Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Todd Suttles on August 10, 2014, 10:00:06 pm

Title: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: Todd Suttles on August 10, 2014, 10:00:06 pm
Looking for C&C on both of these please regarding composition and PP. Thanks in advance, -t
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: Alan Klein on August 10, 2014, 11:53:41 pm
I like them.  Nice shots.
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: pcgpcg on August 11, 2014, 12:39:32 am
I like both of these.  If you were to look at the histogram of the first one I suspect that most of the content is lumped towards the center. I would be tempted to make it "pop" a bit more by perhaps upping the contrast a bit.  Or maybe you could achieve that effect by bringing up the luminance level in a color channel that is predominant in the lighter color of those trees.

In the second photo, the fence post wants to be, and should be, the center of attention, but the tiny white cloud distracts my attention away from it.  Some might like that, but I would try darkening it some so that it doesn't pull attention away from the post.  The post contains all sorts of beautiful textures, from the lichen to the wire, so you might want to do something to help pull it out of the background.  Not sure what would be best - perhaps a little plus clarity on the post and some minus on everything else?  Or a little dodging on the post?  

They are both beautiful pastoral subjects and well worth spending more time on. What fun!

Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: stamper on August 11, 2014, 03:45:01 am
I am leaning towards #2 being the better of the two. pcgpcg has summed it up nicely with regards to "improvements"  :)
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: Todd Suttles on August 11, 2014, 09:50:06 am
I like both of these.  If you were to look at the histogram of the first one I suspect that most of the content is lumped towards the center. I would be tempted to make it "pop" a bit more by perhaps upping the contrast a bit.  Or maybe you could achieve that effect by bringing up the luminance level in a color channel that is predominant in the lighter color of those trees.

In the second photo, the fence post wants to be, and should be, the center of attention, but the tiny white cloud distracts my attention away from it.  Some might like that, but I would try darkening it some so that it doesn't pull attention away from the post.  The post contains all sorts of beautiful textures, from the lichen to the wire, so you might want to do something to help pull it out of the background.  Not sure what would be best - perhaps a little plus clarity on the post and some minus on everything else?  Or a little dodging on the post?  

They are both beautiful pastoral subjects and well worth spending more time on. What fun!


Thanks pcgpcg...This is what I did with your suggestions, thanks. Much better I think. Did I do too much?
Also- anyone have opinions on the telephone lines in #2, upper right? Do they subtract or bring the eye back in? Thanks, -t
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: francois on August 11, 2014, 10:24:55 am
My favorite is photo #2 and the second version is much better in my opinion. I especially like the texture on the weathered wood… beautiful!
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: pcgpcg on August 11, 2014, 04:33:33 pm
Did I do too much?
No, they look great.
...anyone have opinions on the telephone lines in #2, upper right? Do they subtract or bring the eye back in?
IMO, they are so benign that they do not detract.  I would leave them alone.

Nice job!
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: shawnino on August 11, 2014, 04:43:22 pm
I think these are really well thought out and executed. PP well done too.
No idea how they would look really, really big, but I'm guessing very, very good.
Title: Re: Fence Post & Landscape
Post by: RSL on August 11, 2014, 09:56:16 pm
Todd. Finally I can see the pictures underlying the thumbs. I like both pictures. I think #2 hs the most potential, and stretching the histogram helped a lot. Very nice.