Llancayo Windmill

[mammarazzi]

Just down the road from where I live, the white windmill with the Sugarloaf Mountain in the background.

[Shadowman]

Nicely done, very artistic presentation. That clean looking grass just looks unnatural.

[Texas Dave]

It is a nice presentation and what appears to be a very interesting windmill, (don't seem them like that around here). I like your photo but I keep getting distracted by what appears to be smoke coming from the windmill.

[JohnRostron]

I like it. I can't see any problem with the grass, nor do I see smoke.

John

[Geoff F]

There is something to the right of the windmill on the skyline. Probably some darker cloud but it is quite noticeably different in colour from the other clouds.

However, at a larger size, it is quite clearly in the distance and well behind the windmill.

[Mike Buckley]

That is what I call a cloud line! Wow!

Especially considering how much you do in monochrome, I'm surprised you didn't use it for this image. It would be even better in my mind.

[James G]

Joanne, this is a beautiful capture. For me though the sky is providing a distraction, (and I love moody, dramatic skies). It keeps taking my attention from the windmill and the Sugarloaf.
As a B&W image, I think the dynamic of the image would change, with the windmill and the snow? on the Sugarloaf providing stronger points of interest.

As a colour image though, I would be inclined to crop it more aggressively, reducing the amount of sky, and the area to the right of the windmill to refocus the interest.

That said, I'm jealous of that view, I'd be out there in all seasons and weather!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Joanne,

A nice composition, which I'd ideally like to have seen larger.

I do wonder if it would stand 1/3 to 1/2 stop more exposure though? Might help with the grass tone

Regarding the smoke, I do see it, in fact there's a column of thick black stuff (burning tyres = my guess) just to the left of the windmill, with the wind gusting it in swirls off to the right, which is what others have noticed. Given it distracts from an otherwise beautiful scene, I wonder whether this is worth a re-shoot when the 'fire has died down', since you're so local.

Hope that helps, Dave

[mammarazzi]

Especially considering how much you do in monochrome, I'm surprised you didn't use it for this image. It would be even better in my mind.

Here it is in Mono a bit more cropped - I just can't seem to get the right tones, the Sugarloaf just doesn't stand out - help where's Donald when you need him (hint - Donald do something with this please) P.S. That cloud line was something else, especially when a few minutes earlier it passed overhead raging winds and ice cold driving rain.

[mammarazzi]

Joanne, this is a beau It keeps As a colour image though, I would be inclined to crop it more aggressively, reducing the amount of sky, and the area to the right of the windmill to refocus the interest.

That said, I'm jealous of that view, I'd be out there in all seasons and weather!

Hi James, I have cropped the image. It definitely gives it a different look and the mountain is more visible. - thanks

[mammarazzi]

Hi Joanne,




Regarding the smoke, I do see it, in fact there's a column of thick black stuff (burning tyres = my guess) just to the left of the windmill, with the wind gusting it in swirls off to the right, which is what others have noticed. Given it distracts from an otherwise beautiful scene, I wonder whether this is worth a re-shoot when the 'fire has died down', since you're so local.

Hope that helps, Dave

Thanks Dave for your advice - I took this from a different angle that day so the fire is not in view. The mountain looks a lot closer and you can see the scattering of snow on the peak. This is right next to the river Usk where Hubby fishes regularly (without much luck) so I intend to document the seasons (well fishing season) to see the changes in this most beautiful setting.

[Mike Buckley]

I prefer the first composition, so I went with that one.

I converted everything except Sugarloaf Mountain using a yellow filter. I then converted Sugarloaf Mountain using a blue filter. Keep in mind that I did this very quickly, so I didn't mask the mountain properly. I then tweaked the tone curve. Actually, I did everything very quickly, all in just a few minutes while I was cooking dinner.

If I were to take more time, I would do a better job of everything and I would render the plain sky in the top left corner to be brighter and less distracting, probably converting that part of the image using a blue filter.

Ideally, you would capture this scene in light that is less direct on the front of the windmill. Doing so would reveal its shape. Even so, that line of clouds is just spectacular. If I absolutely had to chose between those clouds or light that conveys the shape of the lighthouse better, I would go with the clouds. Tell your husband to go fishing a lot and maybe you'll capture both.

[James G]

Joanne, the clouds look quote blue... but maybe a bit light... I'd guess they were more grey on the day.

You can emphasise them or reduce their impact by selecting Blues and Cyans in the Hue and Saturation filter and either darkening/lightening or increasing /decreasing the saturation.... You probably already know this... but...

I know Usk slightly, been through a few times to be precise and never knew about the windmill... will be stopping g next chance I get... and if your husband is fishing for trout ..tell him to cheat and fish on a 'fresh' and get them straight to the plate!