Burgundian fields

This is another from my holiday/vacation in Burgundy that is in the 'not as good as I'd hoped for' folder. But I keep going back to it, thinking there's a good image in there. but I'm prepared to admit that optimism may be overcoming objectivity. What do you think? Strengths? Weaknesses?

I think the guy doing the crop spraying maybe had a bit too much wine before getting on to the tractor!

ps - I'm seeing some banding in the sky when I post it on here. That's not on my master copy here at home.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3864/...9306fc81_b.jpg
40D, Sigma 120-400 F4.5-5.6 APO DG OS @ 297mm. ISO 200. 1/60@f16.

Hi Donald, I like the composition :)

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Originally Posted by bnnrcn

Hi Donald, I like the composition :)

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Binnur

Thank you. Can you say why you think the composition works?

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Originally Posted by Donald

What do you think? Strengths? Weaknesses?

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I like the low contrast… keeps the shot moody, mellow.

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ps - I'm seeing some banding in the sky when I post it on here. That's not on my master copy here at home.

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That's a result of JPEG compression.

Donald - personally I'd lose the 'dark' part of the sky as I feel it unbalances the shot somewhat; I'd also consider cropping the RHS to remove the 'half bush'.

steve

Donald; an interesting composition. I think the heavy handed gradiant is probably what holds this image together.

The foreground is fairly plain, and the tracks through the field pulls our eyes into the scene. The trees in the middle ground are real looking (there is a certain abstract look to the foreground) and of course the sky is quite plain. Had you not applied the vignette, our eyes would be running off the image on the top; and as it is, you are forcing them to look back down at the trees.

While it has a lot of key elements; I think the part that is missing for me is trying to fix on a subject; the tracks versus the trees. If it were my image, I might want to look at if cropping the foreground fairly harshly might strengthen the shot. I'm not sure, but it just might do the trick.

The composition has promise for me in the way the two tallest tress balance the tracks in the crop. To emphasize that, I would crop at the top just above the trees. I hate to mention that idea because plain skies such as this one are so representative of your landscape style. In that regard, you might be better off ignoring my idea.

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Originally Posted by Donald

I think the guy doing the crop spraying maybe had a bit too much wine before getting on to the tractor!

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Nahhhhh. The problem is that you didn't have enough wine before reviewing your photo.

I agree with everything Manfred has said about this shot. I just think it needs a person in the field somewhere to give it a narrative.

Nicely captured, leading lines-parallel shapes and a layered horizon, that's why I like it.

Hi Donald, sorry for being late , last night I commented on one more image after yours and then I was busy with other things and I stopped following the threads. So, I will try to answer your question without looking at the comments above in order not to be influenced by them. At first sight, the image effected me emotionally, very calm and plain scene, I like the solitude . It also reminds me village life because I spent 2 years living in the middle of the fields after retirement and I know how nature speaks to you when it is calm and in silence. So , your image communicates with me . I thought it was something wrong with the framing and I tried to crop the image from right in lightbox to eliminate the big tree and it didn't work with a vertical frame . So, I decided that the tree was balancing the tracks. The tracks lead my eyes into the image , so no problem with them. We usually don't like empty skies in CinC because they don't add to the composition. But for this image I like the empty sky and the feeling of vastness. IMO It goes very well with the haze. I don't like that dark banding at top part of the frame, so may be very minimal crop from the top might work better.

My comment may not be very technical, it is because I'm not an expert in photography and also my feelings come first when I look at an image :o

Dont know what your balthering about Donald ;) Obviously such a perfectionist that you dont like work that most of us would be happy to claim, sit back in your chair, have a glass of that lovely french wine that you bought back with you, whilst it prints out and hang it on the wall. Thats what id do. :D

Thank you, again, for the various comments. When you've got something that's just not 'hitting-the-spot' it's good to get the reaction of colleagues who can look at it objectively and appraise it.

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Originally Posted by bnnrcn

My comment may not be very technical, it is because I'm not an expert in photography and also my feelings come first when I look at an image :o

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Nobody is an expert! You and I sing off the same songsheet. In all matters photographic, I operate at an emotional level. I am often in awe of the technical knowledge of some people on here. That's why I sit out when people get in to technical discussion about equipment, or lighting, or processing, etc. Most of it goes way over my head. But I think I'm pretty okay at 'feeling' what works best.

Nice capture Donald, I don't know about the tractor driver, but i'll bet you have had a glass or three mulling over this image?:D

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Originally Posted by deetheturk

... but i'll bet you have had a glass or three mulling over this image?:D

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Which have been the follow-up to all those I had sitting on the terrace at the back of the house we rented in Burgundy mulling over this view and planning the shoot.