"The Wave" -- Northwoods

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 22, 2011235 views21 comments

I could not resist a rare opportunity to produce an abstract somewhat like those barren rock formations from the West. It's the bottom half of a view that attracted me because it contained a fairly large expanse of treeless space -- at least for local woods, which don't have any wide stream beds. (The whole shot is in my comment below.) Except for close-ups, it's pretty rare for me to shoot scenes without trees.

Full Disclosure: I used the evil content-aware fill in PS CS5 to get rid of a small triangle of open water in the top of this crop, as well as a small twig. If that means this belongs in Photo Art, please move it.

Canon 50D
Sigma 17-70mm. f/2.8
1/200 sec. @ f/7.1; ISO 100
Converted to B&W CS5

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on February 22, 2011 at 10:23 PM

Here's the whole shot. Just a few trees. Hey, they have to be there to create those shadows!

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on February 22, 2011 at 10:42 PM

I really like this Wayne especially the lines and light. I tried a few attempts at something like this but did not hit the cord you did. I think you nailed the graphic form but I wonder what it would look like with a slight increase in contrast (linear). Hope you don't mind my input.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on February 22, 2011 at 10:48 PM

Thanks Eva,
I really do appreciate your thoughtful suggestions!
I actually spent some time experimenting with contrast, as I always do with B&W conversions, since that's a basic part of making dramatic monochome images. For snow shots, however, I always seem to shy away from adding contrast because darker shadows just don't look real to me. I guess I was looking for a "pristine" look, so I wanted to keep the snow as white as possilbe without losing detail.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on February 22, 2011 at 10:56 PM

Wayne,

Your ethics are impeccable, and actually both images are really wonderful. For me it's a little hard to tell it's a BW conversion. Not sure if that was your intent but that's how it came out to me. The original is just a nice pristine winter forest scene.With a snow covered stream.

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on February 22, 2011 at 11:17 PM

I like both images, Wayne, but the abstract nature of the first one is compelling. It does look very natural, and I appreciate that as well. More contrast would create a completely different mood, probably just as compelling, as if the sun were very bright and the shadows deep. Content aware fill is pretty amazing, this being the first time I've seen it applied and disclosed. This may mean I have to answer with even more frequency that ubiquitous question, "Did you 'photoshop' that?" Nice going on the shot and the disclosure.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on February 23, 2011 at 12:32 AM

This is a lot of fun, Wayne. The shadows with the undulating snow create a fine abstract. Don't really care all that much for the actual image by comparison.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on February 23, 2011 at 2:31 AM

Interesting patterns and the conversion looks good. I like the crop much more than the larger scene.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Hazelton on February 23, 2011 at 2:48 AM

I really like the abstract, Wayne. Very interesting lines.

Registered on August 6, 2008, 194 Posts, 1315 Comments

Comment posted by Bob Duff on February 23, 2011 at 6:16 AM

The abstract version really resonates with me Wayne. Great work on the conversion.

Registered on April 21, 2010, 160 Posts, 1675 Comments

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on February 23, 2011 at 7:21 AM

Definitely a nice abstract. I always was drawn to shadows on snow.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on February 23, 2011 at 11:18 AM

Wayne, excellent example of simple lines and textures.

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on February 23, 2011 at 11:27 AM

I didn't realize was a BW conv. until you mentioned it. I like the composition very much. I also think this would look very nice in color with a WB adjustment on the cool side, even more so than the original. The content aware fill is impressive. I have no problem with it when disclosed. Nice work.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on February 23, 2011 at 2:44 PM

Very nice abstract image Wayne. I'm also in the group that didn't realize this was b/w until I read your description. The lines created by the shadows are beautiful. I might consider cropping the bright snow patch at the top (right of center) of the frame, since it doesn't seem to flow with the rest of the scene.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on February 23, 2011 at 6:56 PM

Excellent use of lines, light, and shadow. Your extraction of the scene works better for me.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on February 23, 2011 at 9:02 PM

The actual image is nice, but the posted images is great. It makes a wonderful flowing abstract.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by dean hebert on February 23, 2011 at 10:02 PM

The lines and textures are great!

Registered on August 4, 2010, 70 Posts, 1132 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on February 23, 2011 at 11:52 PM

Love those undulating shadows moving across the frame, Wayne. Has wonderful graphic appeal.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on February 24, 2011 at 8:12 AM

I actually greatly prefer the original here--with the very top cropped just below the trunks. The vertical lines on the rhs contrast nicely with the shadow patterns up front, and the water grounds the scene. The abstract is nice, but for me, its the scene in context that is really unique and engaging--patterns can be created with any graphical tool, but nature can only be created by...well, nature

Just my take.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on February 24, 2011 at 6:12 PM

Wayne,

No problem with the cloning here, but thanks for the disclosure anyway. I really like the gentle lines and curves created by the snow and the shadows. I think your original is beautiful on it's own. The cropped version sure made for a nice winter abstract though.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on February 24, 2011 at 6:57 PM

Nice, Wayne! I'm really intrigued by the fold in the foreground. Nice lines and shapes abound in this. have not really had a chance to shoot something like this before. Nice!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on February 24, 2011 at 8:23 PM

Nice winter abstract Wayne, has some good flow to it. I've shot many of these forest shadows here in the Adks, but I've yet to shoot one that I really like.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments