Discussion
replying to GetCarter's post about the D2X I thought I should post some of my landscapes for (constructive!) criticism. I used to do a bit of teaching basic photographic technique, and would tell people that landscapes were relatively the most difficult to do well. It seems so simple - there's a nice landscape, so just take a photo. But mine never seem very good.
Anyway, I was in Siberia for a few weeks 2 years ago, and got these three, one of which now resides on my wall as a 24"x36" print.
The top one is my favourite, the middle one is ...OK... I suppose. Not sure if it counts as a landscape. I quite like the third, but it seems to be missing something to me.
What do you think?
P.S. the colours look very different in Safari to how they do in Photoshop
Anyway, I was in Siberia for a few weeks 2 years ago, and got these three, one of which now resides on my wall as a 24"x36" print.
The top one is my favourite, the middle one is ...OK... I suppose. Not sure if it counts as a landscape. I quite like the third, but it seems to be missing something to me.
What do you think?
P.S. the colours look very different in Safari to how they do in Photoshop
Number 1 and the bridge for me. Number 1 conveys the sheer scale of the landscape very well, somehting I don't think I've managed at all. The bridge kind of hints at either the general level of decay in that region or maybe the sheer power of the winter river damaging it.
Really cracking images.
Chris
Really cracking images.
Chris
Fab.
Kill for clouds like that.
Love the broken bridge - if those pesky mountains in the distance hadn't gotten in the way of the silhouette it would have been even better methinks. (Not a lot you could have done mind!)
Were you using grad grey filters on the top two, or was that Siberian deep blue sky? If so... I'm off to find the passport.
Steve
Kill for clouds like that.
Love the broken bridge - if those pesky mountains in the distance hadn't gotten in the way of the silhouette it would have been even better methinks. (Not a lot you could have done mind!)
Were you using grad grey filters on the top two, or was that Siberian deep blue sky? If so... I'm off to find the passport.
Steve
GetCarter said:
Fab.
Kill for clouds like that.
Love the broken bridge - if those pesky mountains in the distance hadn't gotten in the way of the silhouette it would have been even better methinks. (Not a lot you could have done mind!)
Were you using grad grey filters on the top two, or was that Siberian deep blue sky? If so... I'm off to find the passport.
Steve
Yes, you are probably right about the mountains
The top two have grey grads, as well as polarisers. The top one was shot at 18mm and the Cokin filter has caused some vignetting, which combined with the two filters means the corners look almost black on most prints.
thanks for all the positive comments guys, I really wasn't expecting it, Mostly I think they are some of the weaker shots from the trip.
I think the reason I don't like them so much is that all the really good landscape photographers seem to spend hours setting up and considering composition etc. These were all done in a hurry, so things like the mountains behind the bridge should have been thought through and dealt with. I'd love to see what a top pro guy/girl could do in the same situation
I think the reason I don't like them so much is that all the really good landscape photographers seem to spend hours setting up and considering composition etc. These were all done in a hurry, so things like the mountains behind the bridge should have been thought through and dealt with. I'd love to see what a top pro guy/girl could do in the same situation
CVP said:
Number 1 and the bridge for me. Number 1 conveys the sheer scale of the landscape very well
Yes, that really was amazing seeing that layed out in front of us. I think it's probably a lot more impressive when most of the snow is gone in the summer than all white for most of the year. Gives good contrast for the mountains
Very nice, especially when taken with minimal set up.
The one with the ruined house might have benefited from the roof of the structure on the left being unaligned with the strong dark feature which runs across the shot. And maybe a tad less sky to get the visual balance a little better.
BUT any small move to achieve the former may well have made the groun/sky balance problematic anyway AND if you take out much of the sky as is you will have too little blue left.
You could try editing and moving the structure up from the feature line somehow. (Though I really don't imagine that would work!)
BTW that is not a criticism. I wouldn't have spotted a problem with the shot had the camera been in my hands and in fairness I am nitpicking more than somewhat.
The one with the ruined house might have benefited from the roof of the structure on the left being unaligned with the strong dark feature which runs across the shot. And maybe a tad less sky to get the visual balance a little better.
BUT any small move to achieve the former may well have made the groun/sky balance problematic anyway AND if you take out much of the sky as is you will have too little blue left.
You could try editing and moving the structure up from the feature line somehow. (Though I really don't imagine that would work!)
BTW that is not a criticism. I wouldn't have spotted a problem with the shot had the camera been in my hands and in fairness I am nitpicking more than somewhat.
Great shots!
The first one is my favourite; the little dust cloud is a nice touch.
Second looks a little over-polarised: on my monitor at least the top right corner is getting unaturally dark.
On the third, which you say you'e not quite happy with, that may be because the buildings don't penetrate the horizon, and/or look a little dark.
I like the collapsed bridge in number four too - though again the bridge looks a little dark to my eyes.
Still, I'm picking nits - overall they're very good and show what landscapes can look like.
The first one is my favourite; the little dust cloud is a nice touch.
Second looks a little over-polarised: on my monitor at least the top right corner is getting unaturally dark.
On the third, which you say you'e not quite happy with, that may be because the buildings don't penetrate the horizon, and/or look a little dark.
I like the collapsed bridge in number four too - though again the bridge looks a little dark to my eyes.
Still, I'm picking nits - overall they're very good and show what landscapes can look like.
I like both shots in your second post (bridge and animal!) and number 3 in your first post. Your first image lacks something. I think the sky looks lovely but the ground is underexposed. Composing for the ground and using a ND Grad may have helped bring out the land without blowing out all detail in the sky. Either that or shoot two shots and stick them together. Also, I can't help but think that the viewpoint on Image 1 is a bit high - not sure why.
Graham.J said:
What was it like being there? I imagine it might be a tad eerie, but having not been there, wouldn't know
The whole area (probably about the size of Europe) is so depressed you wouldm't believe it. Take a look in the other thread at the pic with the big engine block in the foreground. That sort of thing is everywhere, just decaying. There are apartment blocks around that look like a bomb has destroyed half of them. I was glad to get back to England after a few weeks.
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