Smokin'

[Mr Darcy]

There is a rather huge smokestack in Pt Kembla. I cannot, for the life of me, manage to convey a sense of scale for the thing in a photograph. I can take a distance shot of it towering over the surrounds, but the stack is in turn dwarfed by the picture.
On the other hand, I can get underneath & look straight up, but you lose all sense of its immensity that way.
Any suggestions?
This is the latter. I am hard up against the fence around it, handheld, a 1/4 sec & wide open. It was right on dusk. I was leaning on the fence for support.


You can look at the stack in Google earth. The photo is geotagged if you want to try that.

[aim54x]

This one does look pretty big...but is it as big as you see it??

[biggerry]

Probably the only way to convey the size would be to include somethin a known reference, whether that be a person bird or the like, lookign at this image gives me the impression that the stack is the same size as the ones just down the road a St Peters (the old brick works) which are not that big.

Any any case, imo, a BW conversion is essential for this composition

[surenj]

Would some birds help convey sense of scale?

I agree with f11 and gritty BW conversion. Would be nice to get a few high contrast clouds as well.

[Mr Darcy]

the stack is the same size as the ones just down the road a St Peters

They're positive tiddlers! Kiddies Toys.
This thing is 200 high & probably 30metres wide at the base. Next time I am down that way I will take a photo of it on the skyline. Every time I have gone to do that so far I have just thought "Nah. This ain't gonna work!"
Or if a member down that way could oblige...
It is to be demolished.
Refer this article for details & a landscape photo
http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/ports-giant-stack-to-be-demolished/1369864.aspx

[aim54x]

Really sad to hear that this stack is going...but I guess it has to go if it is posing a danger.

Even the picture in that article doesnt really show its massive scale.

[Mr Darcy]

Took the suggestion of BW conversion onboard. Also more grain
Came up with this

Along the way, I saw this as well


Can't do anything about f11 without going back which won't happen for a few months

[surenj]

Greg, these are a significant improvement!! It even looks bigger!!!

Love the blue one but can't easily decide between the two.

Nice idea Gerry.

[colin_12]

I really like the rework on this Greg. I prefer the B&W by a long way.

[brentsky]

NOISE = AWESOME! i love it!

[biggerry]

Took the suggestion of BW conversion onboard. Also more grain
Came up with this
Along the way, I saw this as well

greg, I missed the rework of this image way back when - but that PP has without a doubt, turned a mediocre image into something with character and a sense of age. Its funny, the two reworks feel both have a certian time feel about them, like just when colour photography was introduced.