Trying Black & White

[pburness]

Hi,
I've been a follower of Black and White photography for many years, but never been very good at it, generally because I didn't have a darkroom and was using film

I've followed this forum for several weeks, and there are some very good B&W capable photographers on here and I'd like to ask you to provide feedback (Positive or Negative) to images I post here.

I'm interested in what you think could make the image better (not the content or composition, that's another problem to be fixed :-) ), but more the conversion itself.

I'll add this header to each image I submit.
Please feel free to provide constructive critiscism.

Thanks in Advance

Phil

Here's the first image...

[amk1977]

Hi Phil,

I really like this image. I think the composition works very well and I also love the lighting in it.

In my mind, I picture this having been taken at night, as the driver and guard, clock off work after another hard day on the rails. The moonlight, so bright, that it illuminates the wet paving slabs underfoot as they make their way to the pub for a pint of ale before closing and heading home for their supper.

For me the picture has a wonderful aged quality to it like something from the 1950's, when virtually every little boy wanted to grow up and be a train driver. I also get the impression of Wales or Yorkshire.

Great work

[AndyStevens]

Have to agree with amk, a really nice image - and the underlying sepia tone adds to the mood/feel.

You mention the conversion as much as the image - any info on the conversion?

My only criticism, and where I contra amk, is I think the bright wet slabs are a little distracting and my eye lingers on them while passing from train to figures. Perhaps some careful toning down/burning could help? I kinda want to see more of the joins in the slabs...

Apart from that, top image.

[pburness]

Guys,
Thanks for your inputs - really appreciated, especially as they seem positive :-)

I like amk's interpretation which shows how a photograph can be read so many ways by others - in fact, it was taken on a *very* cold & frosty morning, but also very bright. The guys seemed to be distressed about something. The location was just outside Market Bosworth, UK.

The conversion was done in Adobe Lightroom, firstly I cropped to remove some unwanted sights on the left hand side, then adjusted the exposure slightly to darken it overall. I added recovery to bring back the highlights and converted to B&W. Finally I used the adjustment brush (exposure) to darken the upper right corner to hide the opposite platform and balance the image. Oh - I darkened the men as well to silhouette them (which was hard as they are wearing high visibility vests!)

Phil

[ABERS]

All good B+W's have a complete tonal range, and this has it in spades.

As someone has said the platform slabs are just a little bright and could do with taking down a tad and whilst the silhouettes of the two figures are spot on, should/would their shadows allow so much of the paving to be visible?

The picture certainly has impact.

[pburness]

ABERS,
Thanks for the comments, I hadn't considered the shadows. I checked on the original image (I love Lightroom) and they are the same. Darkening may be a bit beyond my current capability (without the edges becoming sharp), I'l have a go though.

Same with the slabs.

Phil