Critique 2019 Octoberfest - harrylavo - player - 35/2D AF & 85/1.8D - D600 - Days 30 and 31

[NEF Said]

Day 22 - Center of Holyoke from Afar

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I've looked over the years for a reasonably accessible place to shoot a landscape shot of Holyoke. This is the best place I have found, and it is not good as there is too much foreground clutter, at least at 180mm which this was shot at (2x extender on the 85mm). The ornate tower in the center is Holyoke's still-used City Hall. The canal area that I showed you a lot of over the years is down in the valley between city hall and the dark bank on the other side of the river. I guess I'll never get a shot I really like unless I rent an airplane.

Time to look into drones!

New England towns are so picturesque, but it is really challenging to find shooting locations.

 

[Palouse]

21: Looks unnatural. If it was done to maintain a view, I guess that would be OK. I do like your view point--the lowered perspective looking up makes for a more dramatic shot.

22: Boy, you lucked out with those bands of light and shadow just in the right places.

 

[Harry Lavo]

Time to look into drones!

New England towns are so picturesque, but it is really challenging to find shooting locations.

Agree, Paul. But I'm actually comfortable leaning out of airplanes for shots, or at least I was 40 years ago. Probably easier (and more successful) than me trying to learn to fly a drone properly.

 

[Harry Lavo]

I like it centered, as it is a large focal point.

So do I Paul. Thanks for the observation.

 

[Harry Lavo]

21: Looks unnatural. If it was done to maintain a view, I guess that would be OK. I do like your view pount--the lowered perspective looking up makes for a more dramatic shot.

Better stated than I could do, Nick. Just looks artificial to me.

22: Boy, you lucked out with those bands of light and shadow just in the right places.
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I did, Nick. But I was helped a bit by NX2 in deepening the bank for a stronger effect.

 

[acnomad]

Day 21 - Shapely Tree?

I can see why this tree caught your attention. Nice composition. I can see why you want to correct the perspective angle in the lower corners. I suppose one way would be to shoot it again from a little further away, which may or may not be an option.

Day 22 - Center of Holyoke from Afar

Another nice composition. The postprocessing of the background colors might be a step too far for my taste.

 

[djh63]

I am quite happy with the tree Harry- both the way in which you have shot it and the shape created by the gardener. Keeping the tree trim allows a much greater chance of green growth in its shadow.
The landscape is good - layering is the key to this sort of photography. The more time one spends wandering the city with one's camera, the greater the chances of finding that elusive spot.

 

[Harry Lavo]

I can see why this tree caught your attention. Nice composition. I can see why you want to correct the perspective angle in the lower corners. I suppose one way would be to shoot it again from a little further away, which may or may not be an option.

Another nice composition. The postprocessing of the background colors might be a step too far for my taste.

Thank you for your observation, Andy. I dithered on it myself, and finally decided to go for the contrast. But I understand your review.

As for the tree, I actually thought I had enough around it for a minor perspective correction. Turned out the lower right was not a minor correction. Maybe tomorrow I'll shoot it again.

 

[Harry Lavo]

I am quite happy with the tree Harry- both the way in which you have shot it and the shape created by the gardener. Keeping the tree trim allows a much greater chance of green growth in its shadow.
The landscape is good - layering is the key to this sort of photography. The more time one spends wandering the city with one's camera, the greater the chances of finding that elusive spot.

 

[Harry Lavo]

Thanks for your observations, David. I guess this is one of the limitations of my not becoming proficient in layered photography. I may play with this thanks to your suggestion.

 

[Harry Lavo]

Day 23 - First Congregational Church, Westhampton MA

I've shot this church before, but always from the front. The foliage inspired me to try it from the side. The church is only one of four buildings in the town center. The others are a library (hidden behind the tree at right,) the town office (seen in background,) and to the left of it in this photo a town office annex.

One of the great advantages of living in Western Massachusetts is that while you can live in a city, the country is never far away. This location is about fifteen minutes from my home in the fairly dense part of Holyoke, and only about seven minutes from where I walk every morning.

And ps., yes I did try to eliminate the horizontal wires, but my tools in NX2 or my lack of skill in using what is there could not do it without creating obvious missteps. Besides, old fashion telephone pool wiring is a major factor in old New England. Hard to take a scenic without them, so perhaps second best is to incorporate them. I hope the poles on the left do that here.

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Commodorefirst]

Others may disagree, I like the leading lines with power lines, love the bright fall colors, just a good image of a moment and time and place.

 

[Palouse]

I'm with Wade, powerlines are a useful part of the scene. Nicely captured.

