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Post by hmca on Apr 4, 2018 20:25:55 GMT
I hope as the weather improves where you live you will continue to add to the Landscape Challenge from last month. I know I never got to post some of the landscape images that I had hoped to share. For April we are going to take a look at what might be considered "Urban Landscapes". Your images don't have to be from a big city but could be from towns near where you live. The emphasis is not so much on beauty but rather images that relate city or town living. Going for a clean street scene might be difficult; if need be street signs, people and cars may work with your scene, depending on the story you wish your image to convey. Here is an article from DPS to get you started. Being from New Jersey, I especially liked looking at the work of George Tice. These are closer to the "landscapes" that I see on a daily basis. Another photographer whose work I found interesting was John Leuba. I especially liked the way he honed in on a particular features of one Bank Street in New London Connecticut. You will have a lot of leeway for this month....you can shoot a broader scene or a "more intimate landscape" if you wish. I am posting this a day early as we will be away for a few days. And being I haven't found the time to shoot for this theme yet, maybe I'll come home with a few pictures to add. |
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Post by hmca on Apr 9, 2018 21:11:06 GMT
I wouldn't have thought of this as an image for urban landscape until I read the article from DPS. While my image certainly doesn't have as much "evidence of people" as their example, if you look closely you can see a varitety of interesting things in the windows. I was most drawn to this shot because of the repeating patterns. After my initial editing I used SE reverse spectrum with the green filter. This combination emphasized the midtone and allowed me to darken the sky. I then took a copy of this edit into On1 and used the B/W filter for dark skies. Back in photoshop I used a mask so as to just keep apply the sky from On1. This was taken in Baltimore while we were away this weekend....hope to get some town/city shots closer to home in the next few days. u.cubeupload.com/HMCA/313DSC00056BW.jpg |
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Post by PeteB on Apr 12, 2018 4:14:58 GMT
Helen
Great urban landscape--really like the black sky. I think that I photographed this building last year ... it is near Inner Harbor. Like you, I was drawn to its patterns ... you did a great job in the capture.
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Post by hmca on Apr 12, 2018 13:24:51 GMT
Thanks, Pete. I hope you'll share some Easton scenes with us this month.
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Post by hmca on Apr 13, 2018 1:46:29 GMT
Went to a neighboring town and had fun shooting for this theme. For my first batch I'm posting images with people in them. It was a bit of a challenge to avoid vehicles but if I waited there was usually a lull in the traffic. Silver Efex was used for the conversion to black and white. After I choose and tweak a preset, I have started using the filters available to emphasize a particular part of the image. In some cases I also added some high dynamic range in On1 and used the big softy vignette.    |
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Post by hmca on Apr 14, 2018 16:02:33 GMT
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Post by PeteB on Apr 15, 2018 16:54:59 GMT
Hi Helen Still not sure as to what defines urban landscape photography. Perhaps I’ve been doing it for a long time.  I’ve read your linked article, did some research and also looked at photos (George Tice, etc.). Here is an entry, hoping it meets the criteria. This image was converted to B&W using a Black and White Adjustment layer (by way of Elements+). Also used Camera Raw, some d&b, and added a vignette. 2812blog.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/ap_7116.jpg |
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Post by hmca on Apr 15, 2018 17:48:58 GMT
Hi Helen Still not sure as to what defines urban landscape photography. Perhaps I’ve been doing it for a long time. I have to agree, Pete. For this challenge, I am happy with a broad definition as it gives members a lot of leeway as to what they might submit. Here's another article on the subject. I especially like his bottom image. In his following article he includes some great suggestions for creating city shots that go beyond the ordinary......much the way one might approach traditional landscape photography. |
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Post by Sydney on Apr 16, 2018 4:14:50 GMT
Awesome images Helen! I hope there is no deadline on this challenge as I want to take part now that I am feeling better. It might have to wait a bit longer though as I will be away for a few weeks.
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Post by Bailey on Apr 16, 2018 4:44:28 GMT
Chinatown   |
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Post by hmca on Apr 16, 2018 13:10:12 GMT
Bailey.....two nice submissions. It would be helpful if you edited your post to add a brief description of what you used for your conversion to black and white. Thanks!
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Post by Bailey on Apr 17, 2018 4:01:38 GMT
Hi hmca, Bailey .....two nice submissions. It would be helpful if you edited your post to add a brief description of what you used for your conversion to black and white. Thanks! The method I used is the same I use in all B & W conversions (all in PSE) as I described in the B & W Challenge No. 8 thread: I took this photo in colour. What I normally do to convert to black and white is: 1: Use one of the presets under Enhance -> Convert To Black and White to get as close as possible to what I am after. 2: Then use a series of Levels Adjustment Layers (and sometimes Brightness and Contrast) to adjust various elements in the image, using masks, to maximise the tonal range and bring out as much detail in the image as possible or required. Ideally, you want good solid blacks and whites. The overall histogram and the histogram for the various elements is the best way I know to maximise the image's tonal range. A full tonal range helps give depth and punch to the image. If the BW image doesn't have good blacks and whites, resulting in a low contrast image, the image will most probably look flat and lifeless and lack detail imho. |
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Post by hmca on Apr 17, 2018 12:55:29 GMT
Thanks, Bailey. Although people sometimes forget, ideally members will include a brief description of the B/W conversion process they used each time they add an image to a B/W challenge. This would give people new to the challenge, or those who liked your conversion, some indication of how you achieved your results. That's the way this challenge was set up. |
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Post by PeteB on Apr 19, 2018 1:29:30 GMT
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Post by hmca on Apr 20, 2018 19:04:46 GMT
So PeteB ........this is closer to what I think most people might consider an urban landscape. ( I just used my phone to take a picture and found this one that I had taken at Baltimore Harbor and then forgotten all about.) However, I'm not sure how many of our members live close enough to a big city and am happy with the images you, Bailey and I have submitted so far. u.cubeupload.com/HMCA/IMG1035.jpgUsed On1 Black and White City Streets filter for this one.....followed by NIK Define.......and then NIK Dynamic Contrast at half strength. |
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