After the Harvest

[drg]

A B/W HDR image. Manually created with layers and masks.



(click on image for larger version )

[MB1]

I like where you put the horizon but think it could use some foreground interest.

On my crummy monitor here at work the contrast seems way, way too high-things usually look better on my MAC at home.

[gahspidy]

I think you captured the powerful mood from the intense highlights and shadows of this scene and your HDR through manual labor turned out with good result. You have kept the high contrast of this scene while preserving shadow detail and controlling extreme blowouts of the highlights.
I agree the scene might be more interesting with something in the fg, but the powerful effect of the sky and the clouds shadows on the filed are interesting enough and would most likely look even better blown up some more.

[drg]

It is high contrast, after all it is HDR!

Partially I'm working with some newer monitors and have been looking at a lot of images tweaked for HD (High Def) standards and hoped that I wasn't getting to far off for Internet posting.

I'm also finding that High Dynamic or XDR (Extreme Dynmic Range) does wonders for B/W images when possible. Having that much info to work with really allows for a greater number of printing possibilites as well.

It is kind of plain image, though several comments were made about a print about what people 'saw' in the clouds. Kind of fun but not the original idea . . .

Does anyone else see the iguana besides me and one other person??

Thanks all!

[Abiciriderback]

Really like the sky but wish there was something in the foreground to grab my attention.

Ray Still

[MB1]

It is high contrast, after all it is HDR!....

As I suspected it does indeed look much better on my MAC.

Darn PCs :mad2:

[readingr]

I agree its a lovely photo but needs something in the foreground or possibly it would be better in colour with the shadows filling in the foreground issue.

Roger

[drg]

Thanks for the commentary!

It is kind of difficult to show the absoute off season emptiness of a field. As there are no fences anylonger and this is just almost wide open terrain, I went for clouds and their shadows on the ground.

Incidentally, the land in this photo produce over 5,000 tons of corn this year alone.

[Greg McCary]

I agree with Gary. I large print is the only way to enjoy this one. The HDR effect works well.

[GB1]

Hmm. Quite extreme. I think I would like the black sky better if it were dark blue. Would work better overall if there was a barn or something in the foreground. Good experiment however.

Btw I would crop a little off the bottom, just because there seems to be some tension as to which to look at - sky or foreground.

G