Whernside Viaduct up close

Rob Barron · 27-10-2007, 12:44

A close-up version of the Whernside Viaduct. The lighting was unusually good when we got down to the bridge. We had the golden yellow of the sun setting but at the same time there was a stormy cloud system moving across behind the viaduct giving the result you see here.

Comments welcome.

Cheers,
Rob

RichW · 27-10-2007, 14:35

Like this Rob, the light is obviously beautiful (always helps don't you think!

) and I like the way the bridge leads my eye to the other side of the photo.

I would have liked have maybe seen a little more contrast in the sky to make more of the clouds, but tbh that really is being picky

.

Lovely shot!

Rich

JMitchell · 27-10-2007, 19:35

Great comp and light. Not sure if you've retouched this, but it looks a teeny bit oversaturated to me....

HIMUPNORTH · 27-10-2007, 20:10

The light is nice and the composition is probably as good as you could have come up with. This remains however a subject that is difficult to photograph from the ground given it's starkness.

Lee R · 27-10-2007, 22:17

I really like the image and the composition is right on the money. However, to get this shot to the next level you are going to have to wait for an even more dramatic sky. Your sky here is interesting, but falls short of the high drama that we have all seen when we don't have our camera's with us.

Rob Barron · 28-10-2007, 00:24

True enough Lee but my picture is of the viaduct, not the sky. I feel the sky works well here, bearing in mind that if the sky was dark and moody, you wouldn't have the light that brings out the golden yellows of the stonework. It would be easy enough to select this sky as it has a very definite border (the bridge) and then play with it to increase its contrast, make it more dramatic or whatever but the picture would then not look natural. Indeed, if this sky was over-worked, it would conflict with the FG detail making the whole image too busy.

Balance is important in a picture and that is why I resisted all temptation to play with the sky. I particularly like the way the clouds seen through the arches are more stormy as that was heading our way, as mentioned in the posting.

It is interesting that so far I have shown about 8 pictures from the Lake District and in every single case the sky has been commented on which actually, when you think about it, that is the part of a picture under the least control from the photographer. I am not talking about the levels of light, obviously you can make a picture look lighter or darker by adjusting the exposure but cthe detail in the sky is what you get on any given occasion (without help from Photoshop of course

)

I am pleased that people feel the composition is good here as that was the hardest thing to achieve. The lighting is strong and yellow (not over-saturated, it really was like that as is not uncommon in the 'golden zone' ) but that is not really down to me, that was the light I was treated to that day. Take a look at the distat landscape shot in the Sharing thread and you'll see a wider expanse showing the lighting, though it did intensify by the time I got down to the viaduct itself.

I did wait a fair while hoping the one thing that I really wanted would happen: a steam train to come across! No such luck

Thanks for the comments all,
Cheers,
Rob

JMitchell · 28-10-2007, 00:53

I doubt you'll like this Rob, as it is explicitly what you didn't want, but I've made a dramatic sky mono. I took your temptation so you didn't have to

Sorry

Jack

Rob Barron · 28-10-2007, 15:16

Errrm, if you knew this is exactly what I didn't want happening to my picture, why did you do it?

And you're right, I don't like it. The sky looks weird as it is all dark up to a parallel line with the top of the bridge and then a bright area behind the bridge. This now looks like the light source is from the left but the clouds and bridge show the light source is from the right.

JMitchell · 28-10-2007, 15:44

I was bored

neutron · 03-11-2007, 10:33

hello, rob. concerning the sky in pictures. i think that pshop or filters are oversused. yes, they will add "drama" or whatever but often they will detract attention from the subject or look out of place to the point of appearing unreal. the sky in this picture is what it should be- pleasant but in no way competetive with the subject. neutron copernicus +

Rob Barron · 04-11-2007, 22:27

Thanks Neutron, your comments are valid and helpful.

Cheers,
Rob

Dave Canon · 04-11-2007, 22:43

Rob, great photograph. I like the warm evening colours and the general composition. The only suggestion would be to have moved a fraction closer used a slightly wider angle and thus had the top left of the viaduct exactly in the top left corner of the frame. You could crop it that way now but I do not think it would be quite the same.

Anyway I had to think quite hard to suggest any possible improvement.

Dave