Dunes and Wind 2+Reposts

I like this very much Eva. The foreground dunes and curve of slate-blue water lead the eye nicely towards that dramatic sky. My only suggestion would be to try and pull a bit more detail out of that bright horizon. Also luminosity and color fidelity look good to me.

Beautiful comp and color Eva. I like the way the water runs through the middle of the image.

Really like the color scheme. The composition really makes you feel like you're there. Color and brightness seem fine to me. Only nit, and might be compression, but some of the grass/river seem a tad over sharpened.

Colors and brightness look great, as does the composition. The more distant grass looks a bit like this is an HDR. Is this an effect of the ND grad you used? A great looking image in any case.

I get a great sense of openness and depth in this image. I also like the color. The clouds give a real feeling of how fast and hard storms can roll across the open country.

Hi Basil - This is not an HDR processed image. LR3 for initial adjustments, CS5 with TK luminosity layers and reduction of grad line that dipped below the horizon in a few spots.

Thanks everyone for your comments and critiques.

Here is a darker version for comparison. I think I like this better. Used TK Layers to darken the expanded midtones and TK Burn/Dodge layer to darken horizon above the hills.

For me, this one is all about the drama in the sky...it's spectacular. I'd crop much of the foreground grass for a panorama look. I prefer version 2, feels much more menacing.

You've already addressed my thoughts in the second version. That one looks very natural and beautiful.

Hi Eva

A very nice shot with a ribbon of turquoise running between the dunes. You asked about colour and contrast and brightness, without really knowing the colour of the sand in the dunes and between the foreground grasses I do see what I consider to be a slight excess of red which is also (I feel) a little too dominant in the sky I also see a slight excess of cyan over and above what I would think should be there. It seems to me on my monitor at least that the cyan and red sat should be backed off a few percentage points. Brightness and contrast in the initial shot seems fine. For myself the second version seems a little too dark and menacing over and above what I'd expect to occur naturally.

Very nice shot Eva, great drama! Nothing new to add so I'll just echo a couple of things: the darker version is a definite improvement and I do see just a litle too much red overall - very nice work.

I find the second version too dark. I think something in between would work better.

- Dan

I love the way you have composed this truly grand scene, Eva. The sky in the second version looks a bit dark to me. Maybe something in between the two?

Thanks Ian. Your feed back is the kind I am looking for. New computer and monitor so I am trying to make sure I am on the mark with color and brightness. While I calibrate, I did here with a built in calibrator on my new laptop - Xrite Huey Pro. I can always disable and recalibrate using my Xrite i1Display 2 if I have too but same supplier so not sure it will make much of a difference. I may experiment though.

Invreness sand on my side of the pond is reddish in nature. The sky, hard to tell if it may be due to the grad I used. I did back off on the reds and blues on the repost here. The new laptop monitor is so much brighter than my last (backlit RGB full gamaut 100% Adobe). Cyan back off did not seem to make a difference but blues did a little.

Thanks Dan and David. I see that now.

Oooh! This is yummy! The river just sweeps my eyes from left to right and the clouds are spectacular. I like the movement in the grass as it testifies to the wind that you describe. What does the SR refer to in the comps?

SR refers to Singh Ray filters Dottie. Thanks for asking.

This is really a gorgeous image, Eva, and your composition really makes this phenomenal. How the dunes roll back like swells of the ocean,and the curve of the river carries the eye further back to that glorious color and clouds. Your third post nails it. Fantastic.

Looks great, Eva! Congrats on the new machine. I like that this doesn't really look like it has to be at the coast. Nice texture to the grasses.

Chris

Really beautiful, your cloud is always very special, broken, low, and dramatic.

Eva,

Third time is a charm for me! Thanks for working this as I think the progress worked and the final result is excellent. Although I would echo the over-sharpening comments at midground.

What I like here is the visual contrast between the threatening sky and the pastoral look and feel of the grasses. I know you said the wind was howling, but it's hard to get that sense here other than I see that the water surface isn't very still.... ;-) Overall, I think this is a great capture and wonderfully captures the essence of this place.

Lon

I like the orig. A couple swipes with a large burn brush along the bottom at maybe 10 and it is done. Super comp.

Wow, another beauty!
Wonderful sky, and the lines and varying levels of the grass/dunes are very compelling.
Colors look great to me -

This would also be a nice entry for this week's WC -
Sandy

Eva, the third version is an overwhelming experience. I especially like the tangible texture of the grasses in the foreground, that makes me feel like standing in the middle of the scene.

Peter

This is really nice, Eva. I think you have captured the feel of this place very well. The 3rd post really does it for me too. I think you have fixed what it needed and it looks great. I love scenes like this.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Another beauty Eva. After looking at all three, I still prefer the first post. Looks very natural to me, Colors and brightness look very good to me.

Looks awesome
I like the first and the third post

Well done

Mesmerizing Eva! I can see every little detail here!

Very nice, Eva. I'll throw a vote in for the 3rd post as well. I love the way the river snakes through the frame, this is a very elegant composition.

The third one looks best, and the second one looks great too.... Awesome work!

I think the second re-post (third image) is spot-on. Not too bright, not too dark, most natural looking.

It's your third upload that works best for me too Eva with regards to the lighting. The comp is good with the river splitting the rolling hills giving good depth and topped off with some terrific clouds.

Gary.

Stunning image Eva - I love the grasses and the threatening sky. I'm with the various comments regarding colour and balance between original and 2nd posts. Perhaps I miss a little of the lightness of the grass in the first - but not if that doesn't reflect what was there! Either way, this is one I'd be very keen to find a space for on my wall, were it mine :-)

I liked the first one, then the second, now the third! Way to work out the little nits. Such beautiful color, rich drama, and brilliant shades and tones throughout the grasses. Great work, just great.