[mfwild13]

I took this in the gloom yesterday at Bidford-on-Avon gliding club and subsequently cropped and 'chopped' it to make the 2nd image. Have I made the best of what was there with my edits or is there a better way? I only persevered with it because I liked the wave!

Original unedited (well just a little sharpening).


Cropped and chopped


I also took this which I really like because of the feeling of isolation but it doesnt feel like a good photo. Any comments?



Thanks
Mark
gallery

[Steep]

I think some levels adjustment would improve that first image as well m8.

[mfwild13]

Sorry I didnt express myself too well. The first image is just there for reference to assess the 2nd image against. I have not adjusted levels or anything else on the 1st image.

Mark

[Dave]

Hey I used to live in Bidford, then moved to Leamington, now in Evesham.....small world

Re photos hard to comment as I find it hard to make a small object against a sky look great.....bit of an art to it I think.

[Matty]

im inpressed how sharp it is in the crop, the weather did you no favours though im afraid!

[mfwild13]

Originally Posted by EosD

im inpressed how sharp it is in the crop, the weather did you no favours though im afraid!

I used the Fred Miranda sherpening plugin for the 350D (CSPro). It seems to work very well on a lot of my images as long as you wind it back a bit. Lens was Canon 75-300 DO IS at f5.6/120mm.

I was quite pleased with the relocation of the caravan though seeing I am very much a photoshop (elements) beginner.

Originally Posted by DJW

Hey I used to live in Bidford, then moved to Leamington, now in Evesham.....small world

I spent quite a bit of time at Wood Norton with my previous job so it is a small world.

[RobertP]

I've been staring at your crop/chop picture trying to work out what you did. Have you moved the caravan + stationary glider and cloned back in the background?

The haze of the distance probably made it a little easier but it's not a bad job at all. Shame about the air brake (?) partly obscuring the pilot.

[mfwild13]

Originally Posted by RobertP

I've been staring at your crop/chop picture trying to work out what you did. Have you moved the caravan + stationary glider and cloned back in the background?

The haze of the distance probably made it a little easier but it's not a bad job at all. Shame about the air brake (?) partly obscuring the pilot.

You are correct, I slid the caravan along half a width and removed the tail of the other plane. I had a go at removing the flap or brake or whatever but couldnt get it clean enough. See below but note that caravan is in the original position.

[Steve]

I have had a look at these for a while now and I am sorry to say that I disagree with you on all three. While the work that you have carried out is beneficial not only to the finished pictures but also to you developing your post production skills I feel that the subject captured in the shots has been overlooked…

In the two that you like the most you are drawing us in to look at the pilot waving, unfortunately he is not waving at us but at someone in the other direction completely. I see this as a little like photographing the back of an animal…sort of missing the point.? The pictures themselves are fine and the focus etc is spot on showing the camera skill has been applied but the subject position (the wave and direction he is looking) which you have no control over has let them down.

Now the third shot is a whole different story, I feel this could well be the strongest of the bunch. It has been captured well with a great moody sky surrounding it and together its does indeed show the isolation and scale. I would play on that and increase the contrasts to make the sky more moody and imposing, showing the strength and power of Mother Nature and how weak we are in comparison. Use the curves tool and then if needed apply a crop at the end to focus the picture. I really do think the third shot could be a very strong image.

Hope that helps?