Into the Storm (B&W)

[Morkel Erasmus]

As promised, the colourless version...

It's a 3-image pano-stitch of portrait landscape oriented images, to create a "vertorama". We were driving into this storm on a particularly emotionally stormy day in our lives. We made it through on both counts.

Colour version here: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/103128-Into-the-Storm :t3


Techs:
Canon 1000D with 18-55mm IS @ 34mm
f8.0 @ 1/80 SS @ ISO-200

[Kevin Giannini]

Hello Morkel,
Wow, I love the tones of this B & W image, especially in the skies/clouds. But I think I happen to prefer the color version more. The color version it seemed more apparent of the sunlight reflecting off of the distant fields, contrasted by the menacing clouds. In this version the clouds are spectacular, but it's harder for me to see that it's sunlight in the distance. It almost looks like IR. Of course, others may see differently. Thanks for posting both of these!
Regards,
Kevin

[Don Railton]

Hi Morkel

I agree with Kevin, I think I prefer the colour version. In this the clouds are a lot more dramatic and the landscape much less compared to the colour version and I think this has slightly unbalanced the image IMHO. It looks to me like you have annoyed someone else as well as the other half and are about to punished with a big bolt of lightening.....!

DON

[Hazel Grant]

The BW version gives a dark and stormy night feel, but I have to agree, I like the contrasts in the color version. The peaceful land vs the overhanging forboding darkness.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Nothing beats those African skies! I like what the BW treatment did to the details in the clouds, but I like both versions.
Congrats with your newest member of the family!

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks guys - appreciate your honest feedback (and well wishes)!! :5

[Grady Weed]

Morkel,

The things I like and what make it a strong and interesting image. 1) The road. It is broad as it starts out and then it curves slightly to the right and narrows as it disappears. It stops in just the right spot as a power spot. 2) The skies. They show a variety of tones and light to dark hues, it conveys a meanacing feeling, which I liked. 3) You were able to choose a landscape which was not barren but contained enough bushes and trees to leave the viewer with the feeling that you were still in inhabitated territory and they must get out of there to safety.

That which detracts from an interesting image. 1) The conversion looks too cooked or gives off an IR feel. I think the bright spots in the far fields push that "look" in that direction. 2) The clouds in the color version give off shadows and they are lost in the B&W version. That also is pushing it into a bright look.

The color version is much stronger in contrasts without being too contrasty. Just my too cents.