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Compared to Gerry's masterpieces, I am almost ashamed to put these up but...

Dare I admit that Jonathon Livingstone Seagull came to mind here.
The original (picture, not the movie ) was very bland. I have darkened the skies, possibly too far. I would like to have kept the colour in the Hang Glider, but my PP skills are simply not up to it.


No comment


The best of my bridge shots. Like Gerry, I found it better to tackle away from the Bridge.
I liked the remnants of the old road just hinting at its existence


When I was looking at this scene, I saw one of those Zen raked gardens in the water. I didn't capture my vision. but this was the closest I came


I invite comments, critique

I'll admit that Gerry has set the bar pretty high, but you have done some good work here as well.

I quite like the first, it gives off a sense of eerie-ness..the hang-glider looks to be headed into a storm, it may not be what you were after but it is a strong images with plenty of 'feel'

The second image i quite liked until I scrolled down to reveal the windsock...it is soft and i think that it detracts from the image, I would like to see a crop where the clouds start to part (where the end of the blue is)...it may work but then again it may not.

The bridge is a nice touch, shame about the bright sky, any detail hiding in there? but the hint of the old road next to the new bridge is great.

I agreee with Cameron, the first is great for giving a gloomy feel. It is by far the strongest of the bunch. If you had included the colours of the glider this mood may have changed significantly.

Thank you for comments.
#1. This was exactly the feel I was after. The line in JLS was "Lonely looking sky..." I was afraid I had gone too far.

#2 I like the windsock & left it there deliberately. Maybe its because my old eyes are soft It is a reminder of the conditions they were flying in.

#3 I agree. Will rework, but probably not till tomorrow. I will see if I can lighten the underside of the bridge without blowing the sky completely.

#4 Any comments?

Mr Darcy wrote:Dare I admit that Jonathon Livingstone Seagull came to mind here.
The original (picture, not the movie )

Actually, that would be the book.

I'd like to see a little more contrast pushed into this one.

On the second, I like the inclusion of the windsock, and I'd like to suggest a square crop here. Too bad about the second hang-glider, but he won't make this cut.

In the fourth, again I would like you to push some more contrast into the image. In both of the B&Ws, there is no solid black, nor any really solid whites. I'm not sure that you can push the first image to get to that point, but I do think that you can with the last.

gstark wrote:Actually, that would be the book.

The book. The movie. who cares.
Just so long as I don't have to admit that I like Neil Diamond's early work. Ah HAN what an album


Our city visit got cancelled today. That blows Urban, but I may get a chance to rework these. Thanks for the ideas.
I was going for a square crop, but didn't want to lose the second flier. I'll try again.

Mr Darcy wrote:Just so long as I don't have to admit that I like Neil Diamond's early work. Ah HAN what an album

It could be worse: you could be saying that you like Barry Manilow's music.

Just last Sunday evening I was telling Sycamore #1 that I have a virgin copy of this. Still in its sealed plastic.

I won't mention that I was at the Hordern Pavlova to see him during the HAN tour. March 1974, IIRC.

I was going for a square crop, but didn't want to lose the second flier. I'll try again.

Do it. The second flier will never know that he's been grounded.

I liked the remnants of the old road just hinting at its existence

this is a good shot greg, did you have a landscape version, the idea of the new bridge and old road did not even enter into my mind. I think a shot from where your image was taken in the landscape mode would show this very well.

I like the windsock & left it there deliberately. Maybe its because my old eyes are soft

did you consider a BW conversion of this one? It's a nicely compsoed shot, probably very hard to get all of it in focus, at f8 your probably in the right territory...

That fourth image looks like it has a sharks fin in it!

The first image is very nicely converted in my opinion, really conveys the loneliness and ominous feel

Compared to Gerry's masterpieces

rubbish.... i had one unfair advantage....and one should never be ashamed to post images up!

you like Barry Manilow's music

who the f is barry manilow????????????

I have reworked these as per the suggestions above.
Photo #1 I have had several goes at. Also I received requests for others to have a go, So I am starting its own thread

Photo #2
I had two goes at this. First another go at my vision converted to BW as per Gerry's suggestion, & second the crop suggested by Gary:



Photo #3. An attempt to tease out more detail under the bridge as per Cam's suggestion. I can't say I am really happy with this one. The cliff on the RHS looks quite fake now.


Photo #4. Increasing the contrast has worked wonders here.


Oh and Gerry, be grateful you don't know
Comments more than welcome

Greg, that rework of the bridge and the old road does start to look a bit fake, esp the cliff, but you did manage to find more blue in the sky which is a great.

I have to admit that the other images show some promise as well.
Gerry's suggestion on B&W is looking good, but you are starting to lose the upper hang glider to the dark sky, Gary's square crop works well!

Lastly the increased contrast in the last image has done wonders.

I quite like the BW without the square crop. Having two gliders makes it more interesting. One glider makes it feel quite Interesting how a crop can change the mood completely.

Greg, I have posted a re-work on your other thread.

Thank you all.
For me

#1 I prefer the BW rework (photo #2 in the other thread )
#2 My favourite remains the original. Perhaps square cropping as per the BW, but no other change
#3 Not really happy with either. May try again
#4 the rework by far. Not a lot of change but Wow!

Suren Sorry I didn't get back to you. For some reason, I didn't get the email notification on the update (either thread) I just noticed this one in recent posts & checked.
I think your original comment was right. Keeping the colour in the kite is a retrograde step. Neither your, nor my rework comes up to the ominous mood of the B/W. Still I think you did a better job of the rework than me. Just as well you are not coming up for the sunrise, or I would chain you to the snake pit err computer until you showed me how to do it.

No probs Greg,

I can't remember what exactly I did. It did take at least 30 mins.

I had to mask the kite using the channel mixer. Multiple curves and levels adjustments. Colour changes and some hue changes. multiple blending as well.

I was tempted to add some lightning but resisted.