Namibia

[grumpybadger]

Not really a landscape expert, I tend to aim more for animals and birds but I thought I would share a view from my back catalogue from the Namib desert. These were taken back in 2000 and 2002 in the good old days of film.

Kit was either EOS3 or EOS30 (I can't remember and the piccies don't tell me) scanned with a CanonScan 4000US.

These petrified trees have been dead for 700-900 years but the air is so dry, that they just stay as they are.

http://www.beastall.com/tp/2000_NAM_deadvlei_web.jpg

I was lucky enough in 2000 to see Sossusvlei flood (it only happens about every 10 years)
http://www.beastall.com/tp/2000_NAM_sossusvlei2_web.jpg

A slightly different view of the same place 2 years later with no flood water.
http://www.beastall.com/tp/2002_NAM_sossusvlei_web.jpg

Obviously, any feedback gratefully received.

Paul

[nuffink]

Nice pictures they must have been quite a sight out there. The #3 *** for me would have been better with a polarising filter or something similar via PS as it seems very bright to me.

[pandabighead]

1 and 2 are superb but 3 suffers alittle in comparision.
like the name.
pbh

[inophoto]

Number one is gorgeous. Thanks for the story behind the trees - i've never seen anything like that before.

[oldgit]

Looks damn fine.

The 1st and last could do with a bit more help in PP to sort out the levels, saturation ***, then they would be excellent

[grumpybadger]

Thanks for the kind words. If anyone has any advice on how to tweak it PP then it would be greatly appreciated. I am still a "seat of the pants" photographer at heart and all the post stuff is a bit confusing to me.

Cheers

Paul

[Irritable_Rabbit]

How did I miss this one? :thinking:

I really (x5) like the first one very much. The colours work well. :)

What film stock were you using at the time?

[grumpybadger]

Thanks. I've just been to check and the film just says Fuji on it (I could have told you that anyway). It's ISO 100 negative film so probably Superia as that was my standard for colour neg.

[Irritable_Rabbit]

Well that Superia has come out nice. :)

My favourite ISO 100 of the day is Fuji Reala. Looks great as well, but I have to make adjustments for a slight green cast when scanning in a Nikon Coolscan. No problems though. :D

Did you feel sad at all sad when you moved to digital for your Africa shots?

[grumpybadger]

I do still have a pang for film (have been thinking about buying a film body again). I moved to digital in 2004. Things I don't miss include scratches along an entire film as I managed to get a grain of Namib desert into the film compartment!

I found Vuescan to be better than the standard software that came with my Canoscan 4000 and you can calibrate against film stock to try and remove colour cast. It's not perfect but it helps.

The 5D has been a real help for me not missing film. My lenses now behave "properly" again. I don't mind on the long stuff but below 100mm, it is really nice to have full frame again.

Paul