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After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

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  • #1

    After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

    Part of a series of images taken during a week visiting ex-Abbey estates and country parks in the Sherwood Forest area north of Nottingham.
    This is at Newstead Abbey's walled garden and is part of a collection of sculptures showing old gardeners at work and rest.
    The image has had most of the colour taken out of it so that the sculpture remains the key feature in the photo, without other colours distracting - but does it work for the discerning Forum members? As a representation of a gardener, does taking away the colour in effect remove him from his 'natural' sourroundings within a garden?



    Regards
    Chris
    If I'm out I'm JustSwanningAround
    or more often at www.facebook.com/JustSwanningAround
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

    What a great subject!

    I am not so certain about the colour treatment, but I can imagine the background would have been distracting.

    What about full monochrome? There is a colour-mono conversion in CS3 that has various fake filters. I wonder if doing the conversion with a fake blue filer would bring the figure up while darkening the background...

    Pete
    Look, I'm an old man. I shouldn't be expected to put up with this.


    Pete's photoblog Misleading the public since 2010.

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    • #3
      Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

      Great capture and it works for me Chris.


      "This is another fine mesh you've gotten me into!"

      With apologies to Oliver Hardy (dec'd)
      Bob


      To see what is in front of one's nose requires constant struggle.
      GEORGE ORWELL

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      • #4
        Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

        Originally posted by snaarman View Post
        What a great subject!

        I am not so certain about the colour treatment, but I can imagine the background would have been distracting.

        What about full monochrome? There is a colour-mono conversion in CS3 that has various fake filters. I wonder if doing the conversion with a fake blue filer would bring the figure up while darkening the background...

        Pete
        Thanks for comments.
        Just as a comparison I'll show below three versions of a similar image. These are RAW edit treatments made using ACDSee Pro 3
        1/. the original RAW edit
        2/. RAW edit with all colour apart from cyan/blue removed - saturation increased
        3/. RAW edit with all colour removed (B&W) and alterations to lighting

        1/. 2/. 3/.

        In the end I chose the cyan/blue as having more impact, although I do understand your sentiment re the resulting colour!

        Regards
        Chris
        If I'm out I'm JustSwanningAround
        or more often at www.facebook.com/JustSwanningAround

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

          IMO you need the colour background and it helps tell the story. For me the subject is just too 'drab' in your first ('mono-like) version but the flat lighting doesn't help the image. Maybe a 'boost' in PS would give it a bit of sparkle?
          Dave

          E-M1 Mk2, Pen F, HLD-9, 17, 25, 45, 60 macro, 12-40 Pro, 40-150 Pro, 12-50, 40-150, 75-300, MC-14, MMF-3 (all micro 4/3rds), 7-14 (4/3rds), 50, 135 (OM), GoPro Hero 3, Novo/Giottos/ Manfrotto supports. Lowepro, Tamrac, Manfrotto, and Billingham bags.

          External Competition Secretary, Cwmbran PS & Welsh Photographic Federation Judge

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          • #6
            Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

            Originally posted by benvendetta View Post
            IMO you need the colour background and it helps tell the story. For me the subject is just too 'drab' in your first ('mono-like) version but the flat lighting doesn't help the image. Maybe a 'boost' in PS would give it a bit of sparkle?
            True - with putting up the alternatives it's useful to me for people to be able to see what effect some of the editing can have and thereby guide me in making possible improvements, and it does highlight the slightly drab feel to the original as you say.

            So this fourth and final edit has had saturation and lighting boosted to enhance the colours (and I have probably been deliberately slightly OTT with the saturation), followed by a bit of playing around in Photoscape with Bloom and other filters!



            Regards
            Chris
            If I'm out I'm JustSwanningAround
            or more often at www.facebook.com/JustSwanningAround

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

              Much better in my opinion although I would darken the yellow area in front of the face as this draws the eye a little.
              Dave

              E-M1 Mk2, Pen F, HLD-9, 17, 25, 45, 60 macro, 12-40 Pro, 40-150 Pro, 12-50, 40-150, 75-300, MC-14, MMF-3 (all micro 4/3rds), 7-14 (4/3rds), 50, 135 (OM), GoPro Hero 3, Novo/Giottos/ Manfrotto supports. Lowepro, Tamrac, Manfrotto, and Billingham bags.

              External Competition Secretary, Cwmbran PS & Welsh Photographic Federation Judge

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

                I liked the first, but I love this last one. It's seems to me to be me in 3-D now!

                This only goes to show how helpful our members can be.
                Bob


                To see what is in front of one's nose requires constant struggle.
                GEORGE ORWELL

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: After a hard day in the garden, time to relax

                  Thanks for all the comments - it was good to have an image that could show up some of the issues and some of the solutions that affect our decision making when editing a photo. The intended use of the image is also so important.

                  I'd be hard pushed to know which is my personal favourite, although I think the various comments illustrate why my original selected image with the blue wirework was my first choice - but the overall feeling seems to be that taking away the colour in effect does remove the gardener from his 'natural' surroundings within a garden.

                  Regards
                  Chris
                  If I'm out I'm JustSwanningAround
                  or more often at www.facebook.com/JustSwanningAround

                  Comment

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