Niagra

[spl]

I would like to get feedback and/or reactions to these B&W conversions but also comments about any other aspects of the pics would be appreciated.
thanx
sue


PS these were my first attempts at B&W conversions using RGB components in PS Elements programmes layers palette using blending modes i.e. equivalent to calculations in PS CS2

[Ian]

Re: Niagra

I would like to get feedback and/or reactions to these B&W conversions but also comments about any other aspects of the pics would be appreciated.
thanx
sue


PS these were my first attempts at B&W conversions using RGB components in PS Elements programmes layers palette using blending modes i.e. equivalent to calculations in PS CS2

Hi Sue - not been to Niagra but the view with the tower blocks in the background surprised me; I thought the falls were well away from any metropolis!

On the mono conversion - they look a bit heavy to me. I think some lightening of the shadows and a bit more contrast would help. How did you go about the conversion?

Ian

[spl]

Re: Niagra

Thanks for the response Ian.
Unfortunately the ugly face of tourism has caused a huge conglomeration of ugly buildings to surround the falls on both the USA and Canadian sides - that's how the world is going - even in Africa you either get gliztzy glam or hideous poverty - nothing's pristine anymore

For the conversion I used mainly the red component in the first and overlaid the green on about 50% opacity to lighten the figures in the foreground and the trees behind so that more detail would be visible. the aim at including the foreground bits was to give and idea of what it was like to actually be there because like you I had never been and all pictures I had every seen in mags only actually show the falls without any of the surroundings.

I think I did something similar in the second but purposefully kept the dark bits dark becuase I liked the contrast which was given to the picture by a partial clouding over the sunny sky - I thought it added perspective or depth to the picture and becuase I found the light patterns it was forming on the falls added a lot of drama.

[Pops]

Re: Niagra

I like the first one. Like Ian i was unaware of any buildings being that close to the falls.
I also think those towering structures need a more contrast. They look a bit wishy washy at the moment. It was nice of those folk to tuck themselves away in the corner like that and avoid spoiling the view of the falls.

[Tom]

Re: Niagra

It's great to see this view of the Falls. It's amost as if the water is about to crash out through my monitor and submerge me. The spray and the rocks almost look like a fire of rocks. I like this one but I would crop out the boy on the right as he is not fully in the frame.
Tom

[lumix]

Re: Niagra

Sue I was very interested in these pictures as I have never been there myself. I like how you have produced these in B&W. As my wife went there a few years ago, I had a look at the images she took. No comparison for quality as she only had a Sony p51 camera with written instructions on how to turn it on etc. But none the less the buildings in her pictures don't look that close. Could this be due to the focal length differences. What lens did you use and could compression be the reason the buildings look closer in your pictures.

[Tinka]

Re: Niagra

Hi,
Great images, love the conversion to mono, the water has come out really well, I like the first one the most, the buildings do need a bit more zip, but I won't try to tell you how to do it as I am learning the mono digi ropes myself. However the water/falls being the main feature look perfect to me.

[spl]

Re: Niagra

Thanks Pops Tom Lumix and Tinka

I can see that what I have done makes the buildings look a bit flat so am thinking of putting some of the blue component (which was very dark) back in perhaps at a very low opacity to see if it reintroduces some shadow and depth detail in the buildings.

The promenade was pretty crowded and I had to wait to get this moment when it was nice and empty in the middle and yeah I agree it probably would be a good idea to crop off the cut off figure on the far right. by the way the Red Indians called these falls "the smoke that thunders" so Tom you are not alone in thinking of them as like some kind of fire. I am also glad you got a sense of the hugeness of the water and spray - that's what I had hoped the hard "real" concrete foreground would produce - becuase that's how it felt - it was not only the visual experience but also the overpowering noise and the wetness everywhere (including on the camera) which made you feel like you were a bit submerged in the whole thing.

Lumix I hate to have to admit it but I was also using my stand and point on this occasion which only has a 12x optical zoom. Also for the first one certainly I do not think I zoomed particularly highly (as compared to the second for instance which was taken from the same location). I can't really explain why the buildings look so close except perhaps that this is because my editing has taken away depth cues.

Actually I am thinking of cloning the buildings out of the second one altogether as the emphasis on this one was supposed to be on the play of light on the water.

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Niagra

I would like to get feedback and/or reactions to these B&W conversions but also comments about any other aspects of the pics would be appreciated.
thanx
sue


PS these were my first attempts at B&W conversions using RGB components in PS Elements programmes layers palette using blending modes i.e. equivalent to calculations in PS CS2

I prefer the 2nd shot myself mainly because the buildings in first shot, particularly on left side, look a little too 'cut out' for me! Also, I think the person in foreground RHS is a bit distracting! I really like the water in foreground & rocks, spray which emphasizes the volume & sheer energy in 2nd pic! I also think the 1st pic is divided into more planes! I personally find a 3/4 horizon & less planes more pleasing!

[spl]

Re: Niagra

Try as I might I could not fix the look of those buildings - actually they were flat looking in the original - possibly the effect of the spray laden air. So I experimented with a rather severe crop instead.

[Scatty]

Re: Niagra

Just to say that I really liked your piccies, but I found the buildings in the first one looked false like toy buildings . I dont understand the jargon about how you have changed this and talk about levels as I am new to this and haven't tried doing that yet. I just go by what I see and like. I love the how you have got the effects from the falls, I bet it was amazing to see.
Maybe I would prefer them better in colour, but they are really good.