Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 10:25:20 am

Title: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 10:25:20 am
This is obviously a candidate for a color rendition, but with the great differentiation of gray values, I felt it was just as strong in B&W and perhaps stronger. Opinions, comments, a poke in the eye with a sharp stick?
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chairman Bill on August 07, 2014, 11:03:49 am
I like both. The colour one is in fact almost monochromatic anyway, and on balance, I probably prefer that one, even though my usual preference is for B&W
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: RSL on August 07, 2014, 11:12:43 am
+1. This is one case where the color is essential.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on August 07, 2014, 12:56:26 pm
Lovely scene.

In both versions, I think that making that tiny patch of sky a bit lighter than its refection would help. Opening up shadows a ted would help too in both versions, but especially in b&w.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: luxborealis on August 07, 2014, 01:03:29 pm
The concept is great and beautifully executed. I prefer the B&W. However, I would like to see more of the horizon. Despite the beauty of the foreground, the gradation of tones takes me up to the horizon. Being cut-off, the photo ends there for me and feels incomplete, as even the horizon has some beautiful tones. Perhaps with the shadows opened up further, as Slobodan suggested, there would be something to draw my eye back down again.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 01:28:00 pm
I edited the patch out because it felt distracting...I'll have another look.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on August 07, 2014, 01:58:20 pm
I edited the patch out because it felt distracting...I'll have another look.

What patch? The sky? You shouldn't. It provides a breathing room, it adds 3D to the image, and provides for "a way out" of the image. You know, images need not just leading lines to lead into the picture, but also "a way out," otherwise we might feel trapped.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 02:03:43 pm
Opening the shadows and making the sky more prominent helps the B&W far more than the color image (IMO). I may have to go back to some of the other shots and see if I have one with more sky involvement.

Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chairman Bill on August 07, 2014, 02:08:03 pm
Yes, I prefer the second B&W version over the first, yet the first colour version was just fine.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on August 07, 2014, 05:06:02 pm
I prefer the colour versions: they have a warmth which seems to me to be necessary (but I wasn't there, of course). The definition of the reflected clouds looks better in the b&w, though: could it be improved in the colour?

Jeremy
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 05:43:04 pm
For Slobodan's edification, this is a second version I'm presently dinking with which may prove to have a greater sky to water value...

No B&W conversion, yet.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 07, 2014, 05:43:52 pm
Yes, I see the bloody dust bunny...arrrgghghhh
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on August 07, 2014, 05:54:57 pm
The second BW one is a real winner, IMHO. There's now enough going on at the horizon to complete the image.

Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on August 07, 2014, 06:09:43 pm
The second BW one is a real winner, IMHO. There's now enough going on at the horizon to complete the image.

He could tone the b&w, I suppose. Best of both worlds? Or worst?

Jeremy
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: William Walker on August 08, 2014, 04:15:19 am
The second BW one is a real winner, IMHO. There's now enough going on at the horizon to complete the image.



Agreed!
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: luxborealis on August 08, 2014, 06:45:51 am
The second colour - with the sun - is a real keeper. Beautiful photograph, Chris as it is. You might consider raising the exposure (even just in the shadows) by ½ a stop, to open it up a little further to the beautiful light of the morning.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 08, 2014, 07:59:23 am
Thanks guys. Terry, in the non compressed PS image, the shadows are opened by a 1/2 stop. Jeremy...maybe; it has been an active thought. I owe a lot of this exposure to Sean Bagshaw and someone else on this forum for introducing me to working with luminosity and channel masks and to the members who actively give solid and honest critiques. I am still a work in progress...I hope.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on August 09, 2014, 01:43:23 am
I am still a work in progress...

You and me both, Chris.

Jeremy
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: Chris Calohan on August 09, 2014, 12:16:42 pm
You and me both, Chris.

Jeremy

 ;D
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: shawnino on August 09, 2014, 01:16:38 pm
The second colour - with the sun - is a real keeper. Beautiful photograph, Chris as it is. You might consider raising the exposure (even just in the shadows) by ½ a stop, to open it up a little further to the beautiful light of the morning.

Great suggestion on a great image.
Title: Re: The Day Breaks
Post by: David Eckels on August 10, 2014, 11:52:55 am
FWIW, I actually think the second BW with the opened shadows is stunning. The color images, to me, seem to be more about the color than the boats or the shoreline. Therefore, I actually like the first color image more due to the fabulous gradations in tone. Just visiting the forum, reminds me that I have to get out shooting again; being retired and all ;)
Another work in progress, me.