Texas Sunset and sunflowers

[KKapple]

Todd and I ran up north of Dallas to shoot this field of sunflowers.
Another photographer on another forum was nice enough to share the location.

Had to test out using my reverse GND filter for it.

[lhdvies]

Really like these , especially the 1st one

[groovyone]

Very nice! I keep debating getting the reverse grad/sunset filters. Looks like they are quite effective. Which filter do you have?

[KKapple]

Thanks Leon and Keith.

I have the 3stop Single Ray reverse GND filter. (4x6)
All my other filters are Lee filters. But they are always on back order and Single Ray's filters are just as good if not better.
But they seem to cost a little more.
And they fit in the Lee filter holder.

[Todd Lambert]

Nice Keith I like em!

I had to push mine a bit (I don't have a reverse GND - pffttt!).

I processed mine a bit different:

[KKapple]

Looks good Todd....now you need to go get you that filter ; )

[DHaass]

Originally Posted by Todd Lambert

Nice Keith I like em!

I had to push mine a bit (I don't have a reverse GND - pffttt!).

I processed mine a bit different:

Todd, your photo is a prefect example of what can be fixed using Lightroom. There is a gradient that can be applied to the foreground, duplicating what you could have achieved using a filter. Obviously the filter at the time of exposure would be nice, but with a clean horizon such as this there is no reason not to use it. I have added an example using your photo. It was a quick edit just to show you what could be done. You have several options with this one to get more bang out of it. I hope you don't mind.

[darktiger]

wish we had fields of sunflowers here or around houston...... only thing we have is fields of dead weeds and dirt.... this drought is pretty bad down here...

[Todd Lambert]

Thanks Doug, I do like the pano crop and it was suggested by a few others on FM as well. I'm actually pretty happy with the editing I did though I like your version as well. The original was actually pretty dark (exposing for the sky, put the flowers pretty dark) so what you see in my edit was actually lifted with a good bit of editing already. I didn't bring it up more, because it started to look a bit fake. I was trying to keep it looking like it would in real life with a softer, more subtle look.

Anyways, thanks for the input, I'm definitely going to try a similar crop as yours for sure.

Thanks! (sorry for the hijack, Keith - but I know you're going to be gone for 12 days, so I know this space will just sit here all alone... so we were just keeping it company. LOL)

By the way, haven't looked at the time-lapse I got from here yet, but I have a feeling I blew it. Partly because of the camera lock up and partly because I set things wrong in AV mode (it just got progressively darker and darker) - so maybe it will be useful for a fade into another clip or something.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Todd Lambert

.....

By the way, haven't looked at the time-lapse I got from here yet, but I have a feeling I blew it. Partly because of the camera lock up and partly because I set things wrong in AV mode (it just got progressively darker and darker) - so maybe it will be useful for a fade into another clip or something.

BTW, getting a good time-lapse of a sunset is hard.

Very cool shots Keith!
I'm going to have to get one of them reverse grad filters. It's been on my list for a while, but I think I'm moving up the list.

[rab3rd]

very nice indeed

[crbeveri]

Originally Posted by DHaass

Todd, your photo is a prefect example of what can be fixed using Lightroom. There is a gradient that can be applied to the foreground, duplicating what you could have achieved using a filter. Obviously the filter at the time of exposure would be nice, but with a clean horizon such as this there is no reason not to use it. I have added an example using your photo. It was a quick edit just to show you what could be done. You have several options with this one to get more bang out of it. I hope you don't mind.

I like the original a little more as to be the dimness of the sunflowers and they way that most of them are drooping down kind of sets a feeling of the sadness in that the sun is setting the night will be upon them. Just a different feel... neither are bad though amazing shots all around.

[Stargazer77517]

Very nice Keith, the second one gets my vote, just seems to pop a bit more. I have the Singh Ray reverse grd and use it almost all the time for sunsets/sunrises.

[DHaass]

Originally Posted by Todd Lambert

Thanks Doug, I do like the pano crop and it was suggested by a few others on FM as well. I'm actually pretty happy with the editing I did though I like your version as well. The original was actually pretty dark (exposing for the sky, put the flowers pretty dark) so what you see in my edit was actually lifted with a good bit of editing already. I didn't bring it up more, because it started to look a bit fake. I was trying to keep it looking like it would in real life with a softer, more subtle look.

Anyways, thanks for the input, I'm definitely going to try a similar crop as yours for sure.

Thanks! (sorry for the hijack, Keith - but I know you're going to be gone for 12 days, so I know this space will just sit here all alone... so we were just keeping it company. LOL)

By the way, haven't looked at the time-lapse I got from here yet, but I have a feeling I blew it. Partly because of the camera lock up and partly because I set things wrong in AV mode (it just got progressively darker and darker) - so maybe it will be useful for a fade into another clip or something.

No problem Todd. I certainly understand. I never know how far along everyone is in their processing skills and try to help where I can.

There is no hard and fast rule we have to live by on cropping a scene like yours, though many people will swear you broke the "golden rule" of not placing the horizon in the middle. I guess what I tend to go by; unless the sky on top adds something to the photo, I crop it out until I get something that does. That can apply to the foreground too. It all really falls to personal preference because only you know what you were trying to do with the photo. I certainly like the subject and think you did a fine job placing yourself where you got the opportunity to shoot it. Keep shooting!

[KKapple]

Thanks again guys for the comments.
I am getting lots of IM's as to where this place is.

So I will just post it here now.

Dallas Tollway and 380 keep going for 5 miles past 380, you will see them on your right. Looking at google maps, the dirt road was co rd 51. If you look, you can see that it goes off to the right (east) the curves south. We parked along here. Don't even have to walk to far out into the field...