Sundown

Posted on Fri, 20 February, 2015 by

Sundown is always a magical time of day, more so in the mountains when in the space of half a minute the light radically changes. IMG_7532_colI had come down early off the ski slopes on this particular day and caught this moment from  the edge of Zermatt. It’s a moment that captures people’s imagination. I wasn’t the only one to pause and watch as the last rays of the sun were extinguished.

IMG_7532The image is almost monochromatic (in colour) but when I converted this to the greyscale I was disappointed with the results. The image lost part of its appeal – it felt too cold, and the mid tones had a muddied look to them.

That’s my opinion, maybe you think differently?

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About LensScaper

Hi - I'm a UK-based photographer who started out 45+ years ago as a lover of landscapes, inspired by my love of outdoor pursuits: skiing, walking and climbing. Now retired, I seldom leave home without a camera and I find images in unexpected places and from different genres. I work on the premise that Photography is Art and that creativity is dependent on the cultivation of 'A Seeing Eye'. I'm not averse to manipulating images to produce derivatives that may sometimes be far removed from the original.
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24 Responses to Sundown

  1. ShimonZ says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 09:02

    I like the color much better.

  3. Jimi Jones (@JimiJones) says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 13:03

    I do like the color version better in this case, Andy. But the B&W does have an old-time feel to it and nice light.

  4. oneowner says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 13:06

    I agree with you on your choice of the color version, also. The blue sky pops in color but it seems a little bland in black and white.

  5. edithlevyphotography says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 13:35

    Beautiful image Andy and I agree I think the color is outstanding.

  6. suej says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 17:21

    The colour version does ‘pop’ but I do like the monochrome – a few tweaks and it could be pretty good!

  7. Chillbrook says:
    Fri, 20 February, 2015 at 18:02

    I really like the colour version Andy but I think with a few tweaks in Photoshop as Sue says, the black and white could be outstanding. I’d darken the sky a little with the blue sliders when converting to black and white to add drama. I’d then select the foreground, probably using luminosity masks but if you’re new to those, the select tool will work too, increase the brightness and beef up the contrast and I think that would make a real difference. 🙂

  8. Melinda Green Harvey says:
    Sat, 21 February, 2015 at 02:39

    Andy – I have to go along with your other commentors and say the color image is the stronger of the two. But, I also think that the B&W has possibilities, if you’ve got the interest in working with it a bit more.

  9. shoreacres says:
    Sat, 21 February, 2015 at 20:00

    Well, I suppose I can see the value of trying to “work” the black and white to achieve better results, but my personal opinion is — you already have a fabulous photo in that first one. I much prefer the first. It feels more alive. The black and white seems flat to me.

    • LensScaper says:
      Sun, 22 February, 2015 at 10:13

      I think that is a very valid opinion, Linda. I am really a rather lazy person – if something doesn’t look right within a reasonable space of time, then I will give up and move on. The ‘flatness’ of the greys in the B&W version disappoints me – I’m going to have one more attempt and then give up!

  10. Len says:
    Mon, 23 February, 2015 at 11:59

    I think the first one has the better result. Regardless of which one is better, just being there and recording this moment in time is priceless, Andy.

Comments are closed.