Dyffryn gardens, Cardiff

[carregwen]

Spent a day at Dyffryn last week while my wife went to a funeral. Everything was blooming very nicely (in the gardens, I mean). It's a very good site for photography. Just a few that I took. C&C welcome. Apologies for the 'picture postcard' look of them - it was just that kind of day.

Dyffryn Gardens site

#1 The house (Canon 5D, 24-105mm)


#2 The wild area (Panasonic G1)


#3 The herbaceous border (Panasonic G1)


#4 The house from the front (Canon 5D, 24-105mm)


I think you have probably seen this one that I posted in a separate thread.... it was taken in the walled garden behind the house.

[Donald]

They are all very pleasing images and not at all picture-postcardy.

But it's the first one that I'd particularly like to give attention to. If I tried this (and perhaps some others of us as well), I'd end up with a 'snap', albeit it might be a nice snap, but it would be a snap. This goes way above that level and is indeed a photograph made by someone who knows what they're doing.

I'm still studying and trying to list why that is so. What is it that makes this a professional standard photograph, rather than the snap that I and many others would have produced? It would be interesting to hear the views of others (assuming you agree with me).

The composition certainly plays a major part. The balance and control of light. The sky works with the building, which works with the land and the plants

[carregwen]

I'm still studying and trying to list why that is so. What is it that makes this a professional standard photograph, rather than the snap that I and many others would have produced? It would be interesting to hear the views of others (assuming you agree with me).

The composition certainly plays a major part. The balance and control of light. The sky works with the building, which works with the land and the plants

Thanks, Donald. I spent some time composing this one. I used a tripod and I deliberately framed the rider to be on the third-intersection (his butt actually). That tree poking up behind the house is on the opposite third-intersection (I'm beginning to think my wife is correct in calling me a control freak). As the rider is looking in the direction of that tree I think there is a line-of-sight across the front of the house, which looks quite natural and balanced (what waffle!). That was my intention anyway. There's also lots of strong foreground interest.

[Donald]

(what waffle!)

No. A short, but effective masterclass for all us on here who want to learn. Learning to apply what you've written about, automatically whenever we line something up in the viewfinder, would benefit a lot of us who write about learning and about wanting to learn from others.

Written a during a break from the lengthy process of cloning out the furthest away railing on the bridge on this one, following your comment. I still want a rail as I don't think it works with none.

[carregwen]

Written a during a break from the lengthy process of cloning out the furthest away railing on the bridge on this one, following your comment. I still want a rail as I don't think it works with none.

I'll tell you what you needed in that shot - that very nice lady in the black cape who does the Scottish Widows commercial. I can see her now striding across the bridge... calling to you... "Donald... Donald..."I suppose your DB wouldn't like that either!

[Donald]

I suppose your DB wouldn't like that either

That's could've had more fatal consequences - me drowing in the river as I ran through it to reach her, after the blow on the head from the DB, as she made for the pub in Achiltibuie

[rick55]

Beautiful images, Rob. #1 is exceptional: great balance, and I also appreciate your insight on the composition. The sculptured bushes and the interesting tree at the far right also make a nice balance-point to the tree in front of the house on the far left. Great eye.

I'd like #2 better, I think, were it not for the wheel marks along the path. At least, that's what they look like to me, and it makes me interpret the path as something the keepers use to run their golf carts around.

#3 is a little busy, TBH: I'm surprised you didn't pull down some of the stuff to get a cleaner view through the trellis. I'm not sure what you can do - maybe try B&W, give a little feel of something overgrown?

Did you need to crop #4 tightly on the right because of something there? It seems a little tilted CW. The sky is very interesting, with the dark cloud coming in over your left shoulder.

Cheers,
Rick

[carregwen]

Did you need to crop #4 tightly on the right because of something there? It seems a little tilted CW. The sky is very interesting, with the dark cloud coming in over your left shoulder.

Cheers,
Rick

I had to stand pretty close to the house as I was encroaching on the croquet lawn with my tripod, and unfortunately there were a couple of formidable looking ladies swinging their mallets (is that the correct word?). There was therfore quite a bit of lean on the verticals which I had to correct with edit>transform>distort which unfortunately took me off the right edge of the building. Yes, it is a bit wonky - I need to level it.

[ScoutR]

Spent a day at Dyffryn last week while my wife went to a funeral. Everything was blooming very nicely (in the gardens, I mean). It's a very good site for photography. Just a few that I took. C&C welcome. Apologies for the 'picture postcard' look of them - it was just that kind of day.

Dyffryn Gardens site

#1 The house (Canon 5D, 24-105mm)


#2 The wild area (Panasonic G1)


#3 The herbaceous border (Panasonic G1)


#4 The house from the front (Canon 5D, 24-105mm)


I think you have probably seen this one that I posted in a separate thread.... it was taken in the walled garden behind the house.

Hi Rob: Looks like a nice place to live. In answer to Donald's question as to why #1 is more than just a snap, I'm thinking it has to do with the angle of the shot and the context. If I was confronted with such a scene, which I won't be anywhere near where I live, I would probably shoot head on and take the typical entranceway shot trying to include a few flowers (of course)

Rob, is it just me or are #2 and 3 oversharpened (or something) They seem to look kind of salt and peppery on my screen. (some day I'll learn the technical terms)

#4 looks to me like it could use a slight counter clockwise rotation, and I think I would rather see both sides of the house (or castle) cut off or the right side included. This to me looks like the shot most of us would take. Very nice but except for the sky, more typical of what most of us would shoot.


The flower as always is exeptional.

Wendy

[carregwen]

Rob, is it just me or are #2 and 3 oversharpened (or something) They seem to look kind of salt and peppery on my screen. (some day I'll learn the technical terms)

You are quite right, Wendy. They are too sharp. The Panasonic G1 is so incredibly sharp that you don't need to Photoshop sharpen at all - how amazing is that? The 5D on the other hand needs coaxing and convincing to get it's (sharp) act together.