POTM Entry August 2008: "Modern Farming" - bit-tech.net Forums

Nexxo · 6th Aug 2008, 14:07

Point of View entry. Or Culture. Or both...

yodasarmpit · 6th Aug 2008, 14:13

This is a nice shot, and you have dealt with the exposure great.

Nexxo · 6th Aug 2008, 14:25

Thanks, means a lot coming from you who always takes impeccable landscape shots!

I was hoping the blades would blurr slightly to give a sense of motion. At some point I want to arm myself with a tripod and filters and do a series of Shutter Priority shots where the blades are blurred to full circles.

yodasarmpit · 6th Aug 2008, 14:35

A tripod would be necessary, but if you caught it early or late enough in the day you could work without filters.

Da Dego · 6th Aug 2008, 14:59

I love the theme and its unique interpretation. However, I think the picture could use a little bit of assistance for clarity with its post processing. The general exposure is NAILED but I actually lose the upper right blades in the clouds due to their color, making them almost a strain on the eyes.

I'd start with it in Photoshop, and probably apply the following:
0) slight crop to bring the windmill out of center for a more dramatic appearance - look to the lower right for a "hold" corner and shrink down til the tower is at about 1/3 from left. Will cut left and top down a bit for a nice shape.
1) Unsharp Mask (by the look of it, settings of about 200%, radius 1, Threshhold 10?)
2) Adjustment layer, Contrast - 10%
3) Clone the main image, blend mode multiply, opacity 30%
4) Apply "hide all" layer mask to that layer, then use a bar gradient on the layer mask. Center of the bar should be the middle of that light patch.

That will help even out the tone and eliminate that "bright spot" which makes it harder to distinguish details of the image. There's more I'd probably suggest, but it'd be having a play and hard to explain. Nothing that will change the look drastically, just "iron out" the wrinkles provided by natural light

Nexxo · 6th Aug 2008, 15:25

I've got Paint.Net here (can't afford Photoshop). It does not have some of the functions you describe... Sharpening is basic, and it does not have a "hide all" layer mask function with gradient bar so I had to cheat with a white-to-transparent gradient on the 30% opacity layer... but here's the result:

OleJ · 6th Aug 2008, 15:37

Wouldn't "Culture" be the category? Culture is the direct meaning of farming and it fits well as a descriptor of the taming of nature in the shot. Otherwise please hint at me to connect "Points of view" and a wind turbine.
Is it a hint at the different views on wind turbines? Whether they are pretty or not? I'm only seeing one point but not the view (relation)... Maybe I'm just dense...

Edit: Oh and good to see a submission from you again

. Is it my lacking memory or has it not been a while?

Blademrk · 6th Aug 2008, 15:44

Well Nexxo called the shot "Modern Farming" so I guess the explanation would be that it's farming from a different point of view (i.e. not agriculture or livestock, which is the typical thought when someone mentions farming).

Nice shot Nexxo, I agree the top prop does get a bit lost in the clouds, but the sheep in the bottom half of the shot give it a nice sense of scale.

Nexxo · 6th Aug 2008, 15:45

You're right: it would be as good an entry under "Culture". I was originally thinking about the controversy of wind farms: many people think they are ugly and pointless; I consider them beautiful and functional. As Blademrk says there is also a contrast with traditional ideas of farming (sheep). I think that sheep alongside electricity generating windmills are going to be a sign of the times. Farming ain't what it used to be.

It has not been a while. Been busy, and I've not photographed anything worth submitting for a while.

BlackMage23 · 6th Aug 2008, 16:06

Second pic does look better.

Hwulex · 6th Aug 2008, 16:19

Lovely shot, and nailed on colours and exp. Think I'd actually prefer a landscape crop with 'mill in left side of frame with downward slope to bottom right corner and lovely cloud colour space in top right. If that makes any sense.

Da Dego · 6th Aug 2008, 16:29

The second shot helps quite a bit to me. Nexxo, if you want me to have a go at it sometime since you're sans Photoshop, I'll be happy to try. I really like the concept.

OleJ · 6th Aug 2008, 17:31

I see. I still think the semantic impact would be greater having "culture" in mind though. I guess I'm still too dense to see it

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexxo

It has not been a while. Been busy, and I've not photographed anything worth submitting for a while.

Please to make to translate?

Oh and 2nd one is by far the best. Composition works a lot better.

akpoly · 6th Aug 2008, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleJ

Oh and 2nd one is by far the best. Composition works a lot better.

