# A storm brewing over the Erie Canal (love to hear opinions)



## pathoulihan1 (Sep 23, 2011)

My friend and I were exploring the Vicher Ferry Nature Preserve which sits along the Erie Canal when this storm formed not far away (we got our pictures and left). 

Processed in Photomatix using 6 EVs from 1/15-1/2000, at ISO-125 f/8.


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## 889Media (Sep 23, 2011)

I like this one! I like how you processed this, without messing up the photo. Not too much saturation and other things that might mess up the mood in this shot  Good job!


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 23, 2011)

889Media said:


> I like this one! I like how you processed this, without messing up the photo. Not too much saturation and other things that might mess up the mood in this shot  Good job!



Thanks 889Media!


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## McNugget801 (Sep 23, 2011)

awesome clouds nice capture 

I would like to see it with the tone cooled down a bit.


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## bazooka (Sep 23, 2011)

I like the composition, I just wish the earth-half had more exposure.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 23, 2011)

bazooka said:


> I like the composition, I just wish the earth-half had more exposure.



I hear what you're saying. At 1/15 the earth was very will exposed, but the plants in the foreground made the photo look very messy when I had that portion of the photo exposed so I chose to leave the lower half of the photo (the shadows) just a touch underexposed. I'll reprocess and post the shot though to show a comparison.


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## Bynx (Sep 23, 2011)

Well Im glad you got your pics before you left. This one is a good one. Id like to see a bit more of the bottom but what you have captured is excellent.


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## SlickSalmon (Sep 23, 2011)

With little tweaking here and there, this image converts nicely to B&W.  It brings out the drama.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 23, 2011)

Bynx said:


> Well Im glad you got your pics before you left. This one is a good one. Id like to see a bit more of the bottom but what you have captured is excellent.



Thanks Bynx, Here's the image with the bottom half more exposed (for you also bazooka)



SlickSalmon said:


> With little tweaking here and there, this image converts nicely to B&W.  It brings out the drama.



I hadn't thought about that I'll have to give it a try. 


Anyway here's the other version, I honestly prefer the first version as I think it more accurately represented what I saw, but seeing as how none of you were actually there I suppose exposing the bottom portion would be more pleasing aesthetically. As far as what I did differently, I adjusted the shadows smoothness slider down, and I also adjusted the luminance slightly as well as the gamma. 

My friend and I plan on spending more time at this location as it is very pretty and quite interesting, but due to the storm (and the horrendous onslaught of mosquitoes) we had to leave early. Hopefully we'll get there soon.


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## Bynx (Sep 23, 2011)

What you have done is remove the drabness and given the picture more life. Nice job. Whether it looks like the actual scene or not.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 23, 2011)

Bynx said:
			
		

> What you have done is remove the drabness and given the picture more life. Nice job. Whether it looks like the actual scene or not.



Thanks Bynx!


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## SlickSalmon (Sep 24, 2011)

Yeah, I agree.  My suggestion about B&W notwithstanding, it's a beautiful color palette.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 24, 2011)

SlickSalmon said:
			
		

> Yeah, I agree.  My suggestion about B&W notwithstanding, it's a beautiful color palette.



That's next as soon as I get a free sec. I'm interested to see what I can do with it.


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## Bynx (Sep 24, 2011)

I have the time to accommodate you. This is done with SilverEffex Pro.


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## itBurns (Sep 24, 2011)

This was my take on it:





Sadly, I rushed with the de-ghosting, and ended up with some noise in my sky, but overall, I like how "scary" the scene looks.


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## Bynx (Sep 24, 2011)

Nice take itburns, but I dont think its nice to stick your label on someone elses photo. Friend or not.


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## bentcountershaft (Sep 24, 2011)

pathoulihan1 said:


>




I like this one much better than the first.  Not that I didn't like the first, it was just a tad too dark.  I was kind of conflicted about it though because I felt it should be dark because of the storm, but I think what you've done here is a nice balance that tells the story well.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 24, 2011)

bentcountershaft said:
			
		

> I like this one much better than the first.  Not that I didn't like the first, it was just a tad too dark.  I was kind of conflicted about it though because I felt it should be dark because of the storm, but I think what you've done here is a nice balance that tells the story well.



Thanks, I think I may have put too much stock in trying to re-create the scene (like the first one) but the second one really is more pleasing to the eye. 



I also like itBurns's attempt at the picture, his has a lot of drama and looks very turbulent.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 24, 2011)

Bynx said:
			
		

> Nice take itburns, but I dont think its nice to stick your label on someone elses photo. Friend or not.



That is his picture, we were there together . Thanks for backing me up though.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 24, 2011)

itBurns said:
			
		

> This was my take on it:
> 
> Sadly, I rushed with the de-ghosting, and ended up with some noise in my sky, but overall, I like how "scary" the scene looks.



I think it looks as though the bright hole in the sky is overexposed, and I'm not sure if I like it that way or if i would like it more if it were less blown out. Huh, tis a conundrum.


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## Bynx (Sep 25, 2011)

Oops, my bad.  Shooting together can get confusing. I do like the bottom of your image itburns. That small bit at the bottom seems to give closure to the image instead of just the tips of the reeds. It was a nice time to shoot for the both of you.


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## itBurns (Sep 25, 2011)

Bynx said:


> Oops, my bad.  Shooting together can get confusing. I do like the bottom of your image itburns. That small bit at the bottom seems to give closure to the image instead of just the tips of the reeds. It was a nice time to shoot for the both of you.



No problem Bynx. Our tripods were relatively close so they look to be in the same position, I think I had mine just slightly lower and further back which grabbed more frontal grass in the image.

I do plan on exploring the place more. It's actually very beautiful if there wasn't 1.5 million mosquito's trying to kill you.


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## SlickSalmon (Sep 25, 2011)

Wow, what an interesting exercise!  Two tripods right next to each other; two entirely different interpretations.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 25, 2011)

SlickSalmon said:
			
		

> Wow, what an interesting exercise!  Two tripods right next to each other; two entirely different interpretations.



It really is, we have quite a few shots from that week that are similar in composition but very different in processing. We'll have to do a few dual posts and get some feedback.


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## Bynx (Sep 25, 2011)

Shooting side by side....would make for some interesting 3D images.


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## pathoulihan1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Hmmm, I'd never thought about that. (intrigued)


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## janok (Sep 25, 2011)

Nice scene, I would like to see more of the reflections - and less of the grass in front. I tend to brutally remove any grass in front of the camera when I take such pictures (but that is just me


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