Devil's Dyke, Brighton

[MattGrey]

Hello all, a rare post from me, but really trying to find time to get out photographing again....

 

I took this shot a few years back, and was never really happy with my processing, so I've had another attempt.

 

I am happy with it, I got the composition I wanted, and feel I got all I could from the RAW with the knowledge and skills I have (if any!)

 

I would be interested in any honest thoughts on this picture, what I could have done different, where I may have let the image down etc....

 

I am thick skinned so be honest!

[ChrisLumix]

I think it's a perfectly  good, well-balanced composition, with all the right elements in place such as a series of diagonals that lead you into the picture. You've also got a dramatic sky for good measure.

 

But... and here's the personal opinion bit : I'm not absolutely sure it was the best picture to convert to mono? I have a feeling that the original colour (or colour version of the shot if you took this in mono to begin with) would be/have been a belter.

 

I personally think that conventional landscapes - of which this is a perfectly good example - don't lend themselves ideally to B&W, or at least, not without something that says "this will make a great mono shot" such as a man-made feature or artifact.

 

I nearly said "Welcome to the forums" but you've made more than 1000 posts! (Not in my time?)

[David]

Hi Matt, I really like it and agree with with Chris on all his comments but one...I think this is a really good conversion and I think it works well because of the shades of the fields enhanced by the sunlight in certain areas only. And I love that B/W sky!

 

That's not to say a colour version wouldn't be a belter I just think you have a belter there in mono

[MattGrey]

Thanks both.

 

Chris, yeah I've been a member here a good few years, but had very little spare time of late to post anything.  As for the B+W conversion, I have a soft spot for mono landscapes. Not to everyone's taste I know, but I just don't do colour!  (at least very rarely)

 

David, it was the light on the hills that drew me to this view, I liked the leading line of the road and fence, and also the road in the distant hills, but the light gave the image a bit of drama.

 

Thanks again.

[Guest]

I think that's a pretty good mono Matt and I too like mono landscapes.

 

Personally the only thing I would change would be to darken the bright stems in the foreground, they catch my attention a bit too much.

[fuzzyedges]

 

 

Personally the only thing I would change would be to darken the bright stems in the foreground, they catch my attention a bit too much.

Thats what it is

I have been back to this image a few times and couldnt decide what was out of place

My eyes should have followed the road in and over the hills

But they started at the disapearance of the road and came back to the fence ignoring the hills

As Bill says a little darkening of the bracken and maybe the fence poles 

I arnt a bw person but I like this image

[colinb]

I think Bill has a very valid point and once the additional edit is finished I think you have a winner, the road will take you down and the light on the far hills will work well for you - very nice.

[Guest]

lovely shot, welcome back stranger

[David61]

I think you have captured the shot of Devils Dyke well in b&w,plus the golf course on the right looks good.

[John]

I like this a lot, I don't think personally I would have done anything different, the composition is good and the conversion looks great.

[kev7d]

Nice one Matt. I really like the lines on the road and the fencing to the side of the road that pull my eyes into the shot. The intermittent glimpses of the road going into the distance is great. The light / dark areas on the field are very nice with the lighter area on the distant field keeping my eyes on the road. The road keeps my attention right through the image. In the centre of frame the hedge row and the darker trees also keep my eyes on the journey through the image. I think it would look nice in colour too? The diagonal lines of the landscape against opposite direction of the road create a nice balanced tension in the shot. I think this image deserves credit. I LIKE IT!!!!!!!