Cathy-Come-Home-1

I posted 2 versions of this, as I thought a B & W conversion would suit

the bleak looking moorland, but your thoughts, comments and

preferences would be most welcome. Thank You.

Hi Alf

beautiful image.  I like the diagonal horizon and the lines from the stones converging towards the tree.  The ruggedness of the stones and the bare tree evoke a sense of harshness.  I like the B&W version better simply because it is more dramatic and it emphasizes the sense of loneliness.  I think this image is also very nice but with some tweaking it would bring out the drama in the sky and the contrast in the stones.  I hope you dont mind i'm attaching my 5 mins tweak to illustrate my view. Of course i dont claim my version is better just different.  Regards always - michel

Fantastic tones and colors. You found a spot in this tough landscape ( tree) that made a composition . And rocks leading our eyes, everything looks well thought over here.

Beautiful light , colors and tons , good composition ........................ Best regards.

Hello Alf,  I agree the sloping horizon is an excellent and different perspective. The rows of rocks lead the eye into the image and I love the sky and tree. The dramatic version above is also very good but I think just a tad dark. Take care my friend.

BR,

Holger

i would vote for the color version. these colors are too good to discard. as usual, the sharpness is to die for. wow, this is beautiful!

A different approach to landscape photography with innovative composition, enriching simple elements, colors, selective light control and amazing depth, all made it so different and unique. F/G rows of stones leading to a surrealistic lonely tree at far distance in the background of this dramatic and very beautiful sky are signs of your clever eye to discriminate elements of an artwork. I liked it so much! My taste for more contrasted scenes though is encouraging me to go so, but here, subtle tones are balanced and seems equilibrated. I vote for this color version, as i see that mono version has lost most of its story and drama. Bravo to a real photographer.

Hamid.

Alf,

  Beautiful image with amazing details & powerful sky.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

Impressive image. Love composition and colors in this one (particularly dont like b/w) Thanks for sharing. Best Regards.

An impressive image indeed. A solitary tree, great sky and textured lead-in. What more could I ask for - h-m-m-m - perhaps a girl popping out of a cake - just joking.   As you suspect, I have a preference for color and with that and without even looking at the black and white, I will stick with this one. Of course, I will take a peek at the B&W after writing this. best regards and maybe I will eat my words.

Color or B&W?  That's a tough call.  The foreground is to die for -- very rugged stones that lead the viewer's eye to a solitary tree and fading light in a great sky.  I think the suggestion given by Michel on the color version has some merit, but I'd take a Goldilocks solution of something in the middle but more towards your original; his quick edit is, IMO, much too dark.  I think you might benefit simply from slightly more contrast in the foreground stones.  I think Tony has made some great suggestions on the B&W version -- the clouds as well as the stones have added contrast and are much more crisp and well-defined, and I think that benefits the photo.  I really can't choose between the color and B&W; each imparts a different feeling.  There's beauty in the color, but a stronger sense of being alone in the landscape in the B&W version.  Two distinct images with one click of the shutter -- that's good shooting.  Print both, but put them in different rooms.

Your perspective out to the horizen line is superb, foreground details as well, you lead us right into the photo and it is very intriguing. The solitary tree seems to be our destination.  Very rugged terrain here Alf, with a soft sky painted with lovely clouds work so well with this shot.  Excellent Alf.

The two images are so totally different that each one stands on its on merit, my preference for the B&W version might change if I was to view these images a month from now.  This is simply a different picture, I like the range of grey tones in the foreground rocks and the blue sky gives this a cooler feel.  I would like to walk out into this landscape whereas with the B&W it is may imagination that feels the tug rather than my feet.

Jim

I think the lines created by the rocks and the slope of the hill are wonderful combination that emphasize the tree beyond. The sky is dramatic as well to complete the outstanding quality of this image. Great landscape, Alf. - Lester

MICHEL

I count myself as being very fortunate that experienced photographers like yourself and Tony Hadley take the time and trouble to offer an alternative rendering of one of my landscapes. On this particular ocassion, I think I'm tempted to go with something in between, but closer to the original. Your version has its merits in terms of drama, but looks a little overcooked to me with regard to colour. There again I'm probably influenced by seeing the area in person and knowing how it looked, which strangely isn't always an advantage.  My sincere thanks for your contribution and encouragement.

Best Regards

Alf

TOMASZ

Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated. The tree itself was alone amidst a geological feature commonly referred to as a "Limestone Pavement" I have been trying to get a shot like this for some time, but finding the right tree in the right area can prove difficult. I think there might be better ones out there, and of course, I'll keep looking.

Best Regards

Alf

FALAK

Thank you for stopping by, your kind remarks and encouraging words are very much appreciated!

Cheers!

Alf

HOLGER

Sincere thanks for your visit and for sharing your thoughts. I'm not always sure about sloing horizons, they tend to make images look a bit unbalanced, but I'm re-assured by your comments and others that it worked ok in this image. The dramatic version you refer to above, is a bit too rich for me in terms of colour, but it's good to get a comparison to view.  Cheers Holger!

Best Regards

Alf

DROR

Many thanks for stopping by and sharing your well considered opinion. I was erring on the side of the colour version myself, that was until Tony Hadley contributed his version of the B & W.......now I'm back to scratching my head : - ) This one also was processed using a combination of the "High Pass" technique and Unsharp Mask.

