Bamburgh Beach

[grumpybadger]

Not really into landscapes normally but a recent holiday in Northumberland gave me chance to play. First go with grad filters - maybe I've overdone it?

http://www.beastall.com/2007_northumberland/bin/images/medium/ME9Q0505.jpg

Any steer from the landscape experts?

Thanks

Paul

[DarknFuzzy]

I like the way your eye starts at the rocks and then is drawn along to the front castle, just a shame you can't see more of the castle.

Edit:
I in no way pretend to be a landscape expert. :)

[HIMUPNORTH]

Not a bad effort. The grad filter should have been used for the sky only in this scene however I believe it has slipped down slightly. It often looks better in the viewfinder but is best used sparingly.
The contrast is lacking in this shot, partially as a result of overuse of the ND filter however I am sure it could be improved with a bit of TLPP. :thumbs:

[grumpybadger]

Thanks guys. Had a go at lifting it a bit.

http://www.beastall.com/2007_northumberland/ME9Q0505-1.jpg

I think it helps. You are correct that the filter looks too low but that it looked fine in the viewfinder. Time for a bit of learning. It's difficult living in the Fens. Need to go and find some hilly areas!

[grumpybadger]

Actually, I reckon I've gone too far now I look at it...

[oldgit]

yr not wrong ;)

[grumpybadger]

OK, here's a third go:

http://www.beastall.com/2007_northumberland/ME9Q0505-1-2.jpg

[RobertP]

I tried an edit of the first one and uploaded it. When I previewed the post i then decided it looked worse and deleted it :lol:

I'd say the first looks the best of these 3 versions.

I've only just got some ND grads too and have been playing with them during my week in Scotland. I started off using the hardest darkest grad then having seen the result on the laptop changed to using the medium one.

Have to say while I like the result I don't like the process of messing about with mounting ring and holder. Most of the time I used the lazy option of just holding the filter up to the front of the lens and forgot about holders. Worked well and no vignetting - which was a major PITA on so many shots with the filter holder (even using the one I had cut down).

Sorry about the ramble there :)

[Les McLean]

Your composition is good, use of grads seems OK, but I think you have been let down by the light, it's far too flat.

So any amount of grads, PP wizardry won't put back something that's not there.

But I like where you are going with this.

[grumpybadger]

Thanks Les. Light was flat - overcast day, like many we've seen recently.

I won't get the chance to try that again soon, but I will have to have a bit more of a play with the landscape stuff. A bit different from the "capture the moment" animal stuff I tend to do normally.