Tags
Australia, Back Beach, Color Efex, photography, postaday, rocks, Silver Efex, sorrento
I don’t normally do this, but I was so impressed with how this image turned out in Black and White, I had to show it first. So now I will go back to showing the original image.
There isn’t that much wrong with this. The sky is probably too blue and the rocks, in some places, are too yellow. This image was first processed back in April after a trip to Sorrento back beach. Some great images were taken, but when I was going through them, this is the one that stood out; begging to be reworked.
There isn’t a lot of difference between the two images, but I hope this one is more natural, the sky and the rocks aren’t so saturated. This one is much better, to my eye anyway.
This one has had a filter applied to it from Color Efex. I usually use the Classical Soft Focus, but this time I tried a different one, I applied the Sunlight filter. It has created a nice softness to the rocks.
Out of all though, the first one is probably the best, in my opinion. It certainly has the most drama, and we can thank Silver Efex for that. I used low key for it and did a few more adjustments.
I am in the middle of big job. I have to go to BMX racing the next couple of days. Not for long each day, but I have to be there. I have been given a job to photograph the girls and women racing BMX. It is a great job and so nice that they want photos of the girls. If you didn’t know better you would think that only boys raced, but there are lots of girls there. It should be a great couple of days, but also tiring.
Awards
poojycat has nominated me for the Sisterly Love Award. You can see the award on her website
I hope you check it out, and I would just like to say thank you very much.
I think the b / w photo is more expressive but I like the blue of the sky.
Thank you Susanne, the blue of the sky is pretty good.
I too like the B&W – it’s very dramatic, but I also like the coloured images. The first colour is a little bright for me, it suggestions post production work whereas the following photos are more natural and to me, more Australian
Thank you Kirsty, I probably could have added more drama to the others, but it seems right for the black and white.
I really think the black & white is the best, it has more impact.
I think that is a popular choice, thanks Johan
Wow, stunning image. I love the black and white version, it is very dramatic. For the coloured versions I love the sky and sea in the first one but prefer the tone of the rocks in the third
The sky in the first coloured one is a little too saturated for me, I like the last image of the coloured ones I think, but like you said love the drama of the B&W, thanks.
The black and white image is outstanding…so much more revealed in its simplicity.
Thank you Tincup, that is lovely.
Wow, you are fast! I just put the post up, and you were there!! I love the black and white. It’s amazing how much more dramatic it is. When everything was black and white, we longed for color. Now black and white has made a resurgence. Enjoy the races!
Haha, that is so true, it is funny how some people will only see the black and white, or that they don’t seem to consider the other one. I’m not really that fast, just a coincidence, I’m sure, thanks Marsha.
I don’t know what has put black and white back in vogue, but I’m like so many others, I really like it. I think maybe because it’s a new technology. We can take the color out, and put it in again in different places, or change the color all together. Amazing. Thanks for always being an inspiration to me Leanne.
I think the b/w has the most drama.
Thanks Mary, it is certainly the most popular.
Black and white is sometimes so much better than colour, a good example is the use of black and white for the film “The Elephant Man” (1980).
I think it works both ways, it depends on the image and should be done image by image. I like the black and white this time. Thanks element90
It’s great fun to try new things and to experiment; I like to do that all the time! Of this selection, my preference is the bottom, softer pic. It is bright and clear and is the Nature. Good work! Try the bottom pic as shown as the basis for a B+W version and see if you’ll change your mind about which is better. :O)
I probably would, I did wonder if I should do the same thing to the black and white, thanks Janina.
I love this image in B&W. I’ve been experimenting more with B&W. I’m just in that phase right now so the ocean in B&W speaks to me.
I keep seeing wondering black and white images and they really inspire me to try it out more, that and Silver Efex. Thanks Jen
Oh, my! That b&w is…. Stunning. Simply, stunning.
Although, the blue Autumn sky is great, too. Wonder why it’s only that color, at that time of year? It happens here, too.
Thank you Marie, that sky is something we get nearly all year round.
I like the b&w too, Leanne. Shows up the characteristics of the landscape more.
Thanks Colline, I think that is true, I like the way the B&W makes you concentrate more on textures and shapes.
Black & White for me (surprise, surprise). Lovely location and excellent shot.
Thank you Andrew
B&W is always good. I think it can enhance almost any image. Same with Sepia. Have fun at the BMX shoot.
Thank you John, The BMX was great.
Have to agree with you on the black and white for drama!
Thank you Pat, definitely more drama.
Yep, I too like the B&W. Perhaps you might try dodging the rocks a little? The white in the horizon draws my eye and I’m wondering if the centre rock formation was a little brighter the focal point might become even clearer. Regardless, it is a tremendous image, Leanne. Im a little jealous and would love to visit there myself. Just wonderful.
I did brighten up the centre rocks Distan, as much as I could without it looking like I had, not much you can do about water breaking on the horizon. Thank you.
For me B&W, but then I do have an affinity for black and white. Great Image!
I don’t think you are alone there, thanks.
Love this image, and it’s hard to decide if I like the B/W or color better. I might think about blending the 2, so the color is less saturated, and the B/W is softer. But I do love the drama of the B/W as it is.
I can understand that, I sort of agree, thank you colormusing.
I love this… all your stuff actually. Every time I visit here it just makes me want to try harder to learn how to do this.. LOL… maybe I will be able to get time soon… Love to visit here! <3
Thank you Keli, that is such a lovely thing to say. I hope you get some time, good luck.
Totally agree that the 3rd shot from the top is most natural … the black and white was too harsh – and the first color was too strong in the colors to look real. Thanks for sharing your tips with us, I think it’s utterly fantastic what you are doing.
