Topic: In the Mountains (Read 6123 times)

seamus finn · « **on:** May 10, 2011, 08:16:11 am »

This is at a place called Gleniffe Horseshoe in the mountains near Sligo, Ireland.

RSL · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2011, 10:59:37 am »

Seamus, Splendid! This is what "landscape" should be: a background for people, their activities, and their artifacts. The greatest landscape painters knew this, but many landscape photographers never knew or have forgotten that this is what gives great landscape images their power.

Patricia Sheley · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2011, 11:27:01 am »

Wonderful! Any chance in the capture image of recovering highlights in the Border Collie whites and sheep backs? Hope you get a chance to look at the Brooks Jensen editorial in the May/June issue of LensWork...I think you would understand what he is trying to say....

seamus finn · « **Reply #3 on:** May 10, 2011, 11:33:17 am »

I made a conscious effort to do exactly that, Patricia, and it looks ok here, but maybe it doesn't travel well.

Just read the LensWork editorial - Brooks Jensen gets right to the heart of the matter. Also, it explains, I think, what Russ is on about when he talks (above) about 'a background for people, their activities and their artifacts'.

Patricia Sheley · « **Reply #4 on:** May 10, 2011, 01:10:55 pm »

Yes, environment...and breath...

Heinz · « **Reply #5 on:** May 10, 2011, 03:49:42 pm »

Very good pic Seamus. Nice range of tones and the comp is great. This picture really tells a story, i luv it. Heinz

John R Smith · « **Reply #6 on:** May 10, 2011, 04:02:16 pm »

Seamus

You know I like your work, and I love Ireland too. And Sligo is wonderful. So this is right up my street - more please.

John

popnfresh · « **Reply #7 on:** May 10, 2011, 06:31:19 pm »

I find little to fault with the composition. Technically, the blown high values on the sheep, and to a lesser extent on the dogs, bother me. But I guess you know that.

Ken Bennett · « **Reply #8 on:** May 10, 2011, 06:53:19 pm »

Love it -- I have fond memories of stopping for "sheep jams" on our honeymoon in Ireland 26 years ago.

seamus finn · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2011, 07:01:37 pm »

Quote

Technically, the blown high values on the sheep, and to a lesser extent on the dogs, bother me. But I guess you know that.

Yep, it's a known known.

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2011, 12:17:17 am »

Terrific image, Seamus!

Eric

SJ.Butel · « **Reply #11 on:** May 11, 2011, 06:12:58 am »

Really great capture and pp work.

seamus finn · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2011, 06:34:37 am »

Popnfresh, being a bit bothered by the blown values in the sheep, I went back to the scene of the crime this morning and came up with this:

stamper · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2011, 06:56:25 am »

Quote from: popnfresh on May 10, 2011, 06:31:19 pm

I find little to fault with the composition. Technically, the blown high values on the sheep, and to a lesser extent on the dogs, bother me. But I guess you know that.

Personally I feel in a B&W image small areas of blown out areas don't bother me. In fact they sometimes add something to an image. In this case the original is the better. More contrast adds to the bleakness. This is a case of the original poster "giving in" to the members instead of sticking to his guns.

seamus finn · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2011, 07:19:29 am »

It's not so much a case of giving in as seeing if it can be done, Stamper. On a quality site like this when a technical issue is introduced, I always feel the need to go back and address it - just as a challenge. I have too much respect for the members who regularly feature here to ignore what they have to say. Incidentally, I prefer the first one too - the gritty bleakness is what it's all about, as you rightly point out. However, there definitely is a technical issue about the blown out values and in that sense, it's a valid criticism.

stamper · « **Reply #15 on:** May 11, 2011, 08:04:01 am »

Imo 99% of images have technical problems. However it is only a problem if they detract from an image. Ironically there is another on going thread about judges judging images. They are guilty of nitpicking small problems. They don't do it for the sake of it. They do it so that they can differentiate between images so that to put them into a pecking order in order to choose a winner, second and third. No image can be perfect. A lot of the best have obvious faults. I assumed in your first image you had deliberately posted the image with overblown highlights to emphasis the contrast.

seamus finn · « **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2011, 08:40:07 am »

Correct, Stamper - although I did give the blown out values a little attention before posting the original. However, like many people, I am often not the best judge of my own work.

seamus finn · « **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2011, 09:00:31 am »

Quote

I have fond memories of stopping for "sheep jams" on our honeymoon in Ireland 26 years ago.

Here's a reminder, Ken, same place, different day.

popnfresh · « **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2011, 09:40:15 am »

Quote from: seamus finn on May 11, 2011, 07:19:29 am

It's not so much a case of giving in as seeing if it can be done, Stamper. On a quality site like this when a technical issue is introduced, I always feel the need to go back and address it - just as a challenge. I have too much respect for the members who regularly feature here to ignore what they have to say. Incidentally, I prefer the first one too - the gritty bleakness is what it's all about, as you rightly point out. However, there definitely is a technical issue about the blown out values and in that sense, it's a valid criticism.

There could be a middle ground here. I also prefer the contrastier version, just not the blown highlights. You should be able to play with the levels and curves so that increasing the midtone contrast doesn't blow out the sheep so much. I'd also experiment with B&W filters in Photoshop. It's such a nice image I'd play with it some more. Out of curiosity, what did you shoot this with?

RSL · « **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2011, 11:41:04 am »

Quote from: seamus finn on May 11, 2011, 06:34:37 am

Popnfresh, being a bit bothered by the blown values in the sheep, I went back to the scene of the crime this morning and came up with this:

Seamus, Definitely yes. The tones are much better, but I wonder about the crop. (I guess you just can't win.)

Author Topic: In the Mountains (Read 6123 times)

popnfresh

popnfresh