Power Lines C&C appreciated

[ScoutR]

Don't know why but I couldn't get obstructions out of my mind when I went out yesterday and this is what i ended up with. Would appreciate C&C and also if anyone could tell me what all the fixtures and gizmos on the lines are.













Thanks
Wendy

[carregwen]

Wendy

An interesting design of electrical gear - why are they so different between countries? I find it better to get in closer when I shoot these - as in this shot here http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/...d676e999_o.jpg That way you can show the detail (and attraction) of something that you don't normally notice. I do a lot of these but I also find they look better as part of a sunset scene, where they add a structural dimension. Am I waffling again?

[Donald]

Like Rob, it's the closer-up ones that get the attention (esp #2 and #4). Couldn't tell you what all the 'bits' are, but the angles created between wires, boxes, poles, etc., etc., make you stop and look. I've never seen that 3-pole arrangement in the UK.

[Steve S]

Nice shots wendy, i like the close up one's the best. They show off the detail more.

.....................those thingy's, would be electrical insulators so the lines don't ground out.

The large tank is a transformer which change the high voltage of the upper lines to a lower usable voltage for your house.

[rick55]

Hi, Wendy;

I like the first three the most: I like the multiple geometric shapes of the lines and guy wires. #3 is a little hard to see that way, but may be better at higher resolution.

Of the others, I like #4 the best, showing all the various pieces of guy wires, insulators, and the power going on through. When you consider that this is one pole of a triplet, the number of triplets that are involved, and the fact that this one probably considered by the power company to be a "simple" one, this image makes you appreciate the complexity of stringing power across the countryside.

#5 doesn't seem to work as is, to me: I feel that the angle is too high to be a "normal" shot, but not high enough to be a "looking up at something tall" shot.

Cheers,
Rick

[ScoutR]

I find it better to get in closer when I shoot these. That way you can show the detail (and attraction) of something that you don't normally notice.

I was trying to compose something up close that would have a nice pattern, and still be documentary. I had to settle for documentary, because I just couldn't untangle everything into a balanced pattern. I think I succeeded better with the wider angle. I'll keep trying though. I know there is a balanced composition in there somewhere.

I do a lot of these but I also find they look better as part of a sunset scene, where they add a structural dimension.

Hmmmmm, I usually try to keep hydro lines out of my sunsets. :/ The lines always seem to catch my attention when the sun is low in the sky, but generally with the sun in front not behind them. Don't know if I want to ruin a good sunset with hydro wires.

[ScoutR]

Nice shots wendy, i like the close up one's the best. They show off the detail more.

.....................those thingy's, would be electrical insulators so the lines don't ground out.

Thanks Steve, I like the detail in the close ups too, but don't like the composition as well as the wide shots. It's hard to get a pattern.

Ahhhh I thought they might be insulators. I knew the ones on the old pole below were insulators, but they've souped them up quite a bit.



Thanks for your feedback.

[ScoutR]

I like the first three the most: I like the multiple geometric shapes of the lines and guy wires. #3 is a little hard to see that way, but may be better at higher resolution.

Thanks Rick, I'm partial to the first 3 myself. I don't know what happened to #3 it does look a mess. I screwed something up again.

Of the others, I like #4 the best, showing all the various pieces of guy wires, insulators, and the power going on through. When you consider that this is one pole of a triplet, the number of triplets that are involved, and the fact that this one probably considered by the power company to be a "simple" one, this image makes you appreciate the complexity of stringing power across the countryside.

No kidding! To me it looked like a tangled mess, and I am just amazed that it all holds together. It's really quite interesting when you have a closer look. Now I want to know what all the parts are.

#5 doesn't seem to work as is, to me: I feel that the angle is too high to be a "normal" shot, but not high enough to be a "looking up at something tall" shot.

Awww you have to like #5, I still have a kink in my neck from that one.

Thanks for the feedback.
Wendy

[Terry Tedor]

Hi Wendy. I like 4 the best. Have you considered cloning out the white streaks on the horizontal support? I think 3 and 6 would look great as B&W, and if you could clone out the horizontal strand of barbed wire across the bottom, all the better.

[ScoutR]

Have you considered cloning out the white streaks on the horizontal support?

No, to tell you the truth I didn't even notice, but now that you mention it... looks like bird droppings and easy to clone out. Thanks

if you could clone out the horizontal strand of barbed wire across the bottom, all the better

Yup, I agree. I left the barb wire on purpose, but I do think it would look better without it, and it looks like it would be fairly easy to clone out.

Thanks for the feedback, good to see you back.
Wendy

[carregwen]

Don't know if I want to ruin a good sunset with hydro wires.

Be brave Wendy - take the bull by the horns Don't try cloning out the wires on this!

[ScoutR]

Be brave Wendy - take the bull by the horns Don't try cloning out the wires on this!

Ok, Ok, you win, but you could make anything look good. I just may have to try it.