I agree

Windmills are beautiful objects IMO. Although when they spin too fast and implode is another situation...

supermonkey · 6th Aug 2008, 19:06

I love how calm this image is. The warm colors and soft edges throughout all lend to a serene feeling. It kind of creates a visual paradox of cold science vs the warmth of the natural landscape. Windmills are the new trees, it seems - when I think of this type of shot I almost always imagine a giant oak tree dominating the scene

As others have said, the exposure is well handled, and the composition in the second version is great. Although I'm completely fine with the first composition, placing the turbine in the left portion of the frame provides a stronger visual impression of the invisible wind. If the turbine had been rotated slightly to face the camera, and if the blades had more motion blur, I think the first composition would have had a greater impact. Still, this is a wonderful shot as it is.

-monkey

Nexxo · 6th Aug 2008, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da Dego

The second shot helps quite a bit to me. Nexxo, if you want me to have a go at it sometime since you're sans Photoshop, I'll be happy to try. I really like the concept.

Go for it.

Da Dego · 6th Aug 2008, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nexxo

Go for it.

Email me the RAW, I need it if at all possible.

Shadowed_fury · 6th Aug 2008, 21:06

Very nice Nexxo

OleJ · 7th Aug 2008, 01:07

At which altitude did you shoot this? I'm asking since you have the clouds hiding the top... I know the UK can get cloudy but this must have been shot rather high up?

TNash · 7th Aug 2008, 04:36

Really nice. I love the look of wind power...I will never understand why people think those beautiful towers are hideous.

6th Aug 2008, 14:07	#1
Nexxo ...like a geek! Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 15,097	POTM Entry August 2008: "Modern Farming" Point of View entry. Or Culture. Or both... __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "There is no Real Life, only Away From Keyboard" --gpw111 "...my wife says I can't have any trolls, cause they argue with the dog and eat the fish" --KayinBlack Last edited by Nexxo; 6th Aug 2008 at 15:41.

6th Aug 2008, 14:13	#2
yodasarmpit The other Brett. Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: West Lothian , Scotland Posts: 9,664	This is a nice shot, and you have dealt with the exposure great. __________________ The Rt. Hon. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson - "Ping Pong is coming home" www.yodasarmpit.com clickr my flickr

6th Aug 2008, 14:25	#3
Nexxo ...like a geek! Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 15,097	Thanks, means a lot coming from you who always takes impeccable landscape shots! I was hoping the blades would blurr slightly to give a sense of motion. At some point I want to arm myself with a tripod and filters and do a series of Shutter Priority shots where the blades are blurred to full circles. __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "There is no Real Life, only Away From Keyboard" --gpw111 "...my wife says I can't have any trolls, cause they argue with the dog and eat the fish" --KayinBlack

6th Aug 2008, 14:35	#4
yodasarmpit The other Brett. Moderator Join Date: May 2002 Location: West Lothian , Scotland Posts: 9,664	A tripod would be necessary, but if you caught it early or late enough in the day you could work without filters. __________________ The Rt. Hon. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson - "Ping Pong is coming home" www.yodasarmpit.com clickr my flickr

6th Aug 2008, 14:59	#5
Da Dego Brett Thomas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 3,906	I love the theme and its unique interpretation. However, I think the picture could use a little bit of assistance for clarity with its post processing. The general exposure is NAILED but I actually lose the upper right blades in the clouds due to their color, making them almost a strain on the eyes. I'd start with it in Photoshop, and probably apply the following: 0) slight crop to bring the windmill out of center for a more dramatic appearance - look to the lower right for a "hold" corner and shrink down til the tower is at about 1/3 from left. Will cut left and top down a bit for a nice shape. 1) Unsharp Mask (by the look of it, settings of about 200%, radius 1, Threshhold 10?) 2) Adjustment layer, Contrast - 10% 3) Clone the main image, blend mode multiply, opacity 30% 4) Apply "hide all" layer mask to that layer, then use a bar gradient on the layer mask. Center of the bar should be the middle of that light patch. That will help even out the tone and eliminate that "bright spot" which makes it harder to distinguish details of the image. There's more I'd probably suggest, but it'd be having a play and hard to explain. Nothing that will change the look drastically, just "iron out" the wrinkles provided by natural light __________________ "Frankly that seems overkill. iluvtrees2 arguing with spec is the intellectual equivalent of a bunny rabbit taking on a pissed-off lion." - Nexxo

6th Aug 2008, 15:25	#6
Nexxo ...like a geek! Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 15,097	I've got Paint.Net here (can't afford Photoshop). It does not have some of the functions you describe... Sharpening is basic, and it does not have a "hide all" layer mask function with gradient bar so I had to cheat with a white-to-transparent gradient on the 30% opacity layer... but here's the result: __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "There is no Real Life, only Away From Keyboard" --gpw111 "...my wife says I can't have any trolls, cause they argue with the dog and eat the fish" --KayinBlack Last edited by Nexxo; 6th Aug 2008 at 15:39.

