There & Then

Alf,

  Beautiful scene with wonderful colors, details & reflection.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

Yes, a nice calming effective and natural looking shot. Actually a real photograph! It finally convinced me a photo could be an aesthetic shot even in 50/50 framing and without sky! Bravo for your art and talent.

Hamid.

An image that has so much going for it,the diagonal reeds leading to the reflection and then the cottage,excellent muted winter colours and even a waterfall in the distance,another excellent piece of work in your portfolio,my best regards

Very beautiful shot with a very nice exposure & faithful colours.Details are awesome in larger view!Thanks for sharing.

My best regards.

Kallol

NEIL

Many thanks for your thoughtful comments and feedback, much appreciated. I was a bit unsure of cropping only because the cottage looked a bit central on a vertical plane, but decided against cropping for exactly all the reasons you listed, it's good to know we think the same way : - )

Cheers Neil!

Alf

JOHN

I was quite surprised at the results at that f stop myself John, I had never tried a landscape using that aperture before, but have to concede that it seems to work. I'm glad you mentioned the colours too, they were somewhat muted and again I toyed with the idea of more saturation, but finally decided to leave well alone.

Many Thanks for your interest and posiitve feedback, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

PATSY

Many thanks for your visit and thoughtful comments, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

HAMID

You have raised a very interesting point, relating to the 50/50 framing of the house on a vertical plane, and the absence of the sky. At one time I wouldn't have considered such a composition, it just wouldn't have crossed my mind. But I have a good friend that showed me by example just how many times you can find the better landscape shot, within the landscape. So instead of trying to take a shot of almost everything in front of you, you can select a portion of the area and compose the image from the elements within. It takes a bit of practice, because if you are like me, your natural instinct will be to get as much as possible into the frame. The best examples of how this works is on still water reflective shots such as "Dreams of Tranquility" which is again no sky and 50/50 split.

Sincere thanks for sharing your thoughts and positive feedback Hamid.

Best Regards

Alf

HARRY

Many Thanks for your supportive comments and positive feedback, much appreciated.  I think you summed that up well, with your description of "muted winter colours" as they were a lot less vibrant in this particular location as they were a few miles up the road on Rannoch Moor, but they seemed to fit the scene and the reflected colours in the lake, so I pretty much left them alone in photoshop and resisted the temptation to saturate them.

Best Regards

Alf

KALLOL

Many thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated! I'm glad you enjoyed the larger view, the detail was surprisingly sharp considering the f2.8 aperture I used.

Best Regards

Alf

 

 

much has been said already - I'd also say: no crop. Composition is perfect - like Tony pointed out the weeds in foreground are guiding the gaze towards the cottage (in 'concert' with other lines like the waterfall and rocks of the creek).

There's one small detail which might be improved (relates to vignette Ben pointed out): to me the patch above the cottage seems a bit too bright - thus attracting attention a bit too aggressively for overall calm mood and not quite suiting to light (seems to be an overvast day weith rather even lighting).

Nevertheless, I can join the praise: A classical beauty.

cheers, Wolfgang

Beautiful and tranquil scene , composition is perfect . It looks like the kind of place where you could forget your troubles and just drink in the beauty of nature . Excellent image ! Bill

Thank you for your thoughtful and well considered comments, much appreciated. There does seem to be a convergence of lines and shapes that all point to the cottage, and it's gratifying to learn that most are of the opinion that no crop is necessary.

I have to admit I wasn't conciously aware of the lighter area you have indicated until you brought my attention to it, but yes I would agree it could do with toning down slightly. I can confirm that the lighting was rather flat, it was still quite early in the morning and the sun hadn't found its way over the high peaks into the valley to offer any direct light.

I found the location of the cottage fascinating, dwarfed by it's surroundings, but nestled comfortably at the foot of the hills.  I'm really pleased you liked it too.

Best Regards

Alf

BILL

You have summed it up perfectly, in fact the whole Scotland  trip was a series of breathtaking views. We had three days of turning our heads to take in yet another glorious scene. Around every corner was another one and I never tired of it for a single moment, in fact I filled two memory cards in three days, with over 500 images, something I really shouldn't do because I'll never process even half of them.

