Karst with trees growing on it

[Mike Buckley]

This karst is in western Maryland's Swallow Falls State Park. It is in the Youghiogheny River immediately below the Lower Swallow Falls.

Captured by my wife. Post-processed by me in my first go at using Silver Efex Pro 2. If you want to review my first impressions of the software, please do.

Please click the image to appreciate the detail displayed best in the largest version.

[John 2]

There's no doubt that's a nice conversion Mike (interesting shot as well). I tend to use CS6 for the initial conversion and then resort to Nik or sometimes Topaz for fine tuning or just the preset effects. I find the colour filters in CS6 easier to use but that's probably because that's where I started out and I'm used to them.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, John.

I actually dread learning how to use new software and was pleased to learn that one of the capabilities of the Color Filter tool works exactly the same in SEP as in Capture NX2 and with slightly more control. As you mentioned, sometimes it's a matter of using a method that we're used to using.

[AndrewMcD]

Your wife certainly captured a better image of the karst than I did last June! I've only just recently developed an interest in B&W conversion so now I'm off to read your review.

[Mike Buckley]

Your wife certainly captured a better image of the karst than I did last June!

I understand how you feel. I viewed the karst from seemingly every angle and never saw anything that motivated me to lift the camera to my eye, much less release the shutter. My wife comes up with photos all the time that I never see.

[NorthernFocus]

The B/W really brings out detail/texture in the rock, water, and sky. But for me it may make it more difficult to differentiate foreground from BG foliage. Hard to say without seeing the color version.

[Mike Buckley]

That issue, Dan, is also in the actual scene and the color version.

[Manfred M]

Another nice conversion Mike. I just wonder if you might need to do a bit of dodging to bring out some of the detail that is in shadow. It looks like the clouds diffused the light nicely, but bits just below the overhang are still a bit dark.

[Mike Buckley]

bits just below the overhang are still a bit dark.

I recently commented in one of Shane's threads that I appreciate the endless nuance of monochrome possibilities more than the nuances of working in color. Your comment is an example. I actually lightened those areas a bit and decided to back off. A week from now I might make a different decision about that. Thanks for mentioning it!

[bnnrcn]

I actually like your wife's shot more than your wine bottles Mike Please don't get me wrong, you are very good at photography but I don't like seeing bottles. If you uploaded photos with different subjects and compositions, I would be enjoying them very much. I saw another shot by your wife in CIC some time ago and that one was very nice too. Why don't you encourage her to become a member of CIC so that we could see more of her photos and she could improve her skills in photography. Thank both of you for sharing such a nice composition. I wonder how the colour version would look because there are clouds, water and green together in the image.

[Mike Buckley]

Not a problem, Binnur, that you don't enjoy photos of wine bottles. I understand because I feel the same as you about other subjects.

I do make other styles of photos and indeed will be posting some in the coming days. I'll also be spending about 10 days in Norway's Lofoten islands this summer doing mostly landscape photography. Though hiking and enjoying the scenery will be more important than photographing it, I plan to get a sufficient number of keepers.

My wife has no interest in doing anything other than capturing photos (not post-processing or cataloging them) and she has been consistently improving those skills. She almost always gets the best shot of our outings. She absolutely refuses to participate in any online forums.

[Bobobird]

I was seriously expecting a wine bottle with a tree poking out of it. haha
Great conversion, great details, great everything.

[Brownbear]

Beautiful image! Please let your wife know she has inspired me to try an image of a rock formation by the sea!

I'm very much looking forward to seeing your landscapes... And if you pass by any mountains and fjords in Norway please take some photos to share.

[Brownbear]

Hi Binnur,

Just to say that just in case you don't take the time to view Mike's wine bottles and glasses and analyze them in detail, that you should (even if you don't comment) I can't imagine ever photographing a wine bottle (although I do appreciate wine) or glasses, and as a matter of fact when I first saw Mike's images I wondered why in the world someone would photograph pieces of broken glass. At first I viewed his images for curiosities sake and now it is to learn and appreciate perfection. Somehow I came to love images of glass, including wine bottles.

His images are a study in light! His highlights are always so delicately beautiful, and the shadows just perfect for the detail, and the compositions are always so intriguing even if it is just wine bottles, etc.. I've learned a lot from viewing his images that I hope one day to be able to apply in outdoor natural light to birds, landscapes, really everything.

I actually like your wife's shot more than your wine bottles Mike Please don't get me wrong, you are very good at photography but I don't like seeing bottles. If you uploaded photos with different subjects and compositions, I would be enjoying them very much. I saw another shot by your wife in CIC some time ago and that one was very nice too. Why don't you encourage her to become a member of CIC so that we could see more of her photos and she could improve her skills in photography. Thank both of you for sharing such a nice composition. I wonder how the colour version would look because there are clouds, water and green together in the image.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks to Christina on behalf of my wife.

if you pass by any mountains and fjords in Norway please take some photos to share.

Lofoten is a series of mountain islands with lots of small fjords. Avoiding mountains and fjords would be an impossibility, not that I would want to do so.

[flashback]

I've looked and looked and nary a wine bottle to be found. So your wife is the artiste then.
Please forward on that I think it's a great shot, great composition.
For some reason (which I can not explain) it seems to be less....bright/white than I would like.
I think your wife should join this forum, she certainly has the eye.

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you to Jack and Bobo, despite that there are no wine bottles.

[Brownbear]

Thank you Mike. I've never been there but it is very nice to know that avoiding them would be an impossibility!

Thanks to Christina on behalf of my wife.



Lofoten is a series of mountain islands with lots of small fjords. Avoiding mountains and fjords would be an impossibility, not that I would want to do so.