Nathaniel Alpert
Member
Despite the massive indifference, here is another contribution from my studies at the Kalaluau Overlook on Kauai. Shot in the mist, the colors wink in and out, sometimes muted sometimes bright.
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Despite indifference
- Thread starter Nathaniel Alpert
- Start date
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Nathaniel,
Yes indifference seems like an essential part of the test artists have to deal with when razmataz artificial colors, chrome nipples are demanded to wake people up.
There's some special delicacy of the color and tonal palette you chose. Could you add a wide grey border all around to separate it from the pale b.g. here.
Asher
Yes indifference seems like an essential part of the test artists have to deal with when razmataz artificial colors, chrome nipples are demanded to wake people up.
There's some special delicacy of the color and tonal palette you chose. Could you add a wide grey border all around to separate it from the pale b.g. here.
Asher
janet Smith
pro member
Hello Nathaniel
I'm not indifferent about this shot, it's wonderful, I really like the misty look and muted colours, funnily enough it reminds me of Scotland! What lens did you use for this?
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Thanks for adding the grey!
Nathaniel,
You pictures has delicate muted colors.
One issue we have with modern life is that we have taken the rare exceptions (bright colors on ladybug beetles, parrots and certain flowers) and then made it an every day pollution of our scenery with bright red awnings, bright yellow buildings, flashing neon lights and gaudy shirts, everything mixed up with no restraint.
So when we see real life, truly working nature, we miss the cheap visual thrills.
In your picture the scene must be protected from glare of a white screen and from reference to Pepsi signs. So now with your picture in a safe environment we can appreciate it.
The nature of light leads to changes in intensity, color and quality as it passes though atmosphere laden with moisture, mist, dust and city pollution. This effect filters light from distance hills and then each set of landscape structures appear layered, even in monocular vision with a camera, just because of this.
If the foreground is also near us, then on a clear day, this will have a full range of rich colors. The same area, however seen from a distance with a telephoto lens might appear muted because of the filtration effect. For B&W photography a red filter can remove much of this flatness but an orange filter might be sufficient and gentler and not so harsh or else one can use an S curve in photoshop to bring back the contrast. In mountain areas, the UV light increases with height and a UV filter can help too.
Now back to your picture, I like the curved, angular layers. I'd like a little increase in contrast but not uniformly. Perhaps just in the foreground. However, that is not necessarty for me to enjoy the view.
Asher
I hope you might now tell us about the scene and your lens settings so we can understand more.
Nathaniel,
You pictures has delicate muted colors.
One issue we have with modern life is that we have taken the rare exceptions (bright colors on ladybug beetles, parrots and certain flowers) and then made it an every day pollution of our scenery with bright red awnings, bright yellow buildings, flashing neon lights and gaudy shirts, everything mixed up with no restraint.
So when we see real life, truly working nature, we miss the cheap visual thrills.
In your picture the scene must be protected from glare of a white screen and from reference to Pepsi signs. So now with your picture in a safe environment we can appreciate it.
The nature of light leads to changes in intensity, color and quality as it passes though atmosphere laden with moisture, mist, dust and city pollution. This effect filters light from distance hills and then each set of landscape structures appear layered, even in monocular vision with a camera, just because of this.
If the foreground is also near us, then on a clear day, this will have a full range of rich colors. The same area, however seen from a distance with a telephoto lens might appear muted because of the filtration effect. For B&W photography a red filter can remove much of this flatness but an orange filter might be sufficient and gentler and not so harsh or else one can use an S curve in photoshop to bring back the contrast. In mountain areas, the UV light increases with height and a UV filter can help too.
Now back to your picture, I like the curved, angular layers. I'd like a little increase in contrast but not uniformly. Perhaps just in the foreground. However, that is not necessarty for me to enjoy the view.
Asher
I hope you might now tell us about the scene and your lens settings so we can understand more.
Nathaniel Alpert
Member
Janet and Asher,
Thanks for your comments and analyses. This photo is one of many I made on several visits to the Kalaluau Overlook on the west side of Kauai. This feature is in Koke'e State park, near the end of the main access road. It can be considered as the edge of the famous Nepali Coast. The scene is so compelling that each person rushes from the parking lot, is overcome by the scene, and intoxicated, fires their point-n-shoot in every direction. The location is a photographer's dream in that it is constantly changing. Beneath the overlook at 4000 ft is an indentation in the mountains, a valley, allowing you to see the the ocean breaking in the distance. One moment the valley can be completely fogged in and opaque; in just a few minutes the fog may recede, to be replaced by bright sun and the most saturated palette imaginable. The earth is red-tinged and there are so many shades of green, the camera is helpless to record it. In an earlier post, Teeth of the Sea, I presented another view from the same exact spot but in different conditions.