Thanks for your interest and invaluable feedback Bill I'm really pleased you liked this one too.

Best Regards

Alf

 

as much as I like your images (or your Art), I really like to read all the comments they attract! Everybody finds smth. to talk about - and all together makes it almost a manual - how to take great pictures of landscapes. Do you have a book of your prints? With the descriptions you make and some discussions added ! I would like to have one! Warm regards, Tamara

Alf! I don't know, why I never looked up for some of your tutorials! It hit me and I did and I am very glad I did. Thank you, I put it on my favourite bar. Still there should be a book and I still would like to have it! Warm regards, Tamara

What is Tamara talking about.....your tutorials??  If there are some, please tell me where to find them.  I'm constantly learning from you because you're so excellent at describing your process and how you experiment.  As for this scene, virtually everything that can be said has been covered.  It's beautiful in its simplicity.  Yet at the same time there is a complex structure to it.....I see LOTS of triangles, which I hadn't realized until I read Stephen Penland's comment above.  It sounds like you certainly took a lot of pictures on this outing, so I'll have to look at your PF for more!  

Beautiful shot

Best regards AW

Hi Alf,

Good question about F-stops on all the lens produced.

I have worked in the photographic industry, evaluating and designing lens for many purposes for many years.

It might surprise you , but many times manufacturers just go along with the popular view that f-stops are essential and good to have, not really understanding the science of it all. It is far easier to stop down a lens in a camera, make a image that appears to be good by using F/8 , F/11 or F/16, than really designing the camera to obtain the optimum  from a lens. People want easy cameras to use with easy results. They are not accustomed to understanding true image quality at the same level as a professional that has specific requirements to meet.

Just about any lens made will work stopped down. The optical Physics governs the lens characteristics at each stop position, and by F/22, even a $5 lens will make an image. Using the proper sensor, a good looking result can be obtained.

For example, look at what Kodak did years ago with the throw away film camera. They matched the lens design to the film, put it all into a disposable camera and it sold well. A person would buy the camera, shot the pictures (no adjustments needed, even focus was fixed on some models), , and send the camera to a developer to get their results back. At 3X4 or even 5X7 inch print sizes, people were satisfied by the results of family and vacation pictures . These were not high quality works, but satisfactory.

F-stops have been long employed. It is difficult to shot an F/1.4 lens out in the  bright Sun, even if the ISO can be set down. Stops do control light and do offer the ability to become creative by allowing the iris blades to cause diffraction that result in some interesting special effects naturally.

Sometimes, greater DOF is wanted, and the "stop down" will provide that. Every time a stop down is used, a compromised is made. However, getting the results that you want over rides the fact that a compromise has been made. The most skilled users know what the limits are and try to make adjustments that minimize the compromises. This can be done by lens choice, lens settings, or other techniques that might be required for a particular scene.

Then there are subjects that are not as sensitive to the f-stop used.  Subjects with inherently limited details, or virtually no information comprising their form. Many portrait type works , abstracts and works of art do not require absolute high performance imagery to work.

I point out the fact that photography is based upon the sciences. I use my lens in the most optimized way most of the time , with the minimal compromises  made to what the design is capable of producing. If I choose to stop down my Leica 280mm F/2.8 APO lens to F/11, the image is not going to be ruined, only reduced to the performance level of a lens that costs 1/10 as much. If I allow my camera to do all the work automatically, I will still get a picture, but it just will not be as good as it could possible be for that scene.

So, f-stops from manufacturers have many purposes, but primarily to keep up with their competition.

For myself, I have the understanding about lens design, lens use and the technical aspects of imaging a wide range of subjects optimally. In certain applications that I am involved with , there is no room for any compromise, it must be as near perfect as possible. On the other hand, most general scenes can be obtained with a wide range of lens and cameras, and do look pleasing to the average observer.

