photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Nick Clarke | all galleries >> Galleries >> 2005 Photo Show Case >
previous | next

Richmond Park, Surrey

>>Click here to see the rest of the images in the project so far<<


I had a hangover today, but I was itching to go and take some photos, I also really needed to get out in the open. I went to my fav place of the moment, Richmond Park, it was closing to cars in a few short minutes and the sun was disappearing. So I parked outside, and walked in from Ham Gate, I wasn�t quite sure what I wanted to capture apart from that I wanted to do a landscape. Just as I got to the top the hill from Ham Gate (at the bottom of this shiny road in the frame) I looked back and saw the beautiful highlights in the twisting road, it said wide open road in the country, one of the many things I miss living in the city, (shame the reality is a 20mph speed limit, and about 400yards of road before the town stars). The sun was going down and was behind cloud, and it was nearly dark with all the heavy cloud cover, as the sun went it really became dark, but there was some lighter cloud which allowed some light to break through giving all this highlight detail in the foreground. I wasn�t able to get the right exposure from one shot. So I must confess, this is image is not as it quite as it first look�s. It�s comprised of two images, exposed and processed separately! Shooting sunwards is always a nightmare, a good exposure for the foreground means that the sun will wash out. And likewise exposing for the sky will have the reverse effect on everything else in the frame. So I took an exposure for the foreground and then took one two stops up (with shutter speed) too get the dramatic sky. In Photoshop I merged the two exposures, and processed it to be black an d white and adjust the contrast etc, Bit of a hap-hazard post processing method after the pub, but I quite liked it and so it will stay like this until I have time to give a more considered approach to it!


other sizes: small medium original auto
comment | share
dave19-Dec-2005 17:41
Very moodey picture.
Provokes real feeling ..................
Salman Ahmed24-Nov-2005 21:34
Fabulous photo, love your stark treatment here.
Christina Craft17-Mar-2005 22:51
Fabulous shot! This works so well in black and white. I love how the road winds off into the horizon like that - the sunlight is so cool in this. Bravo! Voted!
Cliff05-Mar-2005 17:05
LOL - now every PaD should start with those words "I had a hangover today.." This is such a beautiful photo and your toning is magnificent!
Guest 28-Feb-2005 12:33
Outstanding photo. It draws me in. Excellent work with the contrast between sky and earth.
joshishots25-Feb-2005 03:35
The shot works really well, love the bright road going off to the distance. Worth the effort of fiddling with multiple shots :)
b-w studio22-Feb-2005 04:18
Super B&W picture!
Wenche Aune21-Feb-2005 21:08
Excellent. Great light and composition.
Guest 21-Feb-2005 01:46
wow the shine in the road looks magical..
Guest 20-Feb-2005 22:37
I really like this, great shot!
Guest 20-Feb-2005 21:44
Ooooh wow, this is wonderful! I love the silver
road!
Guest 20-Feb-2005 19:55
love this shot - has incredible range to the tones and a beautiful composition.
Guest 20-Feb-2005 19:48
great shot. love the monochrome work.
jude20-Feb-2005 19:47
This is so spectacular.. the best part is th darkness that the road comes out of to the bottom right.. and gradiates in tones to light.. as if one follows the road to enlightenment.. really nice tones
Antonis Sarantos20-Feb-2005 19:40
Excellent shot, i love this silver road, i want to ride on it!
Guest 20-Feb-2005 19:39
great image... makes you want to drive fast...
Ray :)20-Feb-2005 19:33
The light, toning and curvature of the lane make this image incredible. Worthy of a competition.
I'm voting for it, and hopefully it will one day show in those galleries;->