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Dark Guardian
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Dark Guardian

by Helio Cristovao

Gallery: LandscapePosted May 20, 2010254 views13 comments
Sw. Alentejo and St. Vincent Natural Park, Portugal
(Parque Natural Sw. Alentejano e Costa Vicentina)

"I climbed the steep slope, it was about time of heading North, and hiking trough 3 great next valleys I go down again, crossing the riverbed of the Ravine of Pena Furada. I follow towards a beach in South of Murração, with a giant pyramidal pinnacle having 21 meters height. The sky did not help to photograph the scenery, and meantime the it started to rain. In these opportunities it is important to be prepared. The machine must be protected by waterproof cape, and the photographer also! A waterproof coat not compromising malleability is advisable. I photograph the scenery thinking instantly about a transformation for the black and white, adding the necessary dramatism between the brightness of the sky but with a global darkness on the scene."

Part of an article written by the author in the Web (In Portuguese - please translate):
http://www.fotografia-dg.com/cronica-de-fotografia-de-natureza/

Exposure details:
18:42h GMT
17mm (APS) f/22 1/2s ISO100 with Cir. PL Filter
14-bit RAW 12,2MP

All your feedback is highly appreciated.


Em Português:
"Subi a escarpa, era a hora de me dirigir mais para Norte, e contornando os 3 grandes vales seguintes desço novamente, atravessando o leito do Barranco da Pena Furada. Sigo em direcção a uma praia ainda a Sul de Murração, com um gigante pináculo piramidal que ostenta 21 mt de altura. O céu não ajudou a fotografar a paisagem, e entretanto chegava a chuva. Nestas ocasiões é importante estar preparado. A máquina deve ser protegida com capa impermeável, e o fotógrafo também! Um casaco corta-vento impermeável, leve e que não comprometa a maleabilidade é aconselhável. Fotografo o cenário pensando já numa transformação para o preto-e-branco, acrescentando o necessário dramatismo entre a claridade do céu mas com uma escuridão global na cena."

Excerto de artigo Web do autor no seguinte link:
http://www.fotografia-dg.com/cronica-de-fotografia-de-natureza/

Comments

13 comments
Comment posted by Luis Argerich on May 20, 2010 at 3:32 PM
Beautiful Helio, the round pebble framed by the reflection is the work of a genius!
Terrific shot!
Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments
Comment posted by Nicolas Belokurov on May 20, 2010 at 4:24 PM
Excellent, a great composition and wonderful tonality
Registered on July 22, 2009, 41 Posts, 533 Comments
Comment posted by Rudy Ruberti on May 20, 2010 at 5:26 PM
Great comp and tones. This works well as b&w. Nicely done.
Registered on October 28, 2008, 179 Posts, 1875 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on May 20, 2010 at 5:47 PM
Cool image. With the glowing rock, it has an other-worldly look to it. Great the way the foreground rock is framed by the shadow of the far rock formation.
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on May 20, 2010 at 6:47 PM
Helio,

The rounded stone does it all for me. There's a sense of mystery too created I think by the significant vignetting... that makes me thing of an egg left by aliens of another world... or something like that.

I wish the tower wasn't so dark, but I do rather like the intended glow behind it.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Barry Vangrov on May 20, 2010 at 7:55 PM
I'd like to see a bit more detail in background rocks but I really like the foreground comp. It might make a great image by itself if you cropped at the top of the beach.
Registered on September 1, 2009, 148 Posts, 749 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on May 20, 2010 at 9:57 PM
Absolutely gorgeous image, Hélio. So many wonderful shapes to enjoy in this.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on May 21, 2010 at 12:34 AM
Strong use of shapes. The boulder anchors the composition really well. Great shot.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Kent Mearig on May 21, 2010 at 1:31 AM
Brilliant!! I don't know what else to say.
Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments
Comment posted by Ben Horne on May 21, 2010 at 2:36 AM
Good eye! I would suggest cropping a little bit off the left side (the rocks take my eye out of the composition on the left side), and also a bit off the top. This would place more emphasis on the background and foreground.
Registered on August 27, 2009, 51 Posts, 959 Comments
Comment posted by Helio Cristovao on May 21, 2010 at 3:53 AM

Thanks for feedback so far.

It was quite a complex processing on this one, to make it work. I did some crop on the left side, added intense vignetting and made local contrast adjustments to get all possible detail in the sky and more. It has a huge impact for me, I´m glad your´re liking it also :wink:
Registered on September 15, 2009, 83 Posts, 434 Comments
Comment posted by Yan Zhang on May 22, 2010 at 2:44 AM
Very nice B&W image. I am surprising that so many details can be viewed from foreground and background.
Registered on April 10, 2010, 28 Posts, 292 Comments
Comment posted by Erik Stensland on May 22, 2010 at 12:22 PM
I love the interplay of the two different shapes in this image. They are absolutely striking! With a little more work on the post-processing this will be a real winner. In my opinion, the background rock wall is too dark compared to the round rock in front. They are also look a bit uneven in tonality and then there is that halo around them. Fix these and this image will be spectacular. Great eye Helio!
Registered on September 27, 2004, 121 Posts, 718 Comments