Best Regards,  Mike

Gorgeous scenery, Alf! The light gives the image a soft and beautiful mood. Very well done! Kind regards.

Thank you for an exceptionally well written and "easy to understand" response to Alf's question. The content is very interesting and I was already thinking about the Manufacturers "keeping up with the Joneses" ype operation.

Great informative reply........ thanks

Regards

TAMARA

Sincere Thanks for your heart warming comments and feedback, very much appreciated!

The tutorials you reffered to could do with up-dating. But there is some basic information that seems to have proved helpful to people from the feedback I have received.

As for a book, it is my intention to eventually write one. It will be based on a 12 month period of photography from different locations round the UK, with illustrations and technical explanations relating to the photographs, as well as the inevitable stories that will accompany them. In essence it will be a more in depth version of the series "Diary of a Lanscape Photographer" that was featured some time ago on the same web site.(www.slrlounge.com)  And of course you will be amongst the first to receive a signed copy : - ) But it's a long way off yet, and in the meantime I have to concentrate on the mundane task of earning a living.

Warm Regards

Alf

CHRISTAL

I trust you will have received the links I emailed to you, I hope you find them useful. As I explained above they could do with updating. My thirst for knowledge means that I make slight adjustments all the time relating to some of the technical aspects of how I approach and take photographs, and I'm always keen to share that knowledge with others when possible.

In this particular scene there were certain key elements that I wanted to include, (foreground weeds, rocks top left, and the waterfall, top right)  and I did manage to get them all in. But the trade off was having the cottage in a more central position on a vertical plane, but it would seem that it was a good decision as the feedback has all been positive. I will be posting more images from the Scotland trip soon.

Many thanks for your positive feedback and thoughtful comments, very much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

ANTONETA

Thank you for your interest and kind words, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

Sincere Thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond and relate your knowledge so generously.

It does surprise me to a degree that major manufacturers like Nikon and Canon would be swayed by popular views, I always held them in high esteem thinking that they strived for excellence rather than popular opinion, but then I suppose they are both commercial enterprises and have a duty to produce products that will sell.

You made a good point about people wanting "easy" camera's and indeed "easy" lenses. For instance I have it on good authority and can relate to personal experience that prime lenses are hard to beat in terms of image quality, but the composition has to be done with your feet, which is fine in some circumstances but in strictly practical terms not always possible when you want to photograph, say the other side of a lake for example.

I suppose the other side of this debate has to relate to a section of your response "make an image that appears to be good" This is the crux of photographs for the majority of people, and I suppose the wider buying public. The analogy of the "throw away camera" is a superb example.

I think the most poignant comment and explanantion relating to f stops was your sentence "Every time a F stop is used a compromise is made, however getting the results you want overides the fact a compromise has been made.

I would venture that a good example of this is a typical long exposure. The purpose of which is to obtain a certain look, typically a smooth water, ocean or river view, that is in some circumstances desirable and aesthetically pleasing. The compromise is using the f stop at something like f22 to provide the longer shutter speed, or alternatively use something like a 10 stop filter, either way a compromise has been made in terms of qaulity. But if the process is carried out correctly with a firmly based tripod and then a good photograph can be produced that will print to quite large size without detrimental effect to the aesthetics to the wider casual viewer. though I do not doubt for a second that a scientific investigation would reveal a degree of qaulity loss.

"I point out the fact that photography is based upon the sciences" 

Now whilst the mechanics of photography is indisputabley based upon the sciences, for me it doesn't all start and finish there and I think we can all lose sight of the reasons we love and appreciate photographs very easilly if we tend to concentrate on a single aspect. I would summarise it like this Without science we wouldn't have the technical advantages and truly superb means of making photographs today. Without our appreciation of art and beauty we wouldn't have bothered developing the science.  It is our instinct and burning desire as photographers to create better, and more beautiful images, this goes hand in glove with the scientists desire to provide a means of doing so. One drives the other constantly.

Fashion, gimmicks and yes of course keeping up with the competition all have a part to play in development.

