Playing with new NIK toys: The New Borns

[Donald]

After all the comings and goings with getting the new NIK (Google) bundled collection (see here for the discussion), thought I'd better try out Colour Efex Pro. Not too much colour of course!!

I have written on here that I think colour images should be about colour. And this one, at least in my mind, is, albeit it's trying to apply colour with some subtlety.

I am enjoying playing about with Colour Efex Pro and like with all new toys, you tend to go over-the-top at first and try everything. But I'm starting to get a sense how I think I'd want to use it.

I'm really, really interested to read your reactions to this one. Taken this Easter Sunday morning ... and , yes, there is still b...... snow on the ground.


40D, Sigma 120-400 F4.5-5.6 APO DG OS @ 400mm. ISO 100. 1/500@f8.

[Shadowman]

Nice angles.

[Mike Buckley]

Wonderful composition and -- considering the photographer, do I dare say this -- use of color! If I didn't know otherwise, I would think you had been using the software for years.

On a related topic, my wife and I marveled that we had snow on the ground and ate corn on the cob this week. Definitely a first in the same week.

[Donald]

Wonderful composition and -- considering the photographer, do I dare say this -- use of color!

Yeh, sorry about that. Will get back to normal with the next one!

[Clactonian]

That is so subtle Donald, and I love the composition. The tree could so easily take over the image but the direction and thinning branches to the right lead beautifully to the sheep and lambs, which I take it are stuffed. How else would you position them so well!
I haven't tried Color Effex Pro yet, but it would seem I have a lot to learn and exciting times ahead.

[Donald]

How else would you position them so well!

Thanks, Mike.

This really was opportunistic. I went round to an area near the village where I've managed to get a number of the photos that have appeared on here in the past (trees, walls, etc). The idea was to check out a shot of snow that's piled up against one side of a stone wall. I knew I wouldn't get the shot this morning, as it needs to be an evening shoot in order to get the light where it's needed. But I had planned to get the composition worked out for later.

But as I parked the car beside our local cemetery and got out, I looked up the hill and saw that the sheep and the new lambs were right on the skyline and thought that there must be the chance of something.

So, I quickly switched to the Sigma 120-400mm and started to shoot. I shot about 12 frames, each of which could have made a decent image. I'm working on one of them at the moment to make a B & W.

[Karm Redland]

Nice photo. I have to wonder whether you are being too subtle with your color processing. Snow, lead sheep, and sky all seem a bit dull to me. Obviously, this is a matter of taste.

Karm

[Donald]

I have to wonder whether you are being too subtle with your color processing.

Good question, Karm. That's what I was hoping others would comment upon.

[Mike Buckley]

I don't think the color is at all too subtle unless, of course, you want a photo that is more blatant, has more pop, more contrast, etc., etc. Not all photos have to have that, despite that most photos displayed on the Internet do.

The subtle use of color in this photo works really well for me. When viewed in the context of your total body of work, I imagine that that would be especially true.

[Dave Humphries]

That's what I was hoping others would comment upon

It is subtle Donald, I glanced at the photo before reading the text and the colour didn't register at the 700px size.

More obvious in the Lytebox, but that doesn't matter, the scene/composition should (usually) be more than whether colour or mono - and it is.

[Colin Southern]

After all the comings and goings with getting the new NIK (Google) bundled collection (see here for the discussion), thought I'd better try out Colour Efex Pro.

Interestingly, I downloaded and installed the trial version of the bundle, but have since uninstalled it -- just not for me. In the time I spent with it I felt I got better results just doing things the way I normally do them.