NZ in Winter - Landscape Novice

[wilgk]

I am much more used to images of people and sports, but decided to have a crack at a landscape on a recent very quick trip to Rangiora NZ for my dad's 80th Birthday.
The landscapes I see on here, that I really like are ones where I feel I am there, actually in the scene & looking at it, rather than an image of what the photographer saw... if that makes any sense at all.
Thankyou for viewing and hopefully understanding



& so the saying goes 'may as well be hanged as a sheep as a lamb' here is a novice BW conversion attempt..

[Mark von Kanel]

Nice attempts kay and i understand exactly what you mean, did you want c&c?

[wilgk]

If you have time, Mark, that would be great.
The left side green area maybe adds nothing so needs to go?
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks

[Shadowman]

The left side, green is more dramatic in B & W, I would say either more processing or the right side has to go. The center or horizon looks fine in B & W. if you lose or crop anything in the color version, I would say crop the foreground greenery or reshoot. Nicely captured, the glowing sunlight was handled very well.

[dje]

Nice image Kay. I don't really have a problem with the greenery on the left hand side. You've got a good sky there and you could bring out the detail in the clouds a bit more with something like the Detail Extractor filter in Nik's ColorEfex software (if you have the Nik suite). I'd also add a bit of sharpening to the foliage and a just a tad more contrast to the image as a whole.

You could also add a bit of drama to the B&W with Nik's SilverEfex Pro. I think it needs more contrast and some structure would bring out the clouds.

Dave

[Donald]

Firstly, I would crop it to a 7:5 ratio, leaving the right hand side and the top and bottom, cutting the left-hand side only. that leaves the lower bot of that dark tree in the frame but takes out the rest.

Then, whether it be colour or B & W, I think there are two subjects. One is the sky, the other is the trees and water. I think the decision needs to be, 'which one is the main subject and which then becomes the support act'. If you want the sky as the support act, you could lower the structure and the contrast so that it does sit in background. Then you could, possibly, extract more structure/detail (but be subtle about it); i.e. enhance the contrast, on that line of trees at the right and even, with more subtlety, on the surface of the water.

If the sky is to be the main subject, reverse the above.

ps - Hope you had a good trip home.

[ST1]

[QUOTE=Donald;431008]Firstly, I would crop it to a 5:4 ratio, leaving the right hand side and the top and bottom, cutting the left-hand side only. that leaves the lower bot of that dark tree in the frame but takes out the rest.

That seems to be a good call to me Donald. I do like the overall image Kay, well done

[Donald]

Firstly, I would crop it to a 5:4 ratio, leaving the right hand side and the top and bottom, cutting the left-hand side only. that leaves the lower bot of that dark tree in the frame but takes out the rest.

That seems to be a good call to me Donald. I do like the overall image Kay, well done

Kay - I hope you don't mind. I couldn't resist the temptation and it's the best way of illustrating what I was meaning in the post above.

One interpretation :- (Peter - whilst you were drafting your post, I edited and changed 5:4 to 7:5. Upon looking at the image, I felt that was much better.)

[wilgk]

Thankyou, John, Dave, Peter & Donald for your replies.
I think the responses expose my foot in each camp, betwixt & between issues. The sky with the cloud patterns did grab my attention first, but then I tried to add to it, which I guess made the final result looking somewhat lacking in focus (not literally )
You have shown me compositionally that I needed to have a more obvious, foreground/subject/background plan.
Then the processing, gee that is a huge improvement isn't it!
You have given it a more 3D feel, which to my eye leads the viewer into the frame and to the end.
Thankyou again gentlemen, I will keep practicing.... And I think I need to remember, no matter if the subject is a portrait or landscape, the 3 golden rules of 'texture, dimension & mood' can always apply.

[Mark von Kanel]

Donald did exactly what i had in mind!

[bnnrcn]

It is a lovely place Kay, I think your image works fine both in color and B&W I like Donald's crop.

[Brownbear]

Hi Kay,

Just to say that I think these are beautiful captures, in colour and b&w. I too, love Donald's crop.

[wilgk]

Thankyou Binnur, Christina & Mark, NZ is a of course known for stunning scenery, Middle Earth & all that!
My parents live in Rangiora a little town outside of Christchurch. I pop across to visit as often as I can & set myself the challenge of finding things to photograph in their area, that we can get to in a comfortable drive 1/2 day return trip session at the most.
Dad turned 80 on the weekend, this was taken at Ashley River Gorge if it is on the map, maybe too tiny!
I was hoping for snow, down to this level...but I was the only one!
Dad is very sprightly, he walks to work (yes) for a couple of hours 3 or 4 mornings a week, he plays golf twice a week, and naps in his chair most afternoons.
From this trip I will make a photobook for him of snaps from the party & some of the scenery.

And a big Thankyou to Donald for the crop & edit! Just confirms that NZers & Scots are connected!.....did someone mention Commonwealth Games? No...ok

[dje]

Just confirms that NZers & Scots are connected!.....did someone mention Commonwealth Games? No...ok

Now that you mention it ... just been watching the Aussies winning a few more medals But of course you've got a foot in both camps haven't you !

[wilgk]

Now that you mention it ... just been watching the Aussies winning a few more medals But of course you've got a foot in both camps haven't you !

Indeed I do Dave! - especially with the netball - Diamonds are not forever when they clash with ferns! (lame play on netball teams names notwithstanding)

[Donald]

And a big Thankyou to Donald for the crop & edit! Just confirms that NZers & Scots are connected!.....did someone mention Commonwealth Games? No...ok

Indeed it does. People are starting to believe now that Glasgow has actually made a success of organising the games (we Scots are nothing if not pessimists, especially about our own abilities and achievements). There's a real feel-good factor around - helped by the fact that Scots are doing really well, especially in the pool and at judo. Those of us with an interest in politics are looking out for nuanced indications of it having an impact on thinking about the independence referendum we've got coming up on September 18th.

[wilgk]

The whole referendum issue is indeed very intriguing, I find myself thinking Why now? after all you've been through. (Obviously I know nothing other than what can be learnt from watching Braveheart). The only news coverage we will get here will have a distinct 'How will this affect Australia?' theme...

[Donald]

The whole referendum issue is indeed very intriguing, I find myself thinking Why now? after all you've been through. (Obviously I know nothing other than what can be learnt from watching Braveheart). The only news coverage we will get here will have a distinct 'How will this affect Australia?' theme...

Kay - Very happy to have a dialogue probably 'off-forum' as I don't want on here to become a platform for political discourse.

But as to the 'Why now?' - Very simply, the Scottish National Party got an outright majority at the last elections to the devolved Scottish parliament. The proportional representation system devised when the parliament was established, to account for the fact it is a one-chamber parliament, was designed to ensure there no one party could ever have an outright majority. However, such was the swing to the SNP that it ended up with that majority.

Given that the pursuit of independence has been the goal of the SNP since its foundation way back in the 1930s, then when it had the opportunity to put that before the Scottish people it had to go for it.

I am a passionate advocate for independence. But that's all I'll say about it on here. Happy to talk off-forum.

[FootLoose]

I just have to say that I am a passionate republican, which probably means we are like-minded, Donald.

But, HEY, what you doing here, you should be in Glasgow photographing the Aussies winning all those gold medals

[wilgk]

I just have to say that I am a passionate republican, which probably means we are like-minded, Donald.

But, HEY, what you doing here, you should be in Glasgow photographing the Aussies winning all those gold medals

Indeed Greg, quite right I sure should, but sadly I am an undiscovered talent (or legend only in my own lunchbox, as we say)...BUT I did get to photograph some of the Diamonds before they became famous....can you guess who?