Cowdray Ruins

[chris-p]

Hi all

Been a while since I posted an actual photograph (mainly because it's been a while since I had any time to do anything with my camera) but, having recently moved house, I was exploring my local area and this is just up the road.

C&C always welcome.

[OldBoy]

Cracking shot and love the sky.

It's looks a good place for sunrise/sunsets as well.

[karenoliver]

Love the sky and the dark atmosphere, Chris. It looks a brilliant place to photograph, have you ever been there at night as well?

Karen

[ABERS]

The sky rescues this as a landscape, the flat tonal range in the foreground gives it an overall greyness that lacks impact, and that could be achieved by adding contrast in the buildings.

[alfbranch]

The sky is great and the composition is good but the castle and foreground are abit flat.

[KeithT]

I think some adjustment with regards to the strong converging lines would help too.

[Stormsong]

Nice one, agree with the comments about tonal variation.

I have a question: what lens were you shooting with, @ Chris? I have looked at the camera data (focal length 10mm) but it just seems to me that the structures are 'leaning' ever so slightly and look a bit distorted? Also, I would do a slight adjustment to the horizon. Could be my old eyes though.

Regards,
Denise

[chris-p]

Thanks all for the comments.

Originally Posted by karenoliver

It looks a brilliant place to photograph, have you ever been there at night as well?

Not been there at night yet but it's something I intend to try as soon as I get time. Same for sunrise as suggested by OB.

Originally Posted by ABERS

The sky rescues this as a landscape, the flat tonal range in the foreground gives it an overall greyness that lacks impact, and that could be achieved by adding contrast in the buildings.

Originally Posted by alfbranch

The sky is great and the composition is good but the castle and foreground are abit flat.

Alan & Alf - thanks for the comments. I agree that the foreground is rather flat. I will have a play with the contrast on the building and see how it comes out.

Originally Posted by KeithT

I think some adjustment with regards to the strong converging lines would help too.

I have taken out some of the distortion but it's a real problem at such a wide angle, especially as I was pointing the camera upwards. I left it like this as it avoides cropping out any of the tree. Further skewing will probably mean I have to crop some out but I will have a play with it and see how it works out.

Originally Posted by Stormsong

I have a question: what lens were you shooting with, @ Chris? I have looked at the camera data (focal length 10mm) but it just seems to me that the structures are 'leaning' ever so slightly and look a bit distorted? Also, I would do a slight adjustment to the horizon. Could be my old eyes though.

Hi Denise, it was shot with a Sigma 10-20mm, hence the astonishing distortion. That lens can make anything look bendy
I think you're right about the horizon - slap on the wrist for that one!

[Cathus]

I think the castle, being the central focal point, lacks impact because of the composition (too much grass & ancillary buildings), some judicial use of a crop would improve, I think.

[chris-p]

Hi all, taken me a while, but I've had some time to go back to this shot. Below is a version which has more contrast on the ruin itself and I've tried to remedy the converging verticals.