Minimalist landscape from Cumbria 3 new images added and another in colour.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

They are all excellent.
I am especially drawn to the second, which I think would also work well in monochrome.

-Eric

[guido]

If #2 was done as monochrome wouldn't it be more difficult to make the near trees stand out? I certainly would make it more of an abstraction to join them...

[Christos Andronis]

Beautiful, well thought out images Ken. Nice work! If I could pick one that would be the color one.

[KMRennie]

With the 2nd image I may use luminosity masking to reduce the impact of the far trees and see what that looks like. I think that I will process it as a monochrome but keep the colour in just as long as it doesn't look like colour popping. On the original post has anyone noticed the flock of birds at the top of the image? I think that they will go although I may look at the images I took before and after to see if the light is similar but the birds aren't there. Ken

[sarrasani]

excellent, masterful both composition and editing. I like them much.
sandro

[francois]

In this second set, the first shot is my favorite. It's clean, simple, masterfully composed, in other words a perfect winter image. The third one is also great but more busy. I'm undecided by the second image. The colors of the trees, while natural, is a bit too strong for me. I guess it's because I can imagine being there and having snowflakes in my eyes 

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

ido the 2nd one is a colour shot no split toning no colour popping. Ken

What have people got against colour popping images, or anything other technique for that matter?

I have only ever done a couple of them myself over the years, but I like them both and will do more if I so wish. I really can't understand why some people want to limit other peoples creativity, so even though you haven't done this with your images shown here Ken, if you had then good for you I say.

Photography should be about doing what YOU want and not what you think other people will approve of, because how else are you going to develop your own creative style, if you are limited by the restrictions that others place on you.

Sorry for the mini rant there, but getting back to the image, this is really excellent work Ken and I have very much enjoyed looking at your work here - bravo!

Dave

[KMRennie]

Thanks for the comments Dave, I can rant a bit myself. In my limited experience I have only seen colour popping used to put interest in an otherwise boring shot so you get, in my opinion, crap shot with colour popping. I have also seen otherwise beautiful images spoiled by glaring red lightships and post boxes, never in the same shot so far. I have just printed the first shot on soft textured paper and note that the 40 birds flying almost unoticed on screen look like dust spots but I am very happy with the image but will spot them out. The weather here is terrible, it has changed from dramatic but too dangerous to travel to leaden featureless skies with the world's largest soft box giving new meanings to flat boring light I will just go for a walk. Ken

[KMRennie]

This is a colour version of my favourite image with the trees and fences. This is not the same file but was taken when the sky opened a bit. I have reduced the saturation a lot as the sky was taking over. Ken

[guido]

That a lovey version too. It definitely works both ways...