Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: ckimmerle on May 23, 2012, 09:19:49 pm

Title: New non-D800 images
Post by: ckimmerle on May 23, 2012, 09:19:49 pm
A few from my recent photo trip into Wyoming's Red Desert. As I don't have the latest magical technology, I had to conceptualize, compose and implement these images by myself <sigh>. It ain't easy being so blasted old-school.

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert001.jpg)
The Boars Tooth

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert002.jpg)
Sun Reflection Off of Wetland

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert003.jpg)
Curious Pronghorn and Two-Rut Road

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert004.jpg)
Circle Corral

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert005.jpg)
Storm Clouds
Title: Re: New unD800 images
Post by: jeremypayne on May 23, 2012, 09:24:24 pm
Where's the red?  :D :D

I like the last two the best, by a large margin.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Kirk Gittings on May 23, 2012, 10:55:55 pm
As a lifelong B&W guy, I must say.........I like them all. Well done.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: shutterpup on May 23, 2012, 11:16:33 pm
While I like all of them, my favorites are the last two for the incredible skies. Reminds me why I fell in love with black and white to begin with.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: popnfresh on May 24, 2012, 01:02:08 am
As I don't have the latest magical technology, I had to conceptualize, compose and implement these images by myself <sigh>. It ain't easy being so blasted old-school.

You did amazingly well considering you only had a clunky old Nikon D3X.  :D :D :D

They're all gorgeous and some of the most impressive landscapes I've seen here.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Christoph C. Feldhaim on May 24, 2012, 01:56:16 am
Chuck, your images are "da awesomeness" like we know from you.
Great work.

But old school ?
Man - you're shooting digital - thats not old school.
Old school I'd say ist something like 4x5" sheet film.

But maybe thats just my retarded view of the things and I should call film something like "ancient" or "antique" or "prehistorical". Or its just because I'm European - we have a different timescale than people living overseas.

Cheers
~Chris
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: BernardLanguillier on May 24, 2012, 02:24:43 am
I didn't know shooting with a D3x was still allowed?  ???

Damned fine images!

Cheers,
Bernard
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: John R Smith on May 24, 2012, 03:25:49 am
Chuck

Very nice work, as always. Great ideas, excellent framing and composition. But for my taste, the sky in #5 looks rather over-processed. Dramatic, of course, but somehow it is just too much "in my face".

Still, that's just me. I like the more subtle approach in the first two.

John
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Rob C on May 24, 2012, 03:37:00 am
Great pictures indeed; something to admire and wonder at for simplicity and power.

Rob C
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: amolitor on May 24, 2012, 09:20:13 am
It seems that you have a fairly complete artistic vision here, so I am going to assume that everything I see is deliberate and that you're not looking for any feedback that takes the form of helping you "improve" your work. I beg your indulgence should anything I write below appear otherwise! I will endeavor to critique in the sense of analysis and understanding, not in the sense of

First of all you're doing an interesting thing with these strongly vertical, strongly centered images. The compositions are strong, but virtually every one violates some canonical "rule" or another (mostly, everything is centered! But horizons appear centered, or near the bottom of the frame, etc etc -- you're as aware as I am of these details). It completely works, I think, but it's an interesting thing to notice. I'm on the fence about whether it's a powerful unifying visual motif, or if it's visually exhausting and repetitive. With four images, I think I lean toward powerful visual motif. At, say, ten images I think it might become overwhelming and repetitive.

EDIT: The "powerful unifying visual motif" cited here is the centering of everything. Re-reading, I realize that I kind of fell of the rails in this paragraph, and then circled back to the beginning without actually saying so. Sorry about that.

Secondly, your treatment of the light is fascinating. Let me digress a moment on the subject of processing, digitally or otherwise. My personal taste is that an image is perfectly handled if the processing is invisible to the casual look, if the photograph looks superficially "real". Ansel Adams is my canonical example of a fellow who could shovel ridiculous amounts of processing into an image without quite crossing the line to "not real" looking. This is not to say that there's no place for what I consider over processed photographs, there's certainly an idea of digital art where the processing, while obvious, becomes part of the image.

What I find really interesting here is that your processing is not obvious at all, and yet the images don't look real. You're treading, to my eye, a very very narrow line that falls between "real" looking and "obviously processed" which lands these images in a sort of surrealist space. Clearly these are heavily processed (unless you're fanatically devoted to waiting for that one decisive moment when the sun breaks through enough to illuminate that one perfect spot?) but the processing does not stand out, the surrealism does.

I admit that I'm not sure I like it, but I respect the fine attention to detail that's required to hit that line.

Also, if you had more pixels, I think these would be totally way better.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: sdwilsonsct on May 24, 2012, 10:59:04 am
They're all gorgeous and some of the most impressive landscapes I've seen here.

Chuck, I admired your Zion portfolio, but 4 and 5 are so much more powerful because of the scale. These Great Plain skies are rare, and greatly enhanced by excellent foregrounds. Inspirational.
Scott
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: langier on May 24, 2012, 11:20:45 am
Well done!