[agaace]

Hi Wendy,
Some of these shots have some kind of a halo along the edges, especially visible in #2. To me, it looks like a little bit too much H/S applied.. Personally, I try to avoid H/S as much as possible - for exactly this reason, it's very easy to get these halos and make the image look flat (non 3D look). If I need some detail in the shadows, I use Fill Light in ACR (very, very carefully!), and then only Levels, on a rare occasion - Curves. If I need major editing on the shadows, I do it by Levels + Layer Mask. More work to prepare the mask accurately (and not create a halo too), but worth it. Sometimes shadows are so deep and noisy, I use 2 images with different exposures and a Layer Mask blending these two (my last image of the Golden Gate Bridge is an example of this technique). Of course, to make the best of your shadows, keep them soft and detailed but shadowy enough to have this 3D look, there are only 2 solutions: sunrise and sunset. That's the workflow I adapted.. I'm sure others have different/better solutions

[ScoutR]

Hi Wendy,
Some of these shots have some kind of a halo along the edges, especially visible in #2. To me, it looks like a little bit too much H/S applied.. Personally, I try to avoid H/S as much as possible - for exactly this reason, it's very easy to get these halos and make the image look flat (non 3D look). If I need some detail in the shadows, I use Fill Light in ACR (very, very carefully!), and then only Levels, on a rare occasion - Curves. If I need major editing on the shadows, I do it by Levels + Layer Mask. More work to prepare the mask accurately (and not create a halo too), but worth it. Sometimes shadows are so deep and noisy, I use 2 images with different exposures and a Layer Mask blending these two (my last image of the Golden Gate Bridge is an example of this technique). Of course, to make the best of your shadows, keep them soft and detailed but shadowy enough to have this 3D look, there are only 2 solutions: sunrise and sunset. That's the workflow I adapted.. I'm sure others have different/better solutions

Agata: What is H/S? I may have applied too much but I don't know what it is. If it is something to do with Saturation, that is quite possible. I was trying a trial of Topaz Detail, and I really liked what it did with the colours. I know I used it on some of these shots, so it's very possible that I got carried away with the way it made the colours pop.

I'm at a really basic level with PP, so all the things you have mentioned are way beyond my comprehension. I have copied and pasted your methods though, because someday I will understand.

Right now I am working on trying to get a solid black background in one of my daffodil shots. Seems like it should be easy Right? but not for me, so it will keep me busy for awhile. Other members kindly provided the instructions and I should be able to do it, but I can't get Elements to co-operate with me right now, so I'm hitting the books.

I think when I get the daffodil one figured out, I will have a better grasp on how to do this masking and work with layers and blending. Then I might be able to try some of the things you have mentioned for these shots.

Thanks for the feedback. I really do appreciate it. I know someday this is all going to come together. I think...

[arith]

Wished we had power lines like that around here, I consider the one we have a blight on the landscape and when I first restarted an interest in photography didn't notice them until I was PP. They are everywhere ruining every shot. You sort of have to choose somewhere they are partially hidden.

Making a feature of them without offending the visual senses is even harder, rob does it all the time but I haven't got that sort of inspiration, but your type of power line isn't quite the same as hundred foot high metal tower and you have done a great job. I always feel the need to make the image abstract and competitions show not many like them.

You might have noticed I don't make comments of the technical kind, it is because I don't know.

I should say the first is the best, but I'm resigned to be odd and if somebody say's you ain't supposed to do it that way it put me back weeks in progress because that's the way I'm doing from now on until I convince myself its wrong. Like putting trees in the middle Got to test it even if I thought it was wrong before anything was said. Like I said, I'm odd.

[carregwen]

Making a feature of them without offending the visual senses is even harder, rob does it all the time but I haven't got that sort of inspiration

The painter Constable once said "there is nothing ugly in the world". So yes, make a virtue out of something that appears to be ugly. As I said earlier the good thing about power lines/towers is that they give structural integrity. God, he's off waffling again...

[ScoutR]

Cloned out the bird doodoo


Cloned out barbed wire, did the (my) usual RAW processing and Sharpening. Don't know if it's any better for halos. Probably not. I'll have to live with it though till I get up to speed.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Wendy

[Terry Tedor]

No, to tell you the truth I didn't even notice, but now that you mention it... looks like bird droppings and easy to clone out. Thanks



Yup, I agree. I left the barb wire on purpose, but I do think it would look better without it, and it looks like it would be fairly easy to clone out.

Thanks for the feedback, good to see you back.
Wendy

The reworked ones look great, well done.

Thanks, good to be back. As the weather warms I find myself getting busier and busier with work and home improvement projects around the house, less and less time for photography and the web. Will have to work on balancing that out a little.

[Terry Tedor]

Ooops, sorry, just now noticed the tiny bit of branch intruding into the frame on the LHS. Easy to fix.

[PopsPhotos]

The round disc thingys are insulators. The yellow things are "Don't run into me" markers. The round tub is a transformer to turn the high voltage in the overhead wires into the lower voltage you use in your house.

Great shots.

Pops