What to do with this ?

[BananaRepublic]

What does one do with an image like this. I almost dont want to bastardise it as those in the know know what it is but at the same time Im wondering if it could be allot more.

I open to suggestions,

 

[Original katomi]

Hiya
Here are my ideas for you to think about. Not right or wrong just where I would go with your image
1 straighten the horizon
2 lighten the car on the left slightly at the left hand end
3 lighten the front of the combine just a bit
4 rename it combine eats car
But I am known for being out of the box so feel free to disregard all that have said

 

[BananaRepublic]

Hiya
Here are my ideas for you to think about. Not right or wrong just where I would go with your image
1 straighten the horizon
2 lighten the car on the left slightly at the left hand end
3 lighten the front of the combine just a bit
4 rename it combine eats car
But I am known for being out of the box so feel free to disregard all that have said

I have lifted the shadows slightly in one version so I was looking at that option. Do you mean the the machine thing when you say car as there is no actual car.

I appreciate your thoughts all the same.

 

[Original katomi]

When I expanded my I pad image it looked like there was a car or pick up on the left facing away from the combine

 

[BananaRepublic]

When I expanded my I pad image it looked like there was a car or pick up on the left facing away from the combine

It may have been a trailer I cant recall

 

[bulldurham]

I was pretty sure it was a combine in a field...I understand your wanting to add some drama by shooting it on the slant, but even lifting the shadows to get a better view of the machine, it not doing anything dramatic falls absolutely flat; it's just a machine sitting in a field.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I was pretty sure it was a combine in a field...I understand your wanting to add some drama by shooting it on the slant, but even lifting the shadows to get a better view of the machine, it not doing anything dramatic falls absolutely flat; it's just a machine sitting in a field.

View attachment 195878

I’ve tried a few times to get the movement but I don’t find it easy to do well the reel/front thing is moving but also the machine itself is moving.

 

[bulldurham]

Perhaps a longer lens. If I feel there is a shot an it's a bit on the "scary" side to shoot, I'll do all my presets, run up, make the shot then get the hell out of the way...no one wants to get chewed up in a wheat combine...yucky mess that would be.

 

[terri]

If you could provide your technical details for the photo, that would help, plus tell us what you were trying to achieve. If you were wanting to show us some movement and a feel of power or excitement, with your setup it's not getting you there. It does indeed look as though it is just sitting in the field - the only clue to movement is that there is long grass in front of it, and neatly cut rows behind it. But it's static - your shutter speed was fast enough that you stopped any motion of the blades.

I don't know how fast these things move, or how dangerous it would have been if slowing the shutter speed would have forced the use of a tripod, making it harder to get out of the way.

But that would have perhaps gotten you a better shot - blades whirling, even some hay flying in the air - something to show the purpose of the thing. IF that's what you wanted to capture. You'll have to tell us what you wanted. The angle doesn't bother me, except it can't compensate for lack of motion.

I’ve tried a few times to get the movement but I don’t find it easy to do well

I understand that. You might want to try another subject to practice with panning.

 

[BananaRepublic]

If you could provide your technical details for the photo, that would help, plus tell us what you were trying to achieve. If you were wanting to show us some movement and a feel of power or excitement, with your setup it's not getting you there. It does indeed look as though it is just sitting in the field - the only clue to movement is that there is long grass in front of it, and neatly cut rows behind it. But it's static - your shutter speed was fast enough that you stopped any motion of the blades.

I don't know how fast these things move, or how dangerous it would have been if slowing the shutter speed would have forced the use of a tripod, making it harder to get out of the way.

But that would have perhaps gotten you a better shot - blades whirling, even some hay flying in the air - something to show the purpose of the thing. IF that's what you wanted to capture. You'll have to tell us what you wanted. The angle doesn't bother me, except it can't compensate for lack of motion.

I’ve tried a few times to get the movement but I don’t find it easy to do well

I understand that. You might want to try another subject to practice with panning.

