Stark tree in rape seed field

[Bolampau]

Hi Folks,
just took this shot on the way home from doing the school run this afternoon. I got soaked as it was pissistently raining, the lens elements even got a wash!

Anyway, this is shot with the Voigtlander 15mm and NEX 7. I used cornerfix on the colour file but thought that the image worked far better in B&W.
ISO 100, F8 @ 1/160th

Hope you like it, comments and criticisms welcome!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Bimjo]

Hey Paul, that tree has a great shape to it that makes a compelling image, but… you knew there was a but, right?

I think the tree is a little bit too centered in the shot and the foreground adds nothing to the pic and actually leads your eye off-frame to the left. Cropped to exclude the foreground this is a much better shot IMO.

The processing is killer on this, really moody. Even though I haven't seen it I don't think the color version would work as well.

 

[dbmiller]

Love the starkness in B&W, but I was thinking much the same. With the rule of 3rds grid line enabled on the NEX and I would have put the point where the two limbs combine at the lower left nodal point and the line up the horizon.

Had to crop off too much to put it there. But at the scene, could have got a lot more in

 

[Dioptrick]

The mood on that subject is beautiful... and the rape seed field adds so much to the 'feel' in that lone tree, the dark sky too. Contrast and highlight/shadow levels are nicely done...

 

[Bolampau]

Hi Folks,
thanks for the good advice. The shot was taken quickly in the rain so I was more worried about the gear getting wet rather than composition. Coincidentally, I photographed the same tree six years ago and the rule of 3rds was applied (and the weather was much nicer!), here ya go......

I'm grateful for your support.
Cheers,
Paul

 

[Bolampau]

AND further to popular request here's the B&W shot with rule of 3rds applied.....

Cheers,
Paul

 

[dbmiller]

Wow - The weather has not been kind to that tree over the past six years.

 

[Phoenix]

I find both the colour and b/w versions beautifully captured.

 

[freddytto]

I love both,very good composition and colors are radiant, but I'm more with the B & W

 

[Bimjo]

Wow - The weather has not been kind to that tree over the past six years.

Hahaha… I was just thinking that it hadn't changed that much in that time.

Paul, that crop is exactly what I was talking about. Makes a much stronger pic IMO. I like how the CV 15 rendered the scene, it's on my list of lenses that I think I just can't live without.

 

[Bolampau]

Hahaha… I was just thinking that it hadn't changed that much in that time.

Paul, that crop is exactly what I was talking about. Makes a much stronger pic IMO. I like how the CV 15 rendered the scene, it's on my list of lenses that I think I just can't live without.

Hi Bimjo,
I'm really happy with the CV 15. All I do is set it to F8 and set it to the hyperfocal distance which means everything from 0.5m to infinity is in focus! Dead easy and even quicker than using focus peaking!
Cheers,
Paul