Cottages Take 2, C&C

[JamieR]

I went back to the cottages today to try again, the sky had more variation so doesn't appear as blown out as the last one did. Also tried from a different angle. Let me know if you think this is better or worse than my first attempt.

Manual
1/40
f/9
ISO 100
50mm

 

[LaFoto]

To my mind, this one immediately looks more interesting than the other one did. The houses now form a diagonal line within the frame, as does the fence (in two directions), an aspect that immediately gives the eyes something "more" to see, giving a depth that wasn't there in the first photo (in the other thread). The vertical line on the left is perfectly straight, which is also good! The sky has SOME structure, though not that much, but definitely more than in the other photo. It feels like any part of the photo BUT the sky (leave that out and untouched) could do with a(nother?) mild increase of the contrasts.

 

[JamieR]

Thanks for the feedback, i took care in trying to get the vertical line on the left as straight as possible. The problem I'm having, is when i expose for the sky, everything else is underexposed, and when i expose for the buildings etc, the sky is way overexposed. This is actually two photos in one, to different exposed photos, one for the main photo, and one for the sky.

I feel i like this version better than the last, and it has allot more contrast the other photo did. Would an ND Filter really help that much with the sky?

 

[LaFoto]

Well, I use ND-filters (the regular type) with all my lenses (as protection really in the first place), but I don't really know how much it helps. The way in which the sky throws its light across the chimney suggests you're not working with an SLR-camera? But a compact digital one? (I see the same happening in your avatar, was that one taken with YOUR camera, too?). Those cameras are limited to how they can deal with large dynamics... But the choice to combine two photos definitely looks like a wise one!

 

[JamieR]

I'm actually using a Canon 40D with the 50mm 1.8

My photos look like were taken with a P&S! Wow, thats really boosted my confidence lol

My avatar was taken on a camera phone, but it's the only one i had lying around of myself.

 

[LaFoto]

Oh, I'm sorry I even thought it might be a compact digital camera you work with! The light intrusion into the chimney might as well be an effect of your blending two pics together? (And the fact that the avatar pic was taken with a camera phone explaines why it looks the way it does, of course!). What can I do now to rebuild your confidence :shock: !!???

 

[JamieR]

Haha, no i understand why you would think it was took with a compact, my bad editing skills when merging the two photos together made it look like that.

I actually planned on tidying up the edges of the chimney, but totally forgot!

Thanks again for the comments, appreciate the feedback.