Line, Shape, Tone and Texture

[Donald]

That mantra is one I certainly ran into many, many times when I was studying how to make high quality B & W images.

Farmers can be so helpful in providing the subject material for making such images.

There's one more image I've seen in this field, but it's a late evening sun shot. So, watch this space.

In the meantime, your thoughts, comments and critiques are welcomed.

[Dave A]

Nice image Donald. I like the textures and shadows in the furrows.

Dave

[Manfred M]

Well spotted Donald. Your course work is definitely pushing you in directions that seem to be outside of your traditional comfort zone.

The featureless, textureless sky is usually a negative in images, but in this case it actually adds by contrasting the textures and shadows on the ground.

[Mike Buckley]

Probably the most contrast I've seen in an image coming from your camera. I remember very few made in this style.

Agreed with all of the above comments. Another effective approach to take the image more toward a simple, abstract style would be to crop or compose to exclude the horizon.

[Donald]

Thank you for all your comments.

Mike:-

Another effective approach to take the image more toward a simple, abstract style would be to crop or compose to exclude the horizon.

I think you've just given me another picture. And the lovely thing about using the 5DS with its 50MP sensor is that I can crop this down quite significantly and still end up with a file of more than adequate pixel size to print quite large.

[bnnrcn]

Very nice image Donald. I was going to suggest to eliminate the sky before reading Mike's comment, so +1 to Mike I'm glad that you are back to your 5D, it can be seen that it really makes a difference in the IQ.

[Donald]

Very nice image Donald. I was going to suggest to eliminate the sky before reading Mike's comment, ....

In response to the suggestions by both Mike and Binnur, here is one way of presenting that, still holding on to my preferred 1:1 ratio. As I said in response to Mike, the sensor on the 5DS still allows this heavily cropped file to be 3748 x 3748 pixels; plenty to still print at a good size.

[Mike Buckley]

It might interest you to know that I was thinking of a composition that is not nearly as strong as the one you decided upon. Your second image works far better for me, mostly because I especially like that style of photography so much.

[Mike Buckley]

still holding on to my preferred 1:1 ratio.

I would have sworn that you had instead changed to a vertical orientation. The lines in the image work wonders on the mind!

[bnnrcn]

I prefer the cropped version Donald. But I think a crop without keeping the 1:1 ratio would look very nice too

[Chri5]

Personally I prefer the original. I just keep looking at the image and my brain is wreaking itself trying to understand what I think of the image which is a good thing because I keep looking at the image.

[Donald]

Personally I prefer the original. I just keep looking at the image and my brain is wreaking itself trying to understand what I think of the image which is a good thing because I keep looking at the image

Thanks, Chris.

For the purposes of learning, it is good to make yourself state why you do, or do not, like an image. It's a good way of learning to analyse and of developing critical awareness. At other times, with those you like, you just want to sit back and enjoy them.

[Chri5]

I think you have captured the very essence of photography and although at first I might not really get the photo I cant stop looking at it so the photograph is a success automatically because I am still looking at it. Its not that I dont like it I am almost confused by it at first but makes me look harder at it.

[Shadowman]

Very simplistic composition and choice of elements. Not too keen on the sky but it is what it was, I think cropping out about half of the sky would put the whole composition on a more favorable angle of view; but then that angle of view depends on the viewers position to the composition. If this were to hang on a wall I'd put the horizon at about eye level. Nice seen and captured.

[NorthernFocus]

When looking at the first image, my thoughts were to crop out the sky. But the cropped version makes me dizzy. I like the closer perspective on the detail of the second version but feel that at least a bit of horizon is needed to set context. Unless you want people to wonder what the heck it is then the second works.

In summary I have no firm opinion and even if I did this is so far out of my area that an opinion would be superfluous commentary. But I do learn from your posts and appreciate that.