Trying not to be square, but .....!

[Donald]

When in Assynt in the north-west of Scotland last week, I tried really, really hard to 'see' images in other than B & W and square. There are a few that I'll be posting here for your C & C.

But, overall, what I wanted to do was build on my portfolio of trying to show what Assynt is about, primarily of course from a landscape photographer's point of view. And, for me, that so often takes me back to the square B & W images. I think they have a power that colour and other formats don't have. But that's just me.

Your critical analysis is always welcomed.


The Harbour at Culkein Drumbeg

[billtils]

Very attractive composition in this one Donald, that probably benefits from the square format - but I'm not so sure about the B&W rendering?

[rpcrowe]

This monochrome rendering adds a bit of historical drama to an already very nice image!

[JBW]

When in Assynt in the north-west of Scotland last week, I tried really, really hard to 'see' images in other than B & W and square. There are a few that I'll be posting here for your C & C.

But, overall, what I wanted to do was build on my portfolio of trying to show what Assynt is about, primarily of course from a landscape photographer's point of view. And, for me, that so often takes me back to the square B & W images. I think they have a power that colour and other formats don't have. But that's just me.

Your critical analysis is always welcomed.


The Harbour at Culkein Drumbeg

I feel a powerful desolation in this shot. I like how you have brought the near rocks and far hills together top right. There is a feeling of old and faded.

[Daisy Mae]

I love this.

It is always interesting to see comments on the 'B&W' rendering....for gooor bad.

Rendering = translating something into a different language or style....whereas I know that Donald thinks and shoots in B&W.
So he isn't 'rendering' this from a colour image. It shouldn't be viewed or judged as some kind of 'interpretation of his original concept'. It is his original concept.

( please feel free to correct me at any point Donald! )

Now..talking about it purely as a B&W image. It has a low contrast, low structure treatment....this gives it a sadness, a gentleness that perfectly conveys the scene.

[Donald]

Thank you for the comments above

( please feel free to correct me at any point Donald! )

It is certainly true that I try to 'see' in B & W. As I viewed this in the viewfinder, I 'saw' it as a B & W image. It was never going to be anything else. And, as I've written on here many times before, I NEVER change my mind. So even if it looked good on the screen in colour, it would never be processed to be a colour image. Them's just the rules!!

[tao2]

Hi Donald,

Also like using square shapes. Ah like the composition and the lead points, into the middle, then, the far reaches of the photo. Ah think, though, (what looks tae me like) the software filter used, removers tone and contrast and the resulting detail; especially from the more structured foreground.

[Donald]

Ah think, though, (what looks tae me like) the software filter used, removers tone and contrast and the resulting detail; especially from the more structured foreground.

This gets to the heart of a dilemma. When it was first launched, I thought all the bells and whistles on the Nik Analog Efex Pro 2 software were a bit gimmicky. Then I started noticing that many well-respected photographers, working both with film and digitally, were embracing processing techniques that in another time would have been termed as 'gimmicky'. So was this me just being too 'traditional', afraid to experiment, etc.?

So, I thought I'd dip a toe in the water.

I like what some of this stuff can do. But I fear that, like many of us can be when trying a new toy, it is easy to go a bit over-the-top. Need to wind back on the sliders a bit perhaps.

[billtils]

I agree with Boab on this one Donald. Perhaps I should add that since following your adventures I revisited the NIK suite that I had briefly explored (played with) and set aside more than 6 months ago, but now find Silver Efex Pro as the first place to go for a whole range of B&W image development.

I found the green cast on your OP distracting - but that is/could be entirely a personal taste issue.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[Cogito]

To me, it looks better without the green overtones.