Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: MoreOrLess on August 26, 2013, 09:21:10 am

Title: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: MoreOrLess on August 26, 2013, 09:21:10 am
Went back to a shot from North Wales in the spring and tried a B&W conversion...

(http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/4269/5mja.jpg)
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: Peter Stacey on August 26, 2013, 09:46:34 am
Ooh I like that.

There is something serious about a landscape image when it's converted to black and white; and this image conveys that we'll.
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: wmchauncey on August 26, 2013, 11:44:48 am
It looks like a nicely done conversion but, unfortunately there's no focus point to capture the eye.     ;)
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: David Eckels on August 26, 2013, 02:10:32 pm
To me, this is worth studying, letting my eye wander through the near and far detail. I like the tone. I'd like to be there.
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on August 26, 2013, 03:00:37 pm
It looks like a nicely done conversion but, unfortunately there's no focus point to capture the eye.     ;)
I disagree. The light areas in the ground lead in from left and right and invite my eye to hike up toward the central col, and the leading lines in the clouds point to the same area. The clusters of lumps in the bottom center suggest a party of hikers observing the scene and trying to decide which route to take.

To me it splendidly evokes the pleasures of exploration in wilderness areas. And yes, it is a fine conversion.
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on August 26, 2013, 03:17:05 pm
There are four white dots, in the very corners of the lower left quadrant, that rather distract, given the overall low-key treatment of the foreground.
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on August 26, 2013, 03:42:19 pm
There are four white dots, in the very corners of the lower left quadrant, that rather distract, given the overall low-key treatment of the foreground.
I see them now that you've mentioned them, Slobodan. But they're easily fixable.

Method 1:  Mix some SpotTone to match the color you see on your screen. The use a small paint brush to apply the mixture to the spots on your monitor's screen.

Or (better for MoreOrLess, if he chooses to try it) Method 2: Just zap them with the Content-Aware Spot Healing Brush in Photoshop. 

 ;)
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: MoreOrLess on August 26, 2013, 05:19:22 pm
I disagree. The light areas in the ground lead in from left and right and invite my eye to hike up toward the central col, and the leading lines in the clouds point to the same area. The clusters of lumps in the bottom center suggest a party of hikers observing the scene and trying to decide which route to take.

To me it splendidly evokes the pleasures of exploration in wilderness areas. And yes, it is a fine conversion.

That was the idea, the sunlight/shadow transition on the foreground ridge top wasn't as well defined originally so I boosted the brightness/contrast a little more to link into the background.

Sadly the white dots in the foreground are bits of rubbish I haven't cloned out yet, the shot was actually just off the road on the Llanberis pass. Probably the best scenic road in the UK for me, hardly ever clear but the weather is generally interesting.
Title: Re: Stormy Snowdonia B&W
Post by: stamper on August 27, 2013, 04:08:58 am
It looks like a nicely done conversion but, unfortunately there's no focus point to capture the eye.     ;)

I agree. The house in the middle is too small to be considered a focal point. The eye tends to skip over it and tries to find something else to rest on. The processing is fine so I would consider the image a ... near miss.