Sandstone Cavern

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 6, 20133,069 views27 comments

Haven't posted in a long time. Some big changes, but I'm getting back on track.

This is an image from a couple of years ago on a hike with Sean Bagshaw. We both got very different pictures of this place. I'm continuing to experiment with B&W after reading Guy Tal's eBook. I like how these techniques can be used to create a whole new reality that, with B&W, still can still look real. In this case, the stone here is quite evenly colored, but strategic RAW conversion followed by B&W conversion in PS allows subtle differences to be exaggerated in order to create tonal variation.

Your thoughts and recommendations are, as always, appreciated.

5D2, 28-300 lens.

Comments

27 comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on December 6, 2013 at 10:14 PM

This is truly mind bending, Tony. I don't know if I'm looking up, down or sideways. The layers of lines and textures create illusions about the depth so again I'm not sure what is close or far. This is one that will have to be studied to get a grip on. Very cool!

BTW,,,,,its great to see you post again and surprise, surprise,,,,,,,,B&W!

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

Comment posted by Dan Kearl on December 6, 2013 at 11:39 PM

Remarkable...
Looks like a slot canyon photo.
Unreal depth to this, outstanding processing!

Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments

Comment posted by Jared Warren on December 6, 2013 at 11:48 PM

I love this, Tony. Very dynamic and engaging. Super comp. One of the more interesting B&Ws i've seen lately.

Registered on May 11, 2012, 84 Posts, 931 Comments

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on December 7, 2013 at 1:36 AM

Wicked cool

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on December 7, 2013 at 7:31 AM

I love the different tones here. This is simply awesome to look at. Stunning black and white image.

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on December 7, 2013 at 7:38 AM

Tony, the swirls here are astonishing. Going b&w really lets the shapes dominate and creates one wild abstract where it's impossible to tell what's up, down, or even front to back. Way to come back with a bang!

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

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on December 7, 2013 at 7:38 AM

the tonal variation, as you suggest, is superb in this image. the other thing about B&W is that composition is also important and here your composition works well. I'd experiment with a square of the bottom of the image (i.e., snipping some off the top of the image) as that works to my eye as well. nice to see some work from you again.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 7, 2013 at 9:19 AM

Hi Tony, So nice seeing a post from you again! Your composition here is really interesting and I'm enjoying it a lot. Your b&w conversion looks wonderful and I love the tones. Beautiful work!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 7, 2013 at 10:10 AM

This is a real beauty, Tony!! Great combo of tones and patterns. A wonderful B&W.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on December 7, 2013 at 10:19 AM

This is lovely, Tony, and it's a very effective and unique take on a location that I've previously seen rendered with pretty strong colors. I'd say your experiment was a success. And it's great to see a post from you on NPN,

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by Karsten Wrobel on December 7, 2013 at 10:34 AM

wonderful comp and phenomenal depth indeed, what a great b/w...

Registered on November 1, 2008, 117 Posts, 851 Comments

Comment posted by Tim Mulholland on December 7, 2013 at 11:19 AM

Welcome "home," Tony!

I have no idea of the dimensionality/depth of the setting, but the composition and developing really seem to move the eye from the LL to very deep on the middle right - great work.

Tim!

Registered on April 24, 2006, 14 Posts, 139 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on December 7, 2013 at 11:50 AM

Hello Tony. I like how the B&W makes a focus on shape, lines and tone of this otherwise colorful feature. My only suggestion night be to move the midtone point in levels to about .92 and see if you like that. The C-curve and upward sweep make for a good comp.

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Chet Dowell on December 7, 2013 at 1:33 PM

An amazing image of an wonderful natural scene! This offers plenty to look at and enjoy. Great job. Chet

Registered on December 3, 2012, 237 Posts, 1171 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on December 7, 2013 at 1:54 PM

This is really nice, Tony! The tones, shapes and lines give this a great sense on movement.

Good to see you posting again!

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on December 7, 2013 at 2:21 PM

Great to see you back posting again, TK--and this is a real winner, great B&W semi abstract!

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

Comment posted by Bill Leggett on December 7, 2013 at 3:06 PM

Very interesting abstraction, Tony. I agree with David about the orientation, and with Stuart regarding the advantage of B&W to break an image down to the essentials to emphasize the gist of the composition. Good to see one from you after a long absence.

Registered on July 21, 2004, 706 Posts, 3233 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on December 7, 2013 at 6:12 PM

Excellent use of lines, and tones here. Kind of like an M.C. Escher. Hard to tell which is up and which is down. A confounding image for me, which enhances it's coolness.

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

Comment posted by Neil Rossmiller on December 7, 2013 at 6:51 PM

Near hypnotic, Tony
I almost expect a magic eye image to appear somewhere in the image.
Like David, I'll be looking at this for a while
Stunning image as usual!
Neil

Registered on October 30, 2009, 156 Posts, 749 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Greenwood on December 8, 2013 at 8:26 AM

Very interesting and appealing! This image is well-suited to B&W conversion ... but I'm sure that the color version is nice as well.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 229 Posts, 1523 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on December 8, 2013 at 10:18 AM

Welcome to NPN Tony!
Wow, this surely is a perfect image inducing "Dancing Eyes" (Nystagmus), in a good way.
A great composition.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Ant on December 8, 2013 at 4:16 PM

Very nice. The subtleties of the tonal passages is splendid, and the movement suggested by the rocks is almost hypnotic...

Registered on April 13, 2009, 27 Posts, 474 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on December 8, 2013 at 6:22 PM

Wow Tony! This is mesmerizing. Wonderful tonal range and depth.

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

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on December 9, 2013 at 3:38 AM

You are so good at those optical illusions! Nice shot Tony.

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on December 9, 2013 at 7:19 AM

Really beautiful work Tony, love the tones and patterns. Beautifully seen and presented.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on December 9, 2013 at 2:26 PM

So very nice Tony! Love the conversion, but that's no surprise knowing what a perfectionist your are when it comes to processing. Hope to see a lot more B&W from you soon. My only nit here is that I wish the arc wasn't cut off on the left side.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on December 10, 2013 at 10:29 AM

What they said; it's great to see a new post from you, and in BW! What amazing patterns; you really have an eye for this sandstone stuff.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments