St.Peter Port, Guernsey

[tonkie]

Went to town early this morning not been that early since the days when I was stumbling home after being on the lash the night before, but that's another story.

Anyway I thought I would try doing some B&W shots, not too sure how they would come out and I'm still not too sure even now so your C&C would be grateful.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

#11

 

[johnaalex]

Sorry mate, but I think these are "nearly but not quite" good shots. For me there is nothing visually exciting there and some of the highlights are blown in some of the shots.

 

[tonkie]

Sorry mate, but I think these are "nearly but not quite" good shots. For me there is nothing visually exciting there and some of the highlights are blown in some of the shots.

Thanks John
probably the reason no one has commented on them until you, as for visually exciting, that about sums up town, I thought the one looking at the harbor down the alleyway was a nice one, but there again we are all different.
It's the first time I've gone for B&W so not too sure on what settings, it's a big learning curve for me and by the submitted shots there's still a long way to go.

 

[mark1000]

I missed these, but i like them because of the memories they bring back.

Mark.

 

[tonkie]

I missed these, but i like them because of the memories they bring back.

Mark.

Thanks Mark
are you a native of the Island, if you look at my flickr you will see all my shots are of Guernsey

 

[johnaalex]

Thanks John.......It's the first time I've gone for B&W so not too sure on what settings, it's a big learning curve for me and by the submitted shots there's still a long way to go.

I am also trying to get my head around a decent "B&W conversion formula" but I think it will vary from shot to shot. Irrespective of how you convert the files you need to get the exposure right in the first place, shooting in RAW gives you a bit more control over this, but you need to watch out for those blown highlights.

As for visual excitement, have you thought about getting the missus to streak down the high street?

 

[tonkie]

As for visual excitement, have you thought about getting the missus to streak down the high street?

I will have a word and let you know, also will have to get a wide angle lens

 

[SPRINGERS]

Loved that reply Tonkie!

 

[tontoshorse]

Sorry also agree with John, there's little to draw the eye and the conversion leaves them a little flat.


#8 may have legs though.

I'm no expert but I'm trying a high contrast coversion which is pretty easy although the results can be a little ott!

 

[TonyH]

I would agree with the previous comments, mainly the sky on some of them is well blown out, #8 I like the composition, its an interesting picture, would look better if it was darker (or sepia) I think. There is a lot of white buildings in the pictures which probably didn't help. Keep at it though we all go through the same learning curve, and I think it helps that the guys on here can cast a critical eye and point us in the right direction.

Re #8 just looked again, personally I would have turned the camera left slightly to cut out the lampost and perhaps get the vertical edge of the left hand side, but I dunno what was there so perhaps you were cutting something off that side?

 

[tonkie]

Re #8 just looked again, personally I would have turned the camera left slightly to cut out the lampost and perhaps get the vertical edge of the left hand side, but I dunno what was there so perhaps you were cutting something off that side?

Have to agree with you, as for the sky being blown out again I agree but in my defense the sun was raising in those shots and very low in the sky and I was facing he sun,so don't know how to get round that apart from pointing the camera at the ground.

 

[TonyH]

Have to agree with you, as for the sky being blown out again I agree but in my defense the sun was raising in those shots and very low in the sky and I was facing he sun,so don't know how to get round that apart from pointing the camera at the ground.

To be honest im no expert, I must have taken hundreds of pictures where i have downloaded them and spotted the potential to make the composition better, the pain is when they are holiday shots and don't have the opportunity to re take them.

Re the exposure, I have found if I try to get the exposure right on the sky, the buildings become darker, underexposed, then you can fiddle with the exposure in post processing. I think this is a better way of doing it, you can't recover blown out exposure, but you can always rescue detail on an under exposure.