Hi,
during this lockdown, I've been combing through my old photos like mad, looking for some worthy images. I got better at finding images that would work with a B&W conversion, and that didn't work well in color. I think some are definitely keepers but I don't want to influence you, I'd like your unbiased opinion, what do you think ?
Black and white landscapes, CC welcome
I think they all work, Nick, except perhaps the 7th, with those very dense shadows. There is a tendency to excessive contrast and very deep blacks, maybe reflecting your tastes or your monitor. The second is beautiful!
Thanks Chris. Yeah the deep blacks are a matter of taste indeed, I usually go for the red filter look immediately. I agree that the 7th which shows Great Sand Dunes national park isn't the best, I just liked how the trees showed the scale of those dunes, but there might need to be more light on the dunes themselves.
Yeah, my reaction is simply to open up the shadows a bit, Nick. I can see some detail in them, but have to look so closely that it detracts from being able to just move around the image.
I think black feautureless shadows can be problematic because we instinctively look for what might be hidden in the dark. That's not the case here, but it was my initial impression. It can be a fine balance not to kill the mood by reducing the contrast too much, which is where personal taste and judgment come in, of course.
I think the red filter effect in itself, like in the skies in the last two images, is fine here.