Your Best Photograph from the Previous Month - Critique and Discussion Encouraged

[CreationBear]

‘There may have been fogs for centuries in London. I dare say there were. But no one saw them, and so we know nothing about them. They did not exist until art had invented them.’

Oscar Wilde, ‘The Decay of Lying’

I think Alan touches on an important point--the palettes we "see" in Nature are as much or more a product of history and culture (or happenstances of technology) as they are measurable wavelengths of light. If you studied on a, say, a Thomas Moran (or in the case of Ken's first edit, a Bierstadt) who knows what part of the spectrum you'd find most suited your purposes.

[Ken Lee]

If you studied on a, say, a Thomas Moran (or in the case of Ken's first edit, a Bierstadt) who knows what part of the spectrum you'd find most suited your purposes.

Bingo ! I was certainly reaching for a subtle color palette - as in this 1946 Arizona Highways magazine:



Living in the Southwest for several years, we observe that the landscape can display many moods... and many more in between

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I do like to put up my images and then work them again at a later date. In fact, I am reprocessing one now that I did about a year ago. I also, tend to not develop my negatives for several months sometimes after I took the image. Mostly due to work and time, but it does have the same effect. I also take iPhone shots at the time I take the film image. I use it as a guide, especially when recreating a scene as it was, not as I remember. Interestingly though, as I process an image, I also realize just how much is there that I never saw, from fine detail to a cloud or color. The film captures way more than we see, or should I say, than we can recall.

I certainly like natural images and find that a lot of todays audience seems to desire if not expect and want the over saturated image. As always, there is generally no wrong image if done technically correct. You can of course mess up the composition, etc, but if technically done properly, then it truly becomes art in the end because you are able to start from a good canvas.

I like to convert my negatives, even positives to be as neutral as possible so as to provide me the widest latitude in processing to a final work. This is why I prefer to not do any conversions with the scanner software. This affords me the ability to convert and process in many different ways if I want. I like last image Ken, it is subtle for sure. I have lived in the Southwest pretty much my entire life and been to the Canyon many times and will continue to go. Every time, it different. Same with the Superstitions and other places in the Southwest.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Black and white of cape Royal at sunset, Grand Canyon North. This turned out really grainy as I underexposed it too much due to the sound. Didn't use any techniques to develop differently other than standard processing.

[Vaughn]

And a very charcoal-looking tonal range. Interesting.

[Gary Beasley]

I really like this one Steve, the tonal separation in the midground is great. Was that lighting, darkroom magic or both?

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I can see that. Tough shooting into the sun. Why I am experimenting with bleaching technique for developing. I do find it interesting the way it turned out.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I really like this one Steve, the tonal separation in the midground is great. Was that lighting, darkroom magic or both?

It was mostly lighting. Used a red 25A filter. So.e Photoshop dodge and burn and a trip Tru NIK SilverEfx. I need to set up my darkroom once my house is built.

[Tin Can]

I see a carbon print...

possibility

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Hmm, maybe when I start up my darkroom..