Thank you viveka, great to hear your thoughts.
The B&W is very dramatic, but your color “intemediates” are very nice as well.
Thank you David, it is nice to see that you have considered the colours ones as well.
Love the B&W, but the colour shots are really beautiful (although the second seems a little harsh)- the detail is so alive looking.
The second one is too harsh, it was when I was still learning what I was doing, thank you Richard.
I love the black & white. The photo is absolutely fantastic.
Thank you annenieannenou
Agree with Mary….the B+W is outstanding. Love it!
Great to hear, thank you Mike.
It’s hard to get past the B&W. Showing the best first certainly has its drawbacks. The other versions are all good, the last two in particular, but the B&W is definitely the cream of the crop! I just love Silver Efex, if you haven’t you really need to try SEP2.
Yes it does have drawbacks, but I hope that people get past that and look at the colour ones. The first image was done with SEP2 Jeff, I love it, it is such amazing software.
Well I can’t speak for other, but I did enjoy the color versions. But that B&W definitely stole the spotlight.
Thanks Jeff
The B&W is great!
Thank you Scott.
I agree with a lot of the comments – the B&W is the most exciting to me. And I think the blue of the sky and orange of the rocks is a great combination, so you have great source material.
Thank you oneowner, it is great place, I would really like to go back there sometime.
I agree, the B&W is the best one of this series. Good luck with your photo shoot this weekend.
Thanks Bella, I think it has been the most popular. The weekend went well, thanks
the contrast is really beautiful! awesome work!
Thank you Rhey.
Wow, really beautiful. I studied your photo’s a bit. The b and w, nice…dramatic. I like the second one as I noticed the tiny details more than the others.
Thank you mistymidnite, interesting choices.
There is only one problem wiht your Site Leannne– Every time I come over here I can’t LEAVE.. and I have to get to bed……… Sigh. Great and inspiring work as always
Haha, that is one of the best comments I have ever had, thank you, it always so good to read comments like this. Thank you.
The b&w is just stunning
Thank you faures.
I especially like the B&W it’s wonderful. The digital photo lab is so much fun;• )
That is so true Timothy, thank you.
I was in Australia this year and I absolutely loved your beaches! I can’t say which one is the favourite, I just enjoyed all of them (the one I visited
)
Now I’m using your technique on couple of photos I took
I hope the technique works for you, our beaches are great, so much sand. Thank you.
Congrats on the job, Leanne…should be quite a bit of fun!
Opening this post, my first thought was: “Here she is, doing that Ansel Adams thing again!”. The shot is great, to begin with, but the B/W captures so many details of the grandeur of this beach…WOW!
Thanks 1000, it was a lot of fun.
Wow, what a wonderful compliment, my favourite I think. Thank you so much, I must do more of these.
;>) !!!
I love the black and white and the drama it has.. Mind you I also like the vivid blue sky in the first colour photo but agree with when you say the second photo is more pleasing on the eye, with the rocks less saturated.
Thank you Bren, the drama of the first one is quite good, thought the blue sky has been quite popular as well.
As an island girl, I must say that the 1st rework really portrays the shoreline beauty well. Great job!
Oh thank you so much Berna, that is a lovely thing to say.
The B&W as well as being more dramatic somehow gives the illusion of depth more than the coloured images do, maybe it’s the weight of the black.
That is interesting EllaDee, not something I would have thought of, I must take more notice of that, thank you.
ahhh…. now these were a pleasure to re-see! perhaps you will be familiar with these!
http://maekitso.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/great-ocean-road/
I can remember going on a school excursion, and walking on London Bridge, not anymore. The Great Ocean Road is so nice, must do more exploring along there. Thanks Brad.
Dramatic black and white … somehow the subject lends itself to this format better than color. Nice rework. D
Thanks Dave, I think you might be right, sometimes if there are interesting lines and shapes B&W is the best way to go.
Great B&W!
Thank you Todd
i vote for the b/w! thanks for checking my site. you have interesting photo tutorials in your posts, i find it very cool!
Thank you GalOnTrip, I try to mix up what I do.
Especially love the black and white version.
Thank you very much, it has been popular.
They al look great! The last two are my favs though …more so the second to last one.
I think your fav is the most natural looking one, thank you.
The B&W express the tremendous number of directional lines that make this a Stunning photograph.
Thank you Bill, that is what I was hoping for.
I really like the black and white. I’m finding more and more that I really like good monochromatic images, and I keep thinking that I need to spend some time doing some of my own. I think you’ve really succeeded in dramatizing the image.
I also like the last one with the soft look. And I agree, that the last two are a little more natural as far as the colors go. Maybe it’s just more what I’m used to seeing, but I think you could have gotten away with deeper shadows, particularly in the first reworked version. (The softer shadows work well with the softer, final image, I think.) I tend to like high contrast, and though I do try to soften shadows in my own images, I sometimes wonder if I overdo it. Maybe the HDR craze has gotten us afraid of letting there be deep shadows in images? I don’t know. But I sometimes end up spending forever trying to “bring out” the shadows and then end up increasing contrast in the end anyway, so maybe it’s more just my personal preference.
At any rate, great work!
Thank you, I am finding the same thing, I want to do more black and white, especially now that I have Silver Efex.
I don’t know about the shadows, something to think about, thank you.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your photo’s are amazing! I love you you show the little changes between each stage that you do, fantastic.
Thank you Rachel, I like doing it for myself as well, it is a good record.
Hmmm the first and last I liked the best
So beautiful!
Thank you Amanda, always great to hear from you.
I like the 3rd one the best with the softening! Wonderful job as always, Leanne!
Thank you Paula, that great to hear.