Lenticular's, now with cows

[hminx]

Earlier when I posted this landscape it was suggested that the bare road was an issue, so I thought I'd add the farmer and some cows to give it some interest. Thoughts on if this is now a bit bottom heavy, and are the shadows realistic enough ?

[Don Schaeffer]

Magnificent!

[geraldb]

Excellent all the way around. I'd love to see a horizontal version.

[Frog]

Looks like a painting.
I don't think the shadows are a problem...I wouldn't have thought of them at all if you hadn't mentioned it.
I see why you think it might be a bit bottom heavy but it is a very minor essue to me.
I looked at cropping the top to balance it but I don't think that works. Maybe increase canvas size and clone in more of the road?

I have no idea how you achieved such a soft look but I love it.

[n8]

I agree with frog. I've never tried a composite, but there is something about the added elements, particularly the cows that detracts from the realism.

[LeeIs]

It looks spectacular. I wouldn't know there was edits if you didn't mention it.

[Didache]

You have done a really good job with the edit, and compositionally it looks good too. It is really hard to add elements so that they look like they were originally there - you have done as good a job as most people could do. Perhaps just a tad less brightness on the additions (especially the cows) to make the tonal range similar to the original background?

Cheers
Mike

[Greg McCary]

I have just started a good book on compositing. Nice work here. Thanks for posting.

[hminx]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, Frog I thought for a minute about extending the road a bit and adding a steaming cow pat, but decided that might be a bit uncouth... The brightness of the cows is something I gave some thought to as where they are is in bright sunshine where as the chap on the quad bike is in shadow from the steep banks not evident in the image. Attention to the shadows in this sort of thing is vital IMO as they make the image that much more believable. I guess composite images are not every ones cup of tea but I enjoy playing with them and the rule I try to stick to, is that I only use images taken by myself.
If you are interested I have posted the donor cow image . The chap on the bike only has one leg but that doesn't seem to impede him in his duties around the farm.

[geraldb]

The clouds in the vertical version make it more dramatic.

[mjs1973]

I think the compositing looks really good here, but something just seems a bit off to me. I think it has to do with the size of the added elements. Either the quad seems too big, or the cows seem too small. Also, I think the quad should be kicking up a bit of dust.

[Frog]

Been looking at this and the comments regularly and was going to make the same comment as Mike.
The quad is too big or cows too small considering the apparent distance between them.
Otherwise I think it is great.

[armando_m]

Incredibly good,

I think I may not have added the quad, just the cows

[amariaj]

You did an excellent job of editing...looks like a painting!

[hminx]

Thanks all , getting the perspective right so there was separation between the three groups was a challenge and probably a bit objective as to their relative sizes . Appreciated the feedback on this.

[agaduc996]

Pete
New here, I do not have a whole lot of experience with editing of this level. I will say it looks great and I had to look real hard to notice it was a composite. I think the added elements help to give the road and hills life and a purpose. Scale wise I think the 4 wheeler looks right. I understand the cows are further down the road but feel the scale is still a bit small for the distance the large (first) group is from the quad. Again not have a whole lot of editing experience I am not sure how to fix it, but to me it appears that the tires are not in contact with the gravel road but more hovering on top. To me it feels like to crisp of a line cut around the tires. Maybe if you could add a little dust trail under the tires to help blur the contact point between tire to terra.

Above all I think it is a beautiful job.

Drew

[hminx]

Thanks Drew and welcome to the site

[Fernando Mendez]

Great work, the shadow looks real, I would recomend to crop from the top and try to allow the eye flow to go from the farmer to the sky, then landscape and back to the farmer...