Watcher of the Skies

pathoulihan1 · Oct 9, 2011

I really thought these converted nicely to B&W, I've only just started becoming interested in the form. Please let me know what you think. The thread title is a reference to an old song by Genesis (the Peter Gabriel version, couldn't help myself).

JMBriggs · Oct 9, 2011

#1 I really like, but the leaves in the corner really take my eye from the bird... I would consider a crop of just the hoes and the bare branches.
#2, #3, and #5 all seem too busy to be black and white... I really had to look for the hoes in #2 and #3.
#4 I love!
Just my opinions though. Happy shooting!

JMBriggs · Oct 9, 2011

Hoes?!?! Seriously my phones auto correct is ridiculous! I meant bird*

pathoulihan1 · Oct 9, 2011

Oh autocorrect, the cellphone industries greatest prank, it's all good (I'm glad you didn't find any hoes in the shots

)

Thanks for your feedback!

jgooz · Oct 11, 2011

ya i couldnt spot the hoes either!

. great shot of the bird tho 1 is obviously my fave, 4 is nice but would have been better if there was like a sillouhette of a hoe on the branch!

D-B-J · Oct 11, 2011

I like the shots, but i feel like there is too much grey, and not enough black and white.

pathoulihan1 · Oct 11, 2011

jgooz said:
ya i couldnt spot the hoes either! . great shot of the bird tho 1 is obviously my fave, 4 is nice but would have been better if there was like a sillouhette of a hoe on the branch!

LOL

Thanks for the feedback.

D-B-J said:
I like the shots, but i feel like there is too much grey, and not enough black and white.

All I did was desaturate the images, increase contrast, and tweak highlights and shadows. Is there a better way to get a more authentic (filmlike) B&W conversion? I'm really interested in creating nice B&W's digitally and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

NickyG · Oct 16, 2011

Love #4, the dead or naked tree branches look like fingers that painted the wisps of light.

pathoulihan1 · Oct 16, 2011

NickyG said:
Love #4, the dead or naked tree branches look like fingers that painted the wisps of light.

Thanks! I like the description I hadn't seen it like that!

JeanFrancoisPaquet · Oct 17, 2011

Any modifications done to the pictures?
Realy nice shots.

pathoulihan1 · Oct 17, 2011

JeanFrancoisPaquet said:
Any modifications done to the pictures?
Realy nice shots.

Nothing major, just the basics in photoshop, including the desaturation.

Thanks!

CooProductions · Oct 25, 2011

As mentioned, #1 is pretty good, but the leaves are drawing me away a little bit. #4 is awesome, the tree is definitely popping out at me. The rest seem very busy to be black and white, like #2 and #3. I don't know how to feel about the final one, maybe make the blacks blacker and crop so the horizon isn't in the center of the frame, there's way too many trees in that photo, not much contrast. Keep it up.

pathoulihan1 · Oct 25, 2011

Jessica_Quinn said:
Wow! The first one is absolutely breathtaking, and shows strength! Love it!

Thanks! The hawk was really cooperative...seemed pretty used to people, it posed nicely.

CooProductions said:
As mentioned, #1 is pretty good, but the leaves are drawing me away a little bit. #4 is awesome, the tree is definitely popping out at me. The rest seem very busy to be black and white, like #2 and #3. I don't know how to feel about the final one, maybe make the blacks blacker and crop so the horizon isn't in the center of the frame, there's way too many trees in that photo, not much contrast. Keep it up.

Thanks for your feedback! Much appreciated.