Hi Tim! They're both attractive, dramatic, well-composed images to my eye. Well done!
What does strike me is that while you seem to be aiming for a dramatic, high-contrast image, perhaps in the Ansel Adams style, you've gone a little far with the dark shadows. Although there IS shadow detail, and they're not "blocked up" with masses of featureless black as can happen if this approach is take too far, I'd open up the shadows as in the edits below.
I understand if you think this is a backward step, and kills the drama - it's YOUR vision, and they're YOUR images. I note that your portfolio generally features a similarly fairly low-key style.
Thank You! Yes I tend to make them a bit dark and contrasty, seemingly unconsciously at this point. I love Ansels style like that but I always seek to add more details. I dont know if he was limited by technology then and would be doing the same now? I hope Im doing my own thing and not just another yosemite valley clone but maybe thats where I fit in?
Not much in art, if anything, is truly original, is it, Tim? AA was my original great inspiration, although my tastes have evolved over the years.
Not sure what you mean about Adams, who was at great pains with his Zone System to preserve shadow and highlight detail. He would certainly be using all the tech that might help. His comments on the little colour photography (imagine 8 X 10 Kodachromes - I'd have killed for those!) he did, and the limitations in printing this make this pretty clear. If you don't know them, "Ansel Adams in Colouir" and "Looking at Ansel Adams", the latter written by one of his assistants, Andrea Stillman, are attractive books in many ways, throwing light on his approach beyond the strictly technical.
In case you don't already know them, you might enjoy the work of another one-time AA assistant, John Sexton, especially "Quiet Light" and "Listen to the Trees", although he has a softer touch than Adams. Also check out Michael Kenna, who like you doesn't mind a bit of Dmax, and uses film and the darkroom to this day (but a "mere" Hasselblad, not a view camera).
Hi Tim! They're both attractive, dramatic, well-composed images to my eye. Well done!
What does strike me is that while you seem to be aiming for a dramatic, high-contrast image, perhaps in the Ansel Adams style, you've gone a little far with the dark shadows. Although there IS shadow detail, and they're not "blocked up" with masses of featureless black as can happen if this approach is take too far, I'd open up the shadows as in the edits below.
I understand if you think this is a backward step, and kills the drama - it's YOUR vision, and they're YOUR images. I note that your portfolio generally features a similarly fairly low-key style.
Thank You! Yes I tend to make them a bit dark and contrasty, seemingly unconsciously at this point. I love Ansels style like that but I always seek to add more details. I dont know if he was limited by technology then and would be doing the same now? I hope Im doing my own thing and not just another yosemite valley clone but maybe thats where I fit in?
Not much in art, if anything, is truly original, is it, Tim? AA was my original great inspiration, although my tastes have evolved over the years.
Not sure what you mean about Adams, who was at great pains with his Zone System to preserve shadow and highlight detail. He would certainly be using all the tech that might help. His comments on the little colour photography (imagine 8 X 10 Kodachromes - I'd have killed for those!) he did, and the limitations in printing this make this pretty clear. If you don't know them, "Ansel Adams in Colouir" and "Looking at Ansel Adams", the latter written by one of his assistants, Andrea Stillman, are attractive books in many ways, throwing light on his approach beyond the strictly technical.
In case you don't already know them, you might enjoy the work of another one-time AA assistant, John Sexton, especially "Quiet Light" and "Listen to the Trees", although he has a softer touch than Adams. Also check out Michael Kenna, who like you doesn't mind a bit of Dmax, and uses film and the darkroom to this day (but a "mere" Hasselblad, not a view camera).