Western landscape from the air

[mal mcilwraith]

Here is a landscape that renders my view of the western plains of Queensland from the air.

I had the opportunity to fly with a friend of mine in a small twin engine plane and I took my wife's A7R and my Phase One to take some pics. This one was taken with the A7R.

What inspired me was the aboriginal dreamtime serpent and the dot paintings that are done by some aboriginal groups.

Enjoy and by all means, crop and clone away.


Mal

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...Enjoy and by all means, crop and clone away.

Naaah... perfect as-is

[louoates]

Works for me. I love the color blends.

[David Anderson]

Smokin...

[fdisilvestro]

That's great! can't improve it.

[John R]

Really fine. Looks like a painting. More subtle and less obvious.

JR

[mal mcilwraith]

Thank you all for your kind words.


Mal

[luxborealis]

Another keeper, Mal.

[pcgpcg]

I had the opportunity to fly with a friend of mine in a small twin engine plane...This one was taken with the A7R.

OK I'll bite.  I don't get it.  This appears to be a beautiful watercolor.  I don't understand the reference to the a7r?

[mal mcilwraith]

Here is the original image taken with the A7R from a few thousand feet to the East of Quilpie.

I then did a free hand water colour of the image and overlaid the watercolour over the original photograph - I then used a series of masks with varying transparency to allow the photograph to shine through the water colour - a little more in some places and a little less in other places.

As you can see from the photograph - it has no horizon line - I chose to create one - I hope this makes my process quite clear.

Regards


Mal

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... I then did a free hand water colour of the image and overlaid the watercolour over the original photograph...

Ooops! I was fooled then. In my defense, I saw in on my iPhone, without enlarging it, and assumed the effect was due to atmospheric haze. My bad, though it would be nice if posters would disclose special techniques, especially non-photographic.

[petermfiore]

Really fine. Looks like a painting. More subtle and less obvious.

JR

JR
"More subtle and less obvious". Could expand on that a bit. I'm not sure what you mean.

Peter

[pcgpcg]

Wonderful!  Thanks for the explanation  You've ended up with something really beautiful and hats off to your creativity.  I really like it. 

[mal mcilwraith]

Slobadan

Apologies if it seems like I was trying to make my image appear to be something other than what it was.

Happy to discuss what I do to produce my images - but I guess I like to start with - bung it out there and see how people take it at face value - if someone is interested in how I produced a particular effect happy to disclose it.

I am not in the secret sauce brigade - there is nothing I do that someone else has not done before and I always assume they have done it better - this is just my tribute to the life I am luck enough to be living. What a marvellous experience.

Mal

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Mal,

No problem, that wasn't a personal criticism. I have nothing against digital imagery, montages, combo techniques, etc. Nor against oil, watercolor, pencil drawings, etc. It is just that I am predominantly a photographer, and tend to value (pure) photography differently. Not better or worse, but differently. I particularly highly value images where the photographer managed to transcend the documentary aspect and elevate it above the obvious, using photographic techniques. In that respect, I like your original photograph of the place more than the watercolored one.

[mal mcilwraith]

Hey Slobodan

It is what I like about this forum - that people are frank but respectful - they state their point of view in a manner which is informative - I really don't want people to be polite, I would rather they were honest - so thank you for your comments.

Thank you again.


Mal