travel - egypt The Pyramids at Giza from the Western Desert

This is the first result from my newly purchased film scanner!

 

As usual, I wasn't happy with the colour version (the velvia seems just too rich, and it looked too much like a postcard), so I converted the image to greyscale in photoshop (green channel only) which I hope gives a more timeless and nostalgic feel to these great tombs.

 

I guess that I like to see the world in Black & White.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Regards, Nick.

i like the black an white version too, good job

Nicholas, good work with the scanner. I think the b&w works well here and is an improvement on the colour. The pyramids here make a good group from this angle and have a massive feel about them (well ok, they would, wouldn't they?) About Velvia - I just can't get along with it despite many excellent photographers swearing by it and getting superb results.

Thanks Nick.

 

Thanks, Colin. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who dares doubt the holy grail that is Velvia!

 

Regards, Nick.

Very nice, Nick. I would never have guessed the green channel. Yes, the Velvia is too much most of the time, isn't it? I think it appeals to the same people who love to turn up saturation really high on Photoshop.

 

By the way, I like this angle, which I am not sure that I have ever seen before.

Thanks Lannie, I really appreciate your opinion too.

 

I wondered arround the Giza plateau for three days looking for a nice shot (amongst other things), and quickly realised that it was best to get away from the hords of tourists, and all the touts etc. Most people hang arround The Sphinx and The Great Pyramid of Khufu (furthest from my camera in this shot), so the further south that you go, the fewer people there are. Also, you can only really give the shape and size of these huge tombs justice from a fair distance, their just too big. So I walked out passed the three little pyramids of Menkaure's queens, and left the complex, heading out into the Western Desert! - It was very hot, but I only had to walk for about half an hour, as the ground soon raises to another little plateau, and some low cliffs, from which you get this great view! - well worth the effort, but most tourists never see it!

 

I have some interesting photographs from inside The Great Pyramid which I hope to post soon (when I've got to grips with my new scanner).

 

Regards, Nick.

Nice, classical B/W image of pyramids. As you were not happy with the colour version, you could try to reduce the saturation for the same using PS. Kind regards...

The colored one was great too. Color saturations

solid. You got a good scanner.

 

BW is very good. Few photographers used BW,it's a classic. Thanks.

Nicholas, I fully agree, the b&n version is much, much better, and it does convey the timelessness and evocative feelings you mention, which the colour version definitely does not. Just add me to the non-Velvia club! After experimenting a bit with it, in spite of its excellent sharpness I could not stand its garish colours most of the time. So you are not at all lonely in this respect.

Thanks for your kind comments.

 

Pulock & Sally, I'm glad that you liked the colour version, as I did too. I just felt that the Black & White image had more mood.

 

Ricardo, thanks for stopping by my latest additions. I'll add you to the "Not Always Velvia" club. I'm so gratified to discover that so many of the photographers that I respect on this site feel the same way as I do about this sometimes rewarding, but usually troublesome film.

 

Regards, Nick.

Nick hi, a lot has been said, so I'll just refrain to saying I really like the b&w. Good work. Cheers, Dilber

Nicely excecuted picture of a well known subject. I think it is often a good idea to covert to B&W. Have you seen Nina's site on this http://www.eyesondesign.net/pshop/bw/converting_to_bw.htm

 

BTW - thanks for Chesterton -

Hans, that's a great tutorial, I have downloaded it for future reference.

 

Regards, Nick.

I prefer the original shot. Colour are better for travel shots IMHO.

Please feel free to enter into the debate, any comments are welcome.

I think the color version is much much better. When you have great colors you must keep them, and it is the case here. However b&w is fine too, it highlights those pyramids are very old and instills a certain gravity to the scene.

Thanks Gianpaolo, I still can't make up my mind.

 

Thanks Axel. I sort of feel the same way about the colour, which is why that I had my camera loaded with Velvia in the first place. I had a second medium format camera loaded with B&W film, but with only an 80mm lens (equvalent to 50mm in 35mm photography), so I needed the zoom of my SLR. I suppose that I should be greatful, as with the magic of photoshop, I now have colour and B&W versions for the price of one!

 

Regards, Nick.

6/6

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Misha

You picked a very good point to shot from. The composition is very good and there is not a swam of tourists around. I like both the color and b&w though I am partial to b&w and like the dark sky as it makes the shot more dramatic. What scanner did you use? I use a Nikon CoolScan V ED and though it has taken a while, I have learned a few tricks to use with it...Alex

Must have been amazing to be there. Really nice!