2 is perfect as it is. The horse drawn carriage in a stark cold farm environment evokes a simpler way of life common around the turn of the 20th century. True, the image does not meet standard composition requirements, but it doesn't seem to matter in this shot. I wouldn't change a thing! It reminds me of my childhood in the Pennsylvania farm country. Can't help wishing it was my shot.

    Thanks for sharing your work with us.

    Zen

Posting Permissions

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