On the trail of the Green Knight ............

[macker]

The story begins in Camelot on New Year's Day as King Arthur's court is feasting and exchanging gifts. A large Green Knight armed with an axe enters the hall and proposes a game. He asks for someone in the court to strike him once with his axe, on condition that the Green Knight will return the blow one year and one day later. Sir Gawain, the youngest of Arthur's knights and nephew to the king, accepts the challenge. He severs the giant's head in one stroke, expecting him to die. The Green Knight, however, picks up his own head, reminds Gawain to meet him at the Green Chapel in a year and a day, and rides away.

(Source & further info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Gawain_and_the_Green_Knight#Plot_synopsis)

The Green Chapel in the the story/poem is accepted as being Luds Church (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lud%27s_Church), only a few miles from me so I decided to trek up there a couple of weeks ago. I seriously recommend anyone in the area does the same, it really is 'Lord of the Rings' type territory. To reach Luds Church, you have to walk through the Black Forest at Gradbach, a supposedly haunted woodland with strange fauna, huge tree's inexplicably snapped in half and the upper part of which was totally devoid of bird song, really strange !

Anyway, started processing a few of the photo's I took along the way and decided to try something different, messing with the contrast and dodge/burn tools to give an almost 'illustrated' look.

1. On the trail of the Green Knight (1)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2147/2324175519_ed1c485010.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackerpics/2324175519/sizes/o/)

2. On the trail of the Green Knight (2)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2321/2326639724_7722ef1f9e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackerpics/2326639724/sizes/o/)

3. Strange things in the woods.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/2325847213_cb9e349678.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackerpics/2325847213/sizes/o/)

4. Entrance to the chasm.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2325847403_d61638847c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackerpics/2325847403/sizes/o/)

5. The Realm of the Green Knight, Luds Church.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/2325847549_d51d651824.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackerpics/2325847549/sizes/o/)

Thanks for looking :thumbs:
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[oldgit]

Ive only got two things to say.

Niiii!


and


Rockery


The first and 2nd are interesting and well processed. Maybe a bit blown out / contrasty for my tastes, but good.

The latter 3 dont do much for me at all, the last is well over blown (white)

[mobilevirgin]

Interesting idea - agree with the tech ctriticism, but its a nice set, nevertheless

[Charlie C]

i really like these shots, but feel the processing has let them down. Is there any greys in there? or is it just blacks and whites? i'd like to see more midtones, and i think this would help the shot.

Ignoring that, nice shots and good composotion

[macker]

Is there any greys in there?

I deliberately overdid the contrast to try something a little different, but it obviously doesn't work too well then ! :lol:

Thanks for looking and commenting guys :thumbs:

[Wookie]

nice concept, and I like the atmosphere the processing generates

I wont comment on the technicalities of the processing as its out of my league

[Wookie]

python (in the grail) used a smoke or mist machine quite heavily to get their atmosphere in the woods

I wonder, are smoke/mist generators more aukward than tripods to carry ?

[Venomator]

Awww ... and I thought someone was looking for me ... :suspect:






:D



:p

[macker]

I wonder, are smoke/mist generators more aukward than tripods to carry ?

Probably not, but the generator would be a b**ch ! :lol::D

Sorry to get you all excited there Ven ! :D