[NT73]

This is a new version taken on Easter Sunday.

[Don Schaeffer]

This is neat! Where did you find this?

[Zig]

Nicely done nt !

[NT73]

This is neat! Where did you find this?

It is on Saddleworth moor, about 5 miles from my home.
I am one of those people who likes to see what is around the bend. This was up a little path and over a stile into a farmers field. Nice view beyond looking south.

[Irma]

I love it NT.
Very beautiful colors...specially in the wood.
I like very much the detail in the rocks. Nice light too, it helped a lot to bring the textures up!

[wulinka]

NT, I find this a very interesting picture and looking at it, think that it wasn't easy to take. But something is still irritating me.

I have to think about this, will come back when I have time. (going to teach class now)

Uli

[matthew]

Very cool, and a good day to take it.

[NT73]

The sun was really strong. In fact so strong, and with the snow reflecting, by the time I had reached the old gateposts I could not see the scene properly in the viewfinder. I could not read any info there either. I had to look at the back screen to see aperture and speed. All I could see was a dark patch before my eyes. Snowblindness?
I would have liked to have got lower down but my knees would not allow that without sitting down in the wet snow.
I only took 7 shots, of which 2 were deleted. (Manual mode selected in error 1/13. f 32. kind of dark/black. )
The hardest part was being knee deep in snow getting there, and getting back to the car before my fingers dropped off. The wind was very strong and cold.
The area is on the pennines (sometimes called 'the backbone of england'.) You can see in any direction about 20 km. maybe more.

[Toad]

Very lovely shot - I think you have managed the tricky highlights very well.

[NT73]

NT, I find this a very interesting picture and looking at it, think that it wasn't easy to take. But something is still irritating me.

I have to think about this, will come back when I have time. (going to teach class now)

Uli

Too near the centre maybe? I wanted it a little more to the left but could not see clearly. (Not the fault of the camera)

[wulinka]

No, actually, the longer I look at it, the more I like it.
What particularly apeals to me is the contrast in tones between the warm yellow brown wood and the cold blue background
I can totally see what you said about the light conditions, it must have been difficult.
and I think one aspect that slightly put me off at first is that we are looking at shadows in the foreground, while the
background is so well lite.
Many photographers would have burnt out the background to get lighter tones in the cross and rocks.
You managed to save detail in both, which is pretty amazing.
However, some of the hard shadows cutting across the picture diagonally do in my eyes unsettle the composition a bit.



Did you use your flash?
I might be calling for boring standards, but I think my eye would find it more pleasing if the foreground was altogether a bit brighter.
maybe you intentionally composed it this way and I am just too boring a person..... :/

Uli

[NT73]

1/500 .. f10 AV.. No flash. My composition was dictated by the sun and the crossing of the posts.
More to the left and the sun would have been in my face, more to the right and the posts don't cross.
I have only used Irfanview to correct, Gamma for brightness, and a tiny bit 5/10% saturation.
To selectively brighten the foreground I would have to use PS and it works a lot slower, but I see what you mean about the shadows.

My new tft (2yr) monitor will cost nearly as much for repair, as it did new, so I am using the old one. It appears darker, but I don't know. I think I may go the same way as you and get a new PC or imac, after holiday.

I think I just got lucky with the light. :/

A quick PS edit on the second shot.

[wulinka]

yeah!! let's all get new hardware, what bother with the old stuff.... (my current pc laptop is 7 years old, it will soon have antique's value)

the second shot is brighter in the shadows, but overall more pale. I think if it was mine, I would work a bit more the first one.

I saw an advertisement in a Chinese photo magazine for this oversized down (as in feather) glove that your hand and camera go into together, so both stay warm. I don't know if it would actually be easy to handle, but looked interesting!

Uli

[Irma]

I like very much the brightness in the last image NT. It is a pity you didn't post it as big as the first one. I also like a lot the colors. The only thing I find a bit problematic is that you lost texture in the hightlights clouds and snow. But sometimes you have to sacrifice detail in highlight or shadows to get the right contrast...

Btw, Are the suitcases ready?

[NT73]

Uli. The other was just a very quick select foreground and wood (rather badly), and levels as an example. I think I can see what you mean now after a longer look. The shadows dont fall the same way because of the angles of the posts. Odd. I will put it into a more work needed file.

Irma . They are two different shots. First is 1/500th @ f10.......Second is 1/125th @ f22. This has a sharper B/G, but different colour.
I will have a play with it after the holiday, and maybe try again with fill in flash.

No I haven't packed , but I have made a list. 20kg limit because of internal flights in China, make a bit of juggling neccessary. More cameras/lenses, or more clothes? Oh dear. The naked cameraman.

Everyone else..Thanks for all your comments.

[Wedding Shooter]

I think the contrast in the second shot working nicely on the cross. Perhaps you could do it as a layer and erase the contrast on the snow to regain detail. I love the image.