[stevegreen]

Got a day off work so grabbed my camera and trundled off around my local area today.

Decided to have a work on my composition and try and 'see' a few more things and I am quite pleased with some of the results. I have had a play in Photoshop with the majority of images to try and add a bit of extra 'feel' to them.

Anyway, as always the images below are clickable links to their respective Flickr photo page where larger sizes (much better) and .exif can be seen.

Landed

This is an old derelict house not far from where I live and whenever I walk past I always go and have a look around. Strangely, a boat has suddenly appeared in the grounds. I gave this a quite extreme black and white treatment.



Horsehay and Dawley

I had to jump a fence to get this shot (and the others on my flickr stream from the same location) as the old station is now unused and has been for quite a while I would guess. Again, I gave this a black and white treatment to fit in with the lack of use of the place.



Beware of the Trains

This was taken at Telford Steam Railway in Horsehay. Again, just up the road from where I live. This place is open on Sundays and Bank Holidays only and has a load of old carriages and a miniature steam railway running round the grounds. Where I stood to take this is accessible to the general public, so no fence jumping here! I liked the way the gate was open and seemed to be allowing the train through, even though it probably hasn't moved in years.



Urban Flowerpot

Spotted this plant growing out of a wall alongside a path that runs past some old factories in Horsehay in Telford. I liked the contrast between the living plant and the dying downpipe which seems to be merrily rusting away.



Doors

Possibly my favorite of today. These two door were on the same path. I stood in the trees opposite to get a bit of natural framing and then the image has been played with in Photoshop to get a bit more of a 'derelict' feel. Strange how just walking down this path gave me a real buzz with the photo opportunities that presented themselves.



Broken

Another one from the same place virtually. Again,photoshopped to give a bit more feel to it.



And the last one.

Grit

A bit of selective colourisation here just to emphasise the grit bin. In truth the background was virtually black and white anyway so I just made sure with the B&W treatment. The grit bin was bought back out using the history brush.



Comments as always more than welcome.

[lolyton]

Nice set, my favorite is probably the same as yours, i like the Doors one the best, i like the lack of saturation, and the general composition of the image. 2nd fave is Landed!

[Rob Barron]

Hi Steve,

Ok, let me see. Can I start with the ones I am not so keen on and work upwards so I can finish on a high note? Don't worry, that doesn't mean I only like one!

Ok, the first shot: yes, I like it sort of but if you hadn't told us it was a shot of a derelict house I would have assumed the boat was the main subject and the house just a dark bit of building in the BG. A boat in reasonable condition sitting on its trailer waiting for its owner to come and haul it off for a day's boating really doesn't complement a picture about dereliction so for me you would get a much stronger image if you got in closer on the derelict house and made it the subject of the shot. Basically you have two different pictures here in the one shot and there is no logical tie between them. That isn't to say the technical side is a problem, it's just the content that I don't feel works.... IMHO!

Ok, the railway line, yup, ok, it's a railway line. No trains cos it's disused... which I know because you told me. Again, sorry but it is you that is telling me what to see in the picture, the image itself is not really doing much work. I don't hate the image at all and I desperately hope this isn't discouraging you in any way as it isn't supposed to at all, far from it (I promise I'll be giving you plenty to be encouraged about in a minute!) But if the old adage is true, that every picture tells a story, let the picture tell the story. If I can't get it without any explanation, the picture is perhaps not as strong as it could be, that's all I am really saying.

The selective mono, yup, it's ok. Doesn't keep my interest for too long because the bin is a bit ireelevant in the shot. If it is a grit bin and there was a load of snow or frost evident then it would really hang together nicely and be a strong image.

The old doors: I am warming up here, I like the image and effect because it says something: derelict and unwanted. I could do with just a bit less twigs in my face but I still like the shot and feel it is a reportage shot of the lack of respect some people have for their world. It is a touch flat, needs adjusting to cover the full range of luminance but that is easily done with the curves tool.

My favourite is without question the Urban Flowerpot (great title too!) which really does hold my attention a bit more. Again it lacks dynamic range so it could do with adjusting but I love the range of textures here and the composition is good. The way there is fullness of life coming from something that looks old and decaying fills me with a sense of hope. In my own personal opinion, that shot has the makings of being the best in this set by a long way. Just adjust contrat a touch and it's there, a real winner for me.

There you go, hope I wasn't too harsh, it was obviously a very productive walk and I admire the way you have looked for all sorts of different things to show that walk off, not just bits of the same thing.

Good work.
Rob

[stevegreen]

Thanks for your comments Rob, all appreciated.

I can see what you mean about the first image, it does have confusing content I guess. Composition wise though I was quite pleased as I managed to get both elements of the image on the thirds it's just that maybe they don't actually go together. The sun was a right pain in that shot as it really was in an awkward place, thus the blow out top right which I excentuated in the harsh b&w conversion.

I also agree with you about the railway image not really saying 'derelict' (maybe I was a little excited about the latter images and gave the thread a slightly misleading title) There isn't much at the train station to suggest derelict, in fact there isn't really a station there, just a platform. It was a good opportunity to get down low without fear of being run over by a train though. There are some others of that location im my Flickr stream.

I chose to do a selective colour on the Grit image because it needed lifting a little from what was a fairly 'mundane' shot. I liked the lines of the brickwork at the back and the simplicity of the image as a whole. The background, apart from the lines, was pretty bland anyway thats why I chose to desaturate and to highlight the yellow bin to give a stark contrast in colour. Again, I left the bin on the third for compositional reasons.

I have already said that the door shot was my favorite of the day and I took a number of images at that location. The PS work was designed to give a low key, morbid type of feel to it and in part I think this has worked. I might have another play with it and see what a further curves adjustment will do to the image as a whole.

I took a number of images of plants growing in and along walls as I liked the contrast in colours. Again, the PS work was aimed at giving it a subdued feel, highlighting the rusty downpipe whilst retaining the green of the weed. I must add that this image didn't actually have that much done to it, just a levels adjustment and a slight desaturate.

I appreciate all comments and will never 'get the hump' just because someone has a different view. All of these comments are important as they help others to 'grow and learn' about the art of photography. I'm learning very quickly that personal opinions are very different, but all of equal value

[danpen]

I really like "doors" and the treatment you've given it, taking the shot through the branches could so easily have looked wrong, cluttered, even lazy but I think you've pulled it off.

I'm not so keen on "urban flowerpot" as Rob (a;though it's a nice image) but do really like the texture you've captured on the drainpipe.

A good set of shots in general with a couple that do stand out as being better.

cheers

Dan

[P-E]

Really good set of shots

[Dave]

I can see why you are pleased with composition on most shots, as they do have a nice balanced feel to them.

Mono processing is good, with some lovely detail in the foliage on 1st shot.

Really like the processing on the doors shots....what processing did you do ?

A productive day out I would say Steve

[RichW]

Good set of shots. Just goes to show that you don't have to go looking for the 'wonderful panorama' all of the time. Just making sure your batteries are charged and your memory card is empty and going for a walk is inspiration enough

[stevegreen]

Originally Posted by Dave

Really like the processing on the doors shots....what processing did you do ?

All it was Dave was an adjustment on the levels (putting the sliders closer to the peak in the image histogram) a slight desaturation and a faded sharpen (to about 15%).

Thanks very much for the further comments.

[skipper954]

The urban flower is my fav. I really like the contrast between the plant, bricks and drainpipe.

I would like "landed" also if you would crop just at the bow of the boat.

Interesting that everyone has a different opinion. Again, that is a reason that our art is so dang intriguing.

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