 

[Harry Lavo]

Others may disagree, I like the leading lines with power lines, love the bright fall colors, just a good image of a moment and time and place.

I'm with Wade, powerlines are a useful part of the scene. Nicely captured.

Thanks, guys. I agree and generally do not like to doctor photos like this too much. They are documentary in nature, not artistic expressions.

 

[acnomad]

Day 23 - First Congregational Church, Westhampton MA

One of the great advantages of living in Western Massachusetts is that while you can live in a city, the country is never far away. This location is about fifteen minutes from my home in the fairly dense part of Holyoke, and only about seven minutes from where I walk every morning.

I've lived in Eastern Mass and the Finger Lakes Region. You're in the sweet spot in between!

I did try to eliminate the horizontal wires

Not worth the trouble, IMO. Just go back next month with a wide-angle and stand under them for the shot!

 

[Palouse]

and the Finger Lakes Region

Me too Andy. Ithaca, NY, 1981-83.

 

[djh63]

Great colours Harry. I'll join the chorus in saying that the lines don't disturb at all and are an integral part of what is going on. Rather than trying to remove them in post, the other option is to frame without them and it looks as if that was not possible.

 

[NEF Said]

Great capture of the beautiful and scenic, New England look. The angle chosen, and tree add to the picture. Well done Harry!

 

[Chris101]

Day 21 - Shapely Tree?

I've done so many fall color shots in past Octoberfests I'm not concentrating on that this year. So the color on this tree is pretty, but ordinary, Fall Orange. What struck me was that apparently this tree has been "groomed" with careful pruning over the years. I don't recall ever seeing that on a full grown tree before. It sits on a far corner of an estate that has been turned into a museum here in Holyoke. But IMO the gardening got a bit out of hand on this one.

View attachment 1648589
ps. I did try to offset the perspective once I looked at the photo full size. Small as the bottom right area may be, it bothered me. But I could not do it, even partially, without cutting into the tree itself which would have destroyed the whole purpose of the shot.


Day 22 - Center of Holyoke from Afar

View attachment 1648590
I've looked over the years for a reasonably accessible place to shoot a landscape shot of Holyoke. This is the best place I have found, and it is not good as there is too much foreground clutter, at least at 170mm which this was shot at (2x extender on the 85mm). The ornate tower in the center is Holyoke's still-used City Hall. The canal area that I showed you a lot of over the years is down in the valley between city hall and the dark bank on the other side of the river. I guess I'll never get a shot I really like unless I rent an airplane.


Day 23 - First Congregational Church, Westhampton MA

I've shot this church before, but always from the front. The foliage inspired me to try it from the side. The church is only one of four buildings in the town center. The others are a library (hidden behind the tree at right,) the town office (seen in background,) and to the left of it in this photo a town office annex.

One of the great advantages of living in Western Massachusetts is that while you can live in a city, the country is never far away. This location is about fifteen minutes from my home in the fairly dense part of Holyoke, and only about seven minutes from where I walk every morning.

And ps., yes I did try to eliminate the horizontal wires, but my tools in NX2 or my lack of skill in using what is there could not do it without creating obvious missteps. Besides, old fashion telephone pool wiring is a major factor in old New England. Hard to take a scenic without them, so perhaps second best is to incorporate them. I hope the poles on the left do that here.

View attachment 1648678

Three superb additions to the saga of Holyoke. The fall colors really sing in all of these. In the desert, we won't see anything like that until December.

Harry, might there be a chartered plane ride in your future?

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

Day 1 - The Balky Match Lit Burner

Over the weeknd my hot water ceased. My landlord thought it was the heater and replaced it. Still no hot water. Then yesterday (instead of paying attention to the start of Octoberfest) I noticed that my stove pilots were struggling to light, and this one wouldn't light at all. So a quick call for service and the Gas & Electric serviceman confirmed my hunch that it was gas .... the emergency valve outside the house had triggered and cut the flow to a trickle of gas. In the process I learned a lot about how and why a simple broken ignitor on my most used burner would not light at all, and why that which appeared to be a simple replacement would require an hours work to disassemble and reassemble the entire stovetop. Then I said "couldn't I just light the burner with a kitchen match? The answer was "yes", and so my new 'manual' front burner was lit by match, and I commemorated the event with this photo.

The shot was taken on a tripod using my D600 and Nikon 85/1.8D lens in manual focus mode, at 1/2 second while using an Olympus micro lens adaptor. I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out .... but suggestions, questions, and comments are welcome.


Cool shot!

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