As I have to remind folks commenting upon upon my work, it ain't the camera!
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: RSL on May 24, 2012, 11:36:18 am
Splendid stuff, Chuck -- as usual. Are you familiar with Cole Thompson's work? These five remind me of some of his finest.

I'm pondering the D800 thing. Street doesn't require it, but . . . well . . . I'm sure you understand what I'm saying.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: ckimmerle on May 24, 2012, 11:50:37 am
Thanks, everyone. I'm actually very happy with the images I got on that trip and have finally started to understand the landscape around here. As I prefer to work close to home (where the best charity begins), that understanding is of the utmost importance.

Of course, I had a LOT of good fortune (luck!): the amazing clouds on one afternoon, finding the circle corral while desperately looking for a foreground object, and the uncharacteristically curious young pronghorn who walked into my already-composed shot and posed. We landscape photographers need the photo gawds on our side every once in a while.

You're treading, to my eye, a very very narrow line that falls between "real" looking and "obviously processed"...

That's a great way to phrase it. Unlike much of my previous work, I am finding that, at least in these images, I'm gravitating more towards emotional processing rather than striving for what is, for lack of a better term, realism. I mean, I've never considered my processing/printing style as "journalistic" or "documentary", but I am making the processing a more integral part of the overall feel of the image.

Splendid stuff, Chuck -- as usual. Are you familiar with Cole Thompson's work? These five remind me of some of his finest.

Yeah, Cole and I have emailed a few times since I moved to Wyoming, and I had lunch with him a few weeks ago. His work is truly amazing. I am sure that viewing his prints and talking with him is at least partly responsible for me allowing processing to play a larger role in the creation of the final image.

I'm pondering the D800 thing. Street doesn't require it, but . . . well . . . I'm sure you understand what I'm saying.

Oh hell, go for it. It IS a great camera. I'll probably get one in the future. I only poke fun as so much of the hype had elevated it to the exulted level of camera-god with the omnipotent imaging powers of (nerd alert) Star Trek's Q.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: MikeWhitten on May 24, 2012, 12:54:31 pm
My reaction to these: I like them a lot as individual images... viewing them as a set takes them to a new level. Most impressive.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Ken Bennett on May 24, 2012, 01:08:31 pm
The photojournalist in me marvels at the placement of the pronghorn so that he is entirely contained within the narrow ribbon of white that is the treadway. Any piece of him merging with the surrounding dark area would have ruined the shot. Clearly you are the Antelope Whisperer. ("A little to the left. Now turn your antlers.")

Storm Clouds looks like I expect Mordor to look.

Overall very well seen, as usual.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: ckimmerle on May 25, 2012, 12:51:58 am
The photojournalist in me marvels at the placement of the pronghorn so that he is entirely contained within the narrow ribbon of white that is the treadway. Any piece of him merging with the surrounding dark area would have ruined the shot. Clearly you are the Antelope Whisperer.

He wasn't perfectly in the middle (no matter how much I coaxed). I had to do a fair bit of detailed dodging near his butt to separate him from the edge of the sagebrush.  Still, he really WAS there. :)
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on May 25, 2012, 03:50:22 am
Fantastic series, Chuck. I think my favourite is the pronghorn but they're all wonderfully atmospheric.

Jeremy
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: EduPerez on May 29, 2012, 09:16:46 am
Very strong and powerful, I liked them all very much; you clearly do not need a new camera... ;)
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: ivan muller on June 01, 2012, 11:33:56 am
Hi Chuck, great great images! Who cares what camera was used or how many megapixels it has....these photographs are a reminder why we do what we do... and you did it...
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on June 01, 2012, 09:25:15 pm
Stunning, Chuck! I love your new "emotional" approach. Great shots.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Roberto Frieri on June 07, 2012, 09:35:37 am
Many compliments. Fantastic emotional shots and masterfull black and white conversion.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: michelle_elle on June 12, 2012, 12:43:41 pm
Wonderful work!
I love it ;D
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: Mcthecat on June 13, 2012, 07:02:27 pm
Outstanding some of the best ive seen.

Mick
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: ckimmerle on June 14, 2012, 02:53:46 pm
A heartfelt and sincere "thank you" to you all. Really, it means a lot.
Title: Re: New non-D800 images
Post by: free1000 on June 27, 2012, 07:18:26 pm
A few from my recent photo trip into Wyoming's Red Desert. As I don't have the latest magical technology, I had to conceptualize, compose and implement these images by myself <sigh>. It ain't easy being so blasted old-school.

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert001.jpg)
The Boars Tooth

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert002.jpg)
Sun Reflection Off of Wetland

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert003.jpg)
Curious Pronghorn and Two-Rut Road

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert004.jpg)
Circle Corral

(http://www.chuckkimmerle.com/photos/reddesert005.jpg)
Storm Clouds

These are very nice to look at. 

(I'm even more impressed that you didn't make them with a camera... I mean all cameras are magic aren't they?)