The Long Walk Home - B&W

[Stagecoach]

This is an image taken during a recent landscape day trip that I had put in the 'do not bin yet as unsure' category. I have given it a crop to emphasise the road and hopefully the walker and considered it worth an attempt at B&W which is still alien to me.

I would very much appreciate critical comment as to the composition, sharpness as I find it's easily overdone with foliage and also my attempt at B&W. Please be brutal, I need guidance in this area as it's way harder than critters.

The rain had just cleared and there were breaks in the clouds on the horizon and it was the solitary walker and the winding road that appealed to me.

1/125s, f16, ISO320, 50mm


Grahame

[deetheturk]

Hi Grahame,this would be a keeper for me,i really like it.
By the way,got materials for diffuser yesterday,everything great except what i'd expected,i will need a small mod to flash head size,everything else tikytaboo,cheers mate.

David

[terrib]

I think to further emphasize the road and person, I'd crop out most of the sky. All that brightness is where my eye immediately goes and at first I didn't even notice the person.

I can't really help with the B&W feedback because I have little experience with it either but it is a nice photo and I like it.

[John 2]

Definitely a keeper Grahame. It's perhaps a bit flat for me (and this is personal taste) I would bring out the clouds more and then separately, add a bit of overall contrast (using a curves tool or if you use PS, the Levels adjustment). Finally a gentle dark vignette sometimes helps. Something like this (but I stress, this is personal taste):

[dabhand]

Good image - just the sort of stuff which appeals to me - you can spend quite a lot of time imagining why that person is walking all alone along that road but I'm with John on the clouds - they do need a bit more punch.

[deetheturk]

Like the black and white too.

David

[Wavelength]

Very nice; but i wonder .....is that very colorful ????

[mknittle]

I agree with Steve. The clouds could use more contrast. And to me the wide boarder is very distracting. otherwise great!

[Stagecoach]

Hi David,

Glad you like it. It's a new area for me and one I am finding quite challenging, far more so than the critters and bugs but then again they were a major challenge originally.

Good luck with the diffuser.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

I think to further emphasize the road and person, I'd crop out most of the sky. All that brightness is where my eye immediately goes and at first I didn't even notice the person.

I can't really help with the B&W feedback because I have little experience with it either but it is a nice photo and I like it.

Hi Terri,

Thanks for commenting and I will try another crop ridding some of the sky and should be able to retain the square crop that I like on this. I was reading one of Scott Kelby's books the other day that mentioned that every landscape should have a subject and this is what got me working on this image.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Definitely a keeper Grahame. It's perhaps a bit flat for me (and this is personal taste) I would bring out the clouds more and then separately, add a bit of overall contrast (using a curves tool or if you use PS, the Levels adjustment). Finally a gentle dark vignette sometimes helps. Something like this (but I stress, this is personal taste):

John,

With most of the landscape images I have taken recently I struggle to not overdo things in PP as the weather and lighting conditions have been flat with no blue skies and bright sun. My reasoning behind this is to emphasize the greenery, dampness and rainy skies and whilst learning to not limit myself to the 'ideal' times of day for lighting.

Your mod I like very much, it is a truer representation of the scene at the time and retains the qualities I'm after. I never think of using a vignette and must put this option on my workflow list.

Thank you for taking the time to demonstrate it's further potential, I'll have another attempt at it.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Good image - just the sort of stuff which appeals to me - you can spend quite a lot of time imagining why that person is walking all alone along that road but I'm with John on the clouds - they do need a bit more punch.

Steve,

Thanks. Many people walk long distances here in the interior because they do not have their own transport but the good thing is that generally they get a lift if a vehicle passes.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Very nice; but i wonder .....is that very colorful ????

Hi Nandakumar,

Here's a 'colourful' version for you



Grahame

[Polar01]

Grahame like the image very much, this is just me I myself would like a little more drama in the sky something like John's but not as strong but keeping everything you have but the sky. That is just me and my reality, I do however like your reality in this shot.

Cheers: Allan

[Stagecoach]

I agree with Steve. The clouds could use more contrast. And to me the wide boarder is very distracting. otherwise great!

Hi Mark,

Glad you like the image. As for the white mat sometimes I put them on, sometimes not and one day I may actually work out why.

Grahame

[Donald]

Here's a 'colourful' version for you

Oh no, no, no, no, no!

Everything about that scene says 'B & W'.

[Digital]

Grahame, this is a nice photograph.



Bruce

[Stagecoach]

Oh no, no, no, no, no!

Everything about that scene says 'B & W'.

Thank you Donald !

You have just confirmed that I am actually making progress in my endeavours to explore this area of photography because I immediately considered it had far greater potential with B&W than in colour.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Grahame like the image very much, this is just me I myself would like a little more drama in the sky something like John's but not as strong but keeping everything you have but the sky. That is just me and my reality, I do however like your reality in this shot.

Cheers: Allan

Allan,

Thank you, this is something I have also considered and will address when I have further attempts tonight.

Grahame

[Wavelength]

Now i like the colors more