Cheers Dror

PS> I'm still euphoric after Sundays game, If I'd waited 24 hours I would have named this image "You'll Never Walk Alone" as a tribute : - )

HAMID

Sincere thanks for your interest and in depth analysis, very much appreciated! These lonely tree's make for excellent subjects but are comparatively rare to find in the geological features known as Limestone Pavements. These rock formations represent thousands of years of ice and water erosion to form the deep cuts through the rocks, and the leading lines that are in evidence. The trick is to find a suitable tree amongst the many square miles of terrain and line it up in the viewfinder to the best possible vantage point. I took several shots from all angles and sides, but there are comparatively few that I'm happy with. Thanks again Hamid and take care!

Regards

Alf

PATSY

Many thanks for your visit and positive feedback, much appreciated. The sky was ever changeable that evening, only minutes before a grey mist had descended and everywhere looked awful.

Cheers Patsy!

Alf

MARTA

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. I'm really pleased you liked this one, the B & W can be a bit sombre for some peoples tastes, I like it myself, but in a completely different way to the colour version.

Best Regards

Alf

TONY

Sincere thsnks for your visit and positive feedback, very much appreciated.

I honestly can't think of a more surreal setting for a girl to pop out of cake : - )

Now whilst I was definately erring on the side of the colour version, your rendering of the B & W image has me back to the undecided stage. but I will write more about that when I get to reply to you in that version.

Cheers Tony!

Alf

STEPHEN

Sincere thanks for your visit and invaluable comments. It is most gratifying to read that your thougts are not too dissimilar to my own regarding the colour version. Tony's B & W version is quite frankly very impressive, and I hope to learn something from his processing techniques. I will take on board your suggestions regarding the contrast  and I really like the idea of printing both and placing them in different rooms, that would make for some interesting feedback.

As for preference I can't think of a better way to put it than Bill Brown commented on the B & W version "Like Apples and Pears I enjoyed both, but in different ways".

Thanks again Stephen!

Regards

Alf

GAIL

Many Thanks for your visit and for sharing your thoughts, very much appreciated. These can be the most bleak and desolate of places, but in the right light they can also appear very beautiful. Not only that but the two extremes can be witnessed within miniutes as the weather changes so rapidly. I tried to get a different feel with each shot and I think I managed it to some degree with the colour version.....a bit less with the B & W., but it's good to experiment as you well know : - )

Cheers Gail

Alf

JIM

Many thanks for your well considered thoughts and feedback, very much appreciated. I think you summed it up admirably by stating each one stands on it's own merit. For me it's a revelation that a single image with different treatment can evoke such different feelings. I have to agree with your summary of the B & W image too, it's the kind of image thats perhaps best viewed whilst in front of the fire with a nice hot cup of coffee, and letting the imagination do all the walking.

Cheers Jim!

Alf

LESTER

Sincere thanks for your visit and positive feedback. These rocky formations are known as "Limstone Pavements" and are the result of weather erosion over thousands of years. They resulting deep cracks and ruts make for great leading lines if you can find a suitable subject at the end of them, thats where the tree comes in...........but finding a suitable tree in this kind of terrain is another challenge. Thanks again Lester Take care!

Alf

Very very beautiful! Best regards, Ilkka

Superb!! I love it.

This is outstanding.  There is joyfulness.  The colors make everything pop.  The greens and blues burst with life and wild richness, in the sky and on the ground despite legions of clouds and bands of rocks. The tree gives the eyes a place to focus without disrupting the austerity.  Everything is in sync

very good angle,composition and dof here...congrats

Hi Alf! I was going to ask if these are natural rock formations or ancient ruins but I found the answer in the comments. I have never heard of Limestone Pavement before.  I love the craggy, old rocks lying in rows, the textures and variations in colours and textures are woncerful. They lead the eye to that lonely little tree, hanging on to life, right in between the rugged earth and the exquisitly beautiful sky. This is amazing. So well done. It is a difficult decision but I think I have to go with the colour version. Best wishes, Linda

Really beautiful work again with very nice lighting and colours, Alf!

Prefer original, u have been born with a sence for beauty.. 

Outstandingly beautiful Alf....You the man!

Lovely shot of an iconic location. It's the simplicity of the terrain I like and you have captured it superbly.

Regards..........John

ILKKA

Many thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated.

Regards

Alf 

ALBERTO

Thank You! I'm very pleased you liked it.

Cheers

Alf

DONNA

I'm glad you found a similar kind of balance in this shot as I did myself. Although there is a "pretty" kind of aspect to the shot, it seems to balance with the gritty rocks and clouds. Thanks for your contribution Donna, it really is appreciated!

Regards

Alf

MEHMET

Many thanks for your interest and kind words, much appreciated!

Regards

Alf

LINDA

This particular area of Yorkshire are strewn with "Limestone Pavements" some much more dramatic and more obvious than the one I have photographed here. Of course its the tree that sets it all off, and such tree's are far more difficult to locate than the limestone settings. I suppose the most difficult aspect of all that I hadn't previously mentioned, was that it's almost impossible to walk on, one slip between these deep cracks and fissures and it's broken legs or ankles, added to that the fact that they are slippery as ice when wet, and you can imagine how nerve racking it can be balancing my precious camera, whilst at the same time determined to get the optimum shooting angle. Sincere thanks for your interest and for sharing your thoughts Linda.

Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

I'm really pleased you liked this one, thank you for your interest!

Regards

Alf

VLADIMIR

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts and for your positive feedback, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

KEITH

Your vote of confidence is very much appreciated!

Cheers mate!

JOHN

You are very astute, the terrain is simple to a point of plainess, but I think the evening light gave it a lift somehow. Thanks for stopping by John, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf