a winter's tale, a photo from Down, Northern Ireland

Photographer's Note

this time last year we were experiencing the coldest winter in years with huge snow drifts followed by temperatures reaching lows of -18C in some places.

this winter has been the mildest for years with temperatures of +12C on christmas day. i think i've only had to scrape frost off my car on two mornings so far this winter.
this picture was taken in scarva, a small village in county down northern ireland, just before christmas last year. i didn't have an ND grad, so used a tobacco filter instead to mitigate the glare of the sunset as i was shooting straight into it. the light coming through the gate attracted my attention to the scene as i was driving past.

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the use or the reproduction of this photograph, on any media, for profit or otherwise, is prohibited without my written permission.
BMcC

delpeoples, CLODO, patdeph, annjackman, Cricri, Royaldevon, mkamionka, RhodieIke, PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, limielski, jhm, agulberk, kordinator, kennyblack, ines8, marina7, isabela_sor, tyro, jester5, Sonata11 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dkmurphys (24951) 2011-12-27 1:49

Hi Brian,
A lovely scene taken from a fairytale. Amazing moment you've managed to capture, great shot!
Have a nice week.

siudzi (15782) 2011-12-27 1:50

Hi Brian,

Oh, what an eye-catching shot full of wonderful tones and an outstanding color combination! The warm lights gives an amazing input. Bravo!

Warm regards,
Malgorzata

delpeoples (34889) 2011-12-27 2:21

Gidday Brian

Wow, that's serious Brass Monkeys weather -18! And to have such a difference this year is so weird. 12 degrees is balmy! I've never been a fan of the tobacco filter, but your photo is one of the few photos in recent times where I've seen it used well and to good effect. The trees in partial sillhouette and the way you've evened out the sky, despite having shot almost directly into it, are really impressive. The snow looks wonderful, the mixture of cold and warm colours has had an extraordinary effect. You broke "the rulës", good onya, with a very successful photo as the result.

I hope Santy doled out some good pressies - hey maybe even a Canon to replace that infernal Nikon of yours :) (Have you seen the article ChrisJ posted in the Forum entitled Altrettanto??? - very funny)and that you've eaten and drunk too much over the Christmas break. Í leave for Malaysia on Wednesday arvo, so not sure when I'll next be online. So I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year.

Cheers
Lisa

CLODO (20067) 2011-12-27 2:29

Hi Brian

Half warm due to the tobacco filter, half cold due to the winter weather. Should be published in a book for children!
regards
CLODO

DarkoG (8) 2011-12-27 2:33

beauty.
Regards Darko

agjika (2851) 2011-12-27 3:13

Hi Brian,
Lovely seasonal photo. You have hit the sun straight and still have a fantasic tonal range in the photo.

Very very nice.

Thanks

Aleks

patdeph (35126) 2011-12-27 4:01

hello Brian
superb landcape under the snow, where the filter has given wonderful colors to the sky at the sunset time.The contrast with the snow is magnificent.
Regards
Pascale

Sergiom (26905) 2011-12-27 5:59

Bonjour Brian,

Une carte de Noel absolument magnifique. Cette belle haie offre une diagonale parfaite dans l'image et le coucher de soleil est superbe.

Amicalement

Serge

Bluejeans (59426) 2011-12-27 7:03

Ola Brian ,
Linda esta tua foto com este céu em tons de tabaco , fantástico o contraste com a neve , bom primeiro plano com este velho muro , bom enquadramento da foto , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Boas festas

UlfE (12550) 2011-12-27 8:01

Hi Brian,

A very nice scene. A really fine composition with the bare trees in silhouette against the golden sky, the wall diagonally across the photo and some sunlight shining through the wrought iron gate. TFS and have nice evening!

Cheers,

Ulf

annjackman (8873) 2011-12-27 9:59

Hello Brian,
Your filter worked very well here giving a beautiful sky contrasting with the thick snow. A good diagonal with the wall and lovely framing with the branches. The atmosphere created is magical. Excellent!
Regards, Ann

Gigidusud (2665) 2011-12-27 13:32

Hello Brian,
Beautiful picture with a very nice scene.
Best regards.
Ghislaine

emilbo (17648) 2011-12-27 13:33

Allô Brian!
Merveilleux coucher de soleil et belle lumière sur l'hiver. Excellente composition et belle diagonale. Parfait rendue de la neige qui a été piétinée plusieurs fois, les couleurs de fin de journée sont fantastiques.
Tous mes meilleurs voeux pour 2012,
Emilius

mauro61 (47839) 2011-12-27 13:35

ciao Brian,
efficace contrasto tra le varie tonalita dell'immagine dal rosso del tramonto al bianco dela neve in FG.
Auguri per le festività in corso,
maurizio

bema (24149) 2011-12-27 13:39

Hi Brian,

really a good choice of doing this famous and splendid capture, and for sure, i like it a lot!

thnaks for sharing, see you soon, kindest regards Bernd

cargus (3452) 2011-12-27 22:13

Excellent paysage d’hiver, bien encadré et bien joué dans les plus belles couleurs de l’hiver, une image bien fait.!
cordialement
Adrian

Cricri (74141) 2011-12-29 7:00

Hi Brian
Superbe belle utilisation du filtre tabac, j'aime ce contraste avec la neige, bon POV, très belle réalisation
Meilleurs voeux 2012
cricri

Royaldevon (12724) 2011-12-29 7:51

Hi Brian,

Do you find the filter really useful?
I have one on my birthday list!

You have achieved an amazing contrast between the warmth in the sky and the coolness of the snow.
The wall makes a pleasing dividing line,whilst the two trees act as natural borders, supplying a nice balance.

All the best for the New Year,
Bev :-)

mkamionka (20325) 2011-12-30 2:16

Hi Brian,
wow, this is so beautiful. I am speechless. The filter created a fantastic effect, it seems like an illustration for a fairy tale. Too good to be true.
And your composition is brilliant as well. The fence runs so nicely making an attractive diagonal. The only thing which comes to my mind is that I would try to use a noise filter (I use free Neat Image software with standard settings) it would probably enhance the clarity but I see you may want to keep it as it is, the slight noise introduces an interesting atmosphere.
Excellent work!
M

jurek1951 (35162) 2011-12-30 20:00

Hi Brian,
Excellent contrast and presentation,
good colors and sharpness.
Excellent point of view,
well done.
Georg

SWEETFREEDOM (14866) 2011-12-31 4:50

Hi Brian,
the tobacco filter is very nice and suits well in this picture, great winter landscape, colors and sharpness very good.
On the same period last year we had low temperatures too but not so low on the plains where i live
rehards
Alessandro

SnapRJW (9819) 2011-12-31 5:13

Hello Brian - I was away when you posted this lovely winter shot so sorry for only commenting now. The tobacco filter has worked nicely here, I don't usually like the effect but you have managed it well and the shot looks quite natural with the warm colour extending down to the snow on top of the wall. Best wishes for 2012. Rosemary

RhodieIke (9131) 2011-12-31 8:30

Hi Brian, Fantastic photo, well managed, love what you have done with the tobacco filter, Well done and all the best for 2012, Cheers Iain.

PaulVDV (12410) 2011-12-31 10:21

Hello Brian,
A splendid winter shot with lots of snow and with a fiery red sky that brings warmth to us.
Very nice with the sunbeams falling through the gate on the snow on the foreground.
Beautifully framed with the many leafless branches.
Best wishes for a wonderful 2012,
Paul

COSTANTINO (36497) 2011-12-31 10:25

Hello
Another beautiful snowy scenery taken
in an artistic way,shot divorsed
into two parties,the white snowy
landscape and the beautiful colorful
sky during the sunset
the branches of the trees
without leaves add beauty and
mystery
many wishes for a happy new year
regards
Costantino

tusharkmandal (3059) 2011-12-31 21:22

Hi Brian,

Happy New year.
A nice picture and great use of the filter. When I see one of them I feel to get one of those filters but since I do more of human subjects I tend to refrain from it. But I am sure it will be a fun with them.

Regards
Tushar

jhm (112152) 2012-01-01 2:31

Hello Brian,

Happy New Year and healthy 2012.
Nice colorfully image with a nice Christmas card.
The colors are specially between purple and pink.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

agulberk (3301) 2012-01-01 4:34

Hello Brian
Wonderful composition with sunset colors in backround , Snow with reflected sun rays and nice wall with small old iron door in foreground and silhoutte of branches without leaf of trees in middleground. Excellent presentation with perfect light management to get Sharpness ,clarity and vivid colors,besides well perspective to get stromg sense of depth.
Besr Regards
Have happy-healty and peaceful many year
Adnan

barrufeto_77 (28804) 2012-01-01 8:46

Hi brian.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr...what an envy!!! The colours of the sun are...wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

Rgs, oscar

danyy (94688) 2012-01-01 23:47

Superbe ambiance hivernale Brian,
des couleurs fortes pour un soleil bien froid. Une composition simple de toute beauté, le moment de la journée bien choisi. Cadrage parfait aussi.
Regards.
Daniel.

LOOOK13 (18201) 2012-01-02 8:24

Salut Brian.
Splendid composition , absoluty splendid, and fantrastic contrast with the snow and the sky!
Good composition, and good happy new year.

kordinator (11519) 2012-01-03 0:39 [Comment]

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Noel_Byrne (535) 2012-01-03 5:09 [Comment]

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kennyblack (2962) 2012-01-03 8:33

Hi Brian, fantastic view of the wall in diagonal with a fantastic colours red and yellow in upper side and white blue in the left side. fantastic eye effect of the lights and shadows. Compliments.
Have a nice evening, greetings ... Marino

jadesgran (2347) 2012-01-03 13:23

Hello Brian
This is a fabulous shot!I like the way the branch of the tree on the right cradles the sun and those beautiful orange tones in the sky.The snow covered wall looks great as a diagonal. Superb! T.F.S.
Best Wishes Gladys

ines8 (5048) 2012-01-03 13:49

Hi, Brian,
Splendid picture, magical light, for me is a story of solitude and introspection that I particularly like.
My best whishes,
ines

Waylim (20289) 2012-01-05 22:54

Hi Brian,

I love the combination of the cold blue of the ice and snow versus the warm glow of the sun and sky. Maybe a tag over saturated but not too bad. There some high noise level but again also acceptable. Good POV and composition.

Way

claudeD (19867) 2012-01-09 11:09

Hello Brian,

Amazing moment you have shot here with perfect colors and fine contrasts. I like the atmosphere in tis pictu very much.TFS.

With regards from Luxembourg

Ajc

Angshu (47533) 2012-01-10 20:16

Hello Brian!
The picture seems straight out of a fairy tale! It seems to be a tale of two halves, the top warm basking in warm tones & the lower part with cold snowy tones! You composed this well & more than that used the filter to very good effect! Good work!
Regards
Ansghu

emka (49747) 2012-01-16 23:20

Hi Brian,

I like this photo very much! Beautiful Christmas card. So much snow, how to get out when the gate is blocked? Delightful scene.

Warm regards

Malgo

marina7 (3666) 2012-01-18 9:34

This one looks very beautiful, Brian. Fire and ice, heat and cold. Amazing contrast. The angle is excellent. My only barb would be about the snow being quite grainy and a tilted horizon:)

Cheers,
Marina

isabela_sor (46815) 2012-01-18 9:36

Lucky you to have such a winter there .....
The warm light is amazing here
Also the framing is great , i like the presence of the fence, it is an excellent detail together with that gate
All the best

mattharvey1 (1021) 2012-01-24 7:02

Great use of the filter in this one to create a scene that's both warm and cold at the same time. Very christmasy.

tyro (8257) 2012-01-24 16:07

Hello Brian,

How on Earth did I miss this one?

Perhaps it was fortuitous that this particular day you had left your ND Grad filter at home and only had your graduated tobacco one because that has lent a beautifully warm appearance to a sky which otherwise might well have been cold and lifeless as well as too bright.

The light coming through the gate most definitely is the star of the show and the whole picture is beautifully composed and exposed and is stunningly sharp.

Fabulous!

Kind Regards,

John.

zanzi (11273) 2012-02-05 11:06

Bonsoir Brian
A dreamy picture with those strange colors.
it works perfectly
Bravo
Chris

tober (8496) 2012-02-11 9:19

Hello Brian, you have wonderful landscape photos in your gallery but I go for this one which look like a piece from a fairy-tale book. This can even be used in winter pages of annual calenders. Really fascinating! Congratulations.

Sonata11 (16380) 2012-03-05 20:44

Hello Brian,
Wow!!! Awesome sunset and amazing unique moment!!!
Wonderful composition of winter scenery and great framework as well. Colors, sharpness, clarity, POV. Excellently executed image. Fantastic work. I like it. Thanks for sharing. Perfectly well done.
All the best,
Barbara

clic (7996) 2012-03-06 6:40

Thanks for your visit Brian.
I see a photographic poem, instead of a picture, featuring the competition of warm and cold tones, each on its side of appealing stone diagonal, that produces the magic of this winter scenery.
Cheers.
Robert