I Looked up the data and this shot was taken at f2.8, shutter speed 1/800, so on this occasion I wasnt going for movement, it looked good at the time and didnt really thing much more of it till post. They move at say 5 mph or just faster than walking speed. Id be pretty familiar with theses machines so I wouldn't personally be concerned about falling into one or something.

Panning I can do however in low light conditions the image 2 is what you get, its a farely crude example. These things operate during the day but Im at work etc.

I was mainly looking for thoughts on the first as I was wondering myself. Theres a whole industry of people taking images of farm machinery and selling them or jet stipends from dealerships who use such images to promote themselves on social media and they are far less dynamic I can tell you.

 

[smoke665]

I could go either way on the tilt though personally I prefer a level horizon. On the first shot my personal feeling is you either go all the way on silhouette or you don't. The image is to low of resolution to do much with, but I'd take the field and combine black, then work on bringing up the color and saturation of the sky. I played with it a little, there's a lot of warm orange that can be brought out that will really pop against the black.

Been a number of years since I ran a combine, but the reality is they move at a pretty slow, consistent pace. Shooting from in front of any moving machine might be more of a problem for the landowner then the operator. Modern machines (combines, tractors, sprayers, etc.) don't require a lot of driver input with all the technology onboard, but they do require concentration, so depending on where the driver's focus was, they could lose track of you, especially in failing light.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I could go either way on the tilt though personally I prefer a level horizon. On the first shot my personal feeling is you either go all the way on silhouette or you don't. The image is to low of resolution to do much with, but I'd take the field and combine black, then work on bringing up the color and saturation of the sky. I played with it a little, there's a lot of warm orange that can be brought out that will really pop against the black.

Been a number of years since I ran a combine, but the reality is they move at a pretty slow, consistent pace. Shooting from in front of any moving machine might be more of a problem for the landowner then the operator. Modern machines (combines, tractors, sprayers, etc.) don't require a lot of driver input with all the technology onboard, but they do require concentration, so depending on where the driver's focus was, they could lose track of you, especially in failing light.

Thanks for your thoughts I’ll give what you suggest a go.

 

[BananaRepublic]

I could go either way on the tilt though personally I prefer a level horizon. On the first shot my personal feeling is you either go all the way on silhouette or you don't. The image is to low of resolution to do much with, but I'd take the field and combine black, then work on bringing up the color and saturation of the sky. I played with it a little, there's a lot of warm orange that can be brought out that will really pop against the black.

Been a number of years since I ran a combine, but the reality is they move at a pretty slow, consistent pace. Shooting from in front of any moving machine might be more of a problem for the landowner then the operator. Modern machines (combines, tractors, sprayers, etc.) don't require a lot of driver input with all the technology onboard, but they do require concentration, so depending on where the driver's focus was, they could lose track of you, especially in failing light.

Ive done some edits, small perhaps, and this time there two alternate routes, kind off. Ive upped that saturation slightly and increased the vibrance in one but Ive stopped short of a 100% silhouette.



This one Ive left the shadows lifted. Also the resolution is increased a bit which may help some edits but I didnt want to post a big file.

 

[weepete]

I'd lift the shadows, noise reduce, probably bump up the vibrance slightly and colour grade it. I think other people are less concerned with straight horizons than photographers are.

 

[smoke665]

Ive done some edits, small perhaps, and this time there two alternate routes, kind off. Ive upped that saturation slightly

That's more along the lines of what I was talking about. When composing an image, it's easy to forget that color and contrast can be used as a simple yet powerful element in composition.

I don't remember which software you're using but in Lr, go to the HSL panel, click on saturation tab, click on targeted adjustment tab, hover the hand over the deepest orange above the black, click, hold and push up to raise the saturation of the Orange. You may have to do the same with the luminosity tab. In PS it can be done with either a curves or a levels adjustment layer by going to tge color channels.