As a last note I will relate a little story that I have before used to illustrate the photographers views of an image. (people who have read this before please foregive my repetitions)

Seven years ago my wife decided to buy a large B & W print to take pride of place in our lounge. The image was very dramatic, a foreground rowing boat, a stormy sky and a stark winter tree. I thought at the time it was the most wonderful image I had ever seen. At this point in my life I had never picked a camera up nor showed any signs of being interested in photography, other than just looking at photographs. A "casual observer"you might say. Two years later I started playing about with a point and shoot camera, and about 12 months later obtained my first DSLR a Nikon D40. It wasn't long before I started noticing flaws in the wonderful print that my wife had bought, and with each newly aquired fragment of knowledge I managed to glean I would find more faults. So much so that at one point I became very critical of it.  It was at this stage my wife simply pointed out, "The picture hasn't changed, it's the same one you raved on about when I bought it" Of course she was right (though I only admit that because she doesn't read these comments) : - )

The image was indeed the same, but our perceptions of things change dramtically as new knowledge is applied to them. And I think it is critically important to return to the basic reasons that inspired us to produce photographs in the first place, for me at least it was because I wanted to produce something beautiful. The science was the means to an end. And the "average observer" probably represents the buying public, if my considerations were wholly commercial.

Thank you once again for a most enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable response Mike.

Best Regards

Alf

ANABELA

Many thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. It is indeed an area of outstanding natural beauty, I'm really pleased you enjoyed viewing it.

Best Regards

Alf

GRAYHAM

I second your comments, Mike has provided a great insight to a very in depth subject. Informative and comprehensive.

(ok you can send that blonde round now)

: - )

Cheers Grayham

Alf

Strong natural color tones but not over-saturated, just pleasant. Karl

Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback

Best Regards

Alf

This image has a variety of attractive features. On one hand it kind of spans the full spectrum of colors as besides the dominating reds and greens you have a bit of bluish0violet rocks on the upper left.

In terms of reading the image, the eyes find no rest as there are so many indications of "motion": the streams flowing down, the light triangle with the house on it that goes from right to left, streaks on the lake that go left to right and then the grasses in the water that go into the depth with the perspective.

An accomplished image!

Regards, Tibi

Many thanks for your interest and well considered comments, much appreciated!

I know what you mean about the colours, the colours and hues of the rock that you describe were particularly interesting.

I suppose the obvious and intended resting place / focal point for the eyes is the cottage itself, and whilst the reeds zigzag towards it from the bottom left and the stream meanders down from the top right towards it, you are right in your observation that the light triangle points away from it. But maybe this isn't a bad thing as it encourages a greater exploration of the other features within the frame.

Best Wishes

Alf

 

Hi Alf- My view on this image, which I must add,I really admire.I suppose you could have cropped the image slightly to the left of the trees & it would fall into the rules of composition, the house would become the dominate feature, being white & white colours advance. However,this is a landscape, a rugged landscape chaotic & random, not following any rules devised by man.Now the house becomes insignificant in comparison to the rugged terrain Would love to have a cabin on this side of the bay , inlet or whatever & a porch to sit & enjoy the many changes that would occur as the seasons change. Love your image, especially how the light falls on the area behind the home. Best Regards-Ross

I was trying to remember the reason for composing the shot the way I did, and ignoring to some extent the rule of thirds. And the only reason I can remember is the foreground reeds, I wanted them to lead in from the left corner, but having said all that I concede that it could have been cropped as you suggest.  This is small Loch (or Lake) in Scotland and you have to cross a small wooden bridge to get to the little house, it is a wonderful scenic place, and I wish I could spend more time there. I'd really love to see it in the depths of winter.

Many Thanks & Best Regards

 

Alf

great work throughout great work well taken and composed

Many Thanks! This is one of my favourites, not least because I experimented with a wide open aperture at f2.8 as recommended by a former very knowledgable PN contributer "Make Palermiti" and it worked! The image turned out sharp front to back and was even hand held as I remember.

Best Regards

 

Alf

I am back to visit, enjoy this wonderful image and to read again all of  the comments.