In this thread, the photo is an attempt to make the most of the foggy conditions. And I have to tell you it was magical, as elements advanced and disappeared from view in the fog. In the moment photography was almost irrelevant. I used a 70-300 IS DO lens on my 5D to place the tree in mid frame, silhouetted, so to speak by the light on the cliffs. But as the light was muted, I could only stop down to about f9 at ISO 400 and thus the foreground is slightly soft.
-Nat
Thanks for your comments and analyses. This photo is one of many I made on several visits to the Kalaluau Overlook on the west side of Kauai. This feature is in Koke'e State park, near the end of the main access road. It can be considered as the edge of the famous Nepali Coast. The scene is so compelling that each person rushes from the parking lot, is overcome by the scene, and intoxicated, fires their point-n-shoot in every direction. The location is a photographer's dream in that it is constantly changing. Beneath the overlook at 4000 ft is an indentation in the mountains, a valley, allowing you to see the the ocean breaking in the distance. One moment the valley can be completely fogged in and opaque; in just a few minutes the fog may recede, to be replaced by bright sun and the most saturated palette imaginable. The earth is red-tinged and there are so many shades of green, the camera is helpless to record it. In an earlier post, Teeth of the Sea, I presented another view from the same exact spot but in different conditions.
In this thread, the photo is an attempt to make the most of the foggy conditions. And I have to tell you it was magical, as elements advanced and disappeared from view in the fog. In the moment photography was almost irrelevant. I used a 70-300 IS DO lens on my 5D to place the tree in mid frame, silhouetted, so to speak by the light on the cliffs. But as the light was muted, I could only stop down to about f9 at ISO 400 and thus the foreground is slightly soft.
-Nat
Georg R. Baumann
Inactive
....too tired to say something meangingful, apart from that, I really like you work Nathaniel and continue watching it iwth pleasure....
Mike Shimwell
New member
Hi Nat,
Sorry I've been busy this week, but I liked this shot the first time I saw it on my mobile! I might very slightly darken the background area - though on paper it may look different - but the contrast with the foreground diagonal broken by the tree works for me.
It's intersting that you used the 70-300DO as I find that sometimes seems to lack a little contrast and gives a look that (with hindsight!!) particularly if there's a lightsource towards the back of the frame.
Mike
Nathaniel Alpert
Member
Mike,
I appreciate your comments. I am looking for detailed suggestions about how to improve this photo. This scene was quite foggy, atmospheric, if you will. I travel with two bodies, a 20D and a 5D, along with a 16-35 L, a 24-105 IS L and the 70-300 IS DO. I try not to change lenses in the field.
This composition was beyond the reach of the 24-105. It was shot at the extreme limit of the DO, 300mm, which is not its best range. I bought the DO, thinking it would be a better travel lens than the 70-200 L lenses. I am not sure I would do it again. But one can make good pictures, provided you understand its behavior.
I agree with you that out of the box, it is not the most contrasty lens. However that is not a good excuse for failure with this lens. Much can be done in post processing. Are you saying that the DO caused some kind of "look" at the back of the frame? If so, I am not sure if I agree. There was a considerable variation in exposure values between the forground and background.
-Nat
I appreciate your comments. I am looking for detailed suggestions about how to improve this photo. This scene was quite foggy, atmospheric, if you will. I travel with two bodies, a 20D and a 5D, along with a 16-35 L, a 24-105 IS L and the 70-300 IS DO. I try not to change lenses in the field.
This composition was beyond the reach of the 24-105. It was shot at the extreme limit of the DO, 300mm, which is not its best range. I bought the DO, thinking it would be a better travel lens than the 70-200 L lenses. I am not sure I would do it again. But one can make good pictures, provided you understand its behavior.
I agree with you that out of the box, it is not the most contrasty lens. However that is not a good excuse for failure with this lens. Much can be done in post processing. Are you saying that the DO caused some kind of "look" at the back of the frame? If so, I am not sure if I agree. There was a considerable variation in exposure values between the forground and background.
-Nat
Mike Shimwell
New member
Hi Nat
Sorry, I was not saying the lens had caused the low contrast - I started out saying that and then failed to correctly edit my comment. I have both the 70-300DO and a 70-200f4L IS and whilst the 70-200 is undoubtedly a better lens in terms of optical performance the DO is relatively unobtrusive and portable, so I've kept it so far. Also, as you say, provided you take care when using it the results are good. It was also fun using it on a friends 20D at a wedding last year...
I took the liberty of copying your picture into photoshop and having a bit of a play - I hope you don't mind. If would start off by using either levels or curves to brighten the highlights slightly (in complete contrast to my earlier comment!) and just move the blackpoint upwards very slightly. This brightened the image and gave a bit more contrast. If you wanted to go further you could use unsharp mask to increase local contrast and mask the layer to just work on the lighter background, but this might be a step too far and lose the soft quality from the misty atmosphere.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Mike
Nathaniel Alpert
Member
Thanks for taking the time to work with my image. I will try your ideas when I get a little time.
-Nat