6th Aug 2008, 15:37	#7
OleJ Me! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 1,986	Wouldn't "Culture" be the category? Culture is the direct meaning of farming and it fits well as a descriptor of the taming of nature in the shot. Otherwise please hint at me to connect "Points of view" and a wind turbine. Is it a hint at the different views on wind turbines? Whether they are pretty or not? I'm only seeing one point but not the view (relation)... Maybe I'm just dense... Edit: Oh and good to see a submission from you again . Is it my lacking memory or has it not been a while? __________________ Quickr! Clickr to my Flickr! Canon camera stuff. Some aluminium PC, an HTPC and a MBP 17"..

6th Aug 2008, 15:44	#8
Blademrk Why so serious? Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Here Posts: 2,352	Well Nexxo called the shot "Modern Farming" so I guess the explanation would be that it's farming from a different point of view (i.e. not agriculture or livestock, which is the typical thought when someone mentions farming). Nice shot Nexxo, I agree the top prop does get a bit lost in the clouds, but the sheep in the bottom half of the shot give it a nice sense of scale. __________________ The Bit-Tech.net X-Box Live! Leaderboard My X-Box Live & X-Fire GamerTag: BladeMRK WII#: 0379 8536 3210 2060 My Flikr albums Twitter

6th Aug 2008, 15:45	#9
Nexxo ...like a geek! Moderator Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Birmingham, UK Posts: 15,097	You're right: it would be as good an entry under "Culture". I was originally thinking about the controversy of wind farms: many people think they are ugly and pointless; I consider them beautiful and functional. As Blademrk says there is also a contrast with traditional ideas of farming (sheep). I think that sheep alongside electricity generating windmills are going to be a sign of the times. Farming ain't what it used to be. It has not been a while. Been busy, and I've not photographed anything worth submitting for a while. __________________ "You actually hope to achieve your ideals, I just use mine as an excuse to hate everything" --specofdust "There is no Real Life, only Away From Keyboard" --gpw111 "...my wife says I can't have any trolls, cause they argue with the dog and eat the fish" --KayinBlack

6th Aug 2008, 16:06	#10
BlackMage23 RPG Loving Freak Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Temple of Fiends Posts: 159	Second pic does look better. __________________ I am the Black Mage. I cast the spells that makes the peoples fall down!

6th Aug 2008, 16:19	#11
Hwulex Freerider Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Camberley-ish, UK FR: Progressive Posts: 3,995	Lovely shot, and nailed on colours and exp. Think I'd actually prefer a landscape crop with 'mill in left side of frame with downward slope to bottom right corner and lovely cloud colour space in top right. If that makes any sense. __________________ Clickr my Flickr

6th Aug 2008, 16:29	#12
Da Dego Brett Thomas Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Cleveland, OH USA Posts: 3,906	The second shot helps quite a bit to me. Nexxo, if you want me to have a go at it sometime since you're sans Photoshop, I'll be happy to try. I really like the concept. __________________ "Frankly that seems overkill. iluvtrees2 arguing with spec is the intellectual equivalent of a bunny rabbit taking on a pissed-off lion." - Nexxo

6th Aug 2008, 19:06	#15
supermonkey Space Monkey Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 2,709	I love how calm this image is. The warm colors and soft edges throughout all lend to a serene feeling. It kind of creates a visual paradox of cold science vs the warmth of the natural landscape. Windmills are the new trees, it seems - when I think of this type of shot I almost always imagine a giant oak tree dominating the scene As others have said, the exposure is well handled, and the composition in the second version is great. Although I'm completely fine with the first composition, placing the turbine in the left portion of the frame provides a stronger visual impression of the invisible wind. If the turbine had been rotated slightly to face the camera, and if the blades had more motion blur, I think the first composition would have had a greater impact. Still, this is a wonderful shot as it is. -monkey __________________ But of bliss and of glad life there is little to be said, before it ends; as works fair and wonderful, while still they endure for eyes to see, are their own record, and only when they are in peril or broken for ever do they pass into song. -J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

6th Aug 2008, 21:06	#18
Shadowed_fury Natural Born Chaos Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Telford Posts: 7,133	Very nice Nexxo __________________ Steam: kev_fury New Frag Video - Gigabyte EP43-DS3L - E8200 - XFX 4870 1GB - 4GB Kingston - - Steel Series 7.1s - Logitech G11 - Razer Diamondback 3G - 2209WA -

7th Aug 2008, 01:07	#19
OleJ Me! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 1,986	At which altitude did you shoot this? I'm asking since you have the clouds hiding the top... I know the UK can get cloudy but this must have been shot rather high up? __________________ Quickr! Clickr to my Flickr! Canon camera stuff. Some aluminium PC, an HTPC and a MBP 17"..

7th Aug 2008, 04:36	#20
TNash Supermodder Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: USA Posts: 259	Really nice. I love the look of wind power...I will never understand why people think those beautiful towers are hideous. __________________ Project: Kenwood HTPC http://www.tnash.com