A B&W Snowdon shot - what do you think?

Last photo from my Snowdon set, by this time the haze had built and the lighting had gone a little flat, just tried a B&W conversion out of interest - let me know what you think?

thanks

Simon

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/STKITCHIN/IMGP3667_hdr_bw_2.jpg[/IMG]

Usually a fan, Simon, as you know. Not this time

Way too busy, I reckon. Much too difficult to see what I'm looking at - losing the colour seems to remove important information.

And there's no real form that is emphasised by the removal of distracting colour.

So it's not for me at all I'm afraid.

I'd quite like to see the colour version, just to see where it came from ...

Thanks Chris, agree with you - I quite like the composition but it was one of the last photos taken during the morning and the haze had removed any decent lighting - here's the original, flat & lifeless.

Must admit though, I'm been totally greedy...delighted that I caught as many shots as I did in such great conditions

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/STKITCHIN/IMGP3667.jpg[/IMG]

Just a thought, but I wonder if you're trying too hard with the reflections.

The big boulder in the foreground just about adds enough difference, but you've posted several recently where the reflection is so nearly identical to the scene, that the image almost becomes an abstract.

Not that I know anything much about this sort of thing, but I find that when the reflection is too identical to the scene above, the effect is less, not more.

I much prefer the colour version, btw... though I agree that the light isn't the best. That said, sometimes the scene itself makes up for flattish light. This comes close to that.

There's a very flat look to the original, so it's no wonder that the B&W version is unexciting.

In the days of film, I recall somebody saying that in order to make a perfect print, you needed to start with a perfect negative. The same applies, I think, to B&W conversions in the digital age. You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

The pic isn't that bad, but you know what I mean!

G

I agree with the flat light comments but I actually prefer the B&W version above the waterline.

The reflection is so perfect that it kind of merges into one (like those ink blot tests)

I like the texture of the B&W shot running up the waterfall to the peak.

The colours in the colour version help break the shot up into nice bold bands, which works better IMO. But compositionally it's still not quite there IMO, the right hand side seems slightly unbalanced.

It's just one of those mountain days which are all too common in our latitude: grey skies, flat light, slight haze. You can take record shots and enjoy just being there, but it's nigh on impossible to take a decent landscape. In these circumstance I often concentrate on small details in the general scene.

As has been noted, you need a good contrasty colour original to arrive at a punchy mono conversion. You've done a pretty good job with what was available, Simon.

There are two excellent landscape photographers in your area, one has a gallery in Criccieth, one in Caernarvon. They have the obvious benefit of being able to get out and take their shots when conditions are conducive, often returning to favoured spots at different times and seasons. And it shows!

The rest of us just have to strike it lucky, so to speak, with the limited time we ahve available. This, I feel matters so much more than exotic equipment or even a discerning eye!

Yeah there's just a lack of 'contrasty punch' for me. Sky's like this are not necessarily photographic poison, e.g. if you like your minimalist images, however as has been said the landscape is far too textured and busy in this case. Conversely I wonder if there had been more haze or some mist it you might have been on to a real winner

(Fantastic composition and reflection though of course!)

Wise words, seems the best landscapes come from guys who just 'live there', be it on Skye, the Lake District etc etc...

Thanks for the detailed feedback Andrew, I'm guessing you missed my other thread though (link below) - this shot was the last one taken on a wonderful morning, the haze built gradually

link



Simon