Spotlight on Ashhurst Photo

Photographer’s Note

Hi all. I have a demanding camera and last Friday it demanded I take it out for the day, so who am I to complain ;-). We (my camera and I) ended up on top of the Tararua Ranges in the middle of the wind farm.
I got lucky with the light as the sun came through the clouds to put on a show for us. The town down below in the spotlight is Ashhurst and the river is the Manawatu River.
To give an idea of scale the white dots on the grass are sheep, the towers are about 80 meters tall and the blades are about 40 meters long.
Converted from RAW. Bonus in WS.
Enjoy, Paul.

riclopes, papagolf21, Sanderson-Brown, PixelTerror, Clementi, litiancai, testmaniac, zeca, AiresSantos, Graal, gracious, Docarmo, Dyerco, josepmarin, cunejo200, danos, siolaw, feather, plimrn, Scharan, daddo, axiotea, jafadabret, Charo, skippy007, Photo65Net, Tue, Didi, Vato_Law has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

MarcT (21103) 2008-07-31 1:04

Hi Paul Bakker,
Beautiful light on your wind turbines. The dark sky with a sun ray of hope works very well.
Cheers
Marc

riclopes (33033) 2008-07-31 1:16

Olá Paul, love so much these modern creatures as I love the traditional ones. They are so elegant, gigantic and gentle at the same time. Beautiful capture of the trio under these dark conditions. Lovely beams of light in the background. The WS is a wonderful graphic surprise in a busu but delightful sight.
cheers,
ricardo

papagolf21 (56483) 2008-07-31 1:33

Bonjour, mon ami Paul,
Les deux images sont particulièrement réussies (j'ai beaucoup aimé cet entrelacs d'éoliennes présentées en photo bonus).
J'aime beaucoup l'ambiance dégagée par cette composition. De plus, il semble qu'une éolienne ait été l'objet d'une amputation ?
Belle et très intéressante réussite.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Sanderson-Brown (1697) 2008-07-31 2:09

Hi Paul,
isnt it such a burden when the the camera calls for attention. :p It something my fiancee just doesnt understand :P, "but its not me that wants the lens....its Canon!" Good captures. the rays make up for the hazy day.
good work
tfs
regards
paul

jimkilgallon (0) 2008-07-31 2:34

Hi Paul
What I do know about NZ is that you get fantastic light for images, you get the sun in the morning, drizzle in the afternoon, sun again, teaming rain in late the afternoon, a bit more sun, then night time the stormy thunder and lightning... its great to have the defining weather in one day, maybe not so for these poor people who's houses are virtually slipping down the hill. Hows it down your way?
Its another great shot with the rays coming through, with nice dark tonal greens. How comes one of them turbines is missing a bit - must have blown off with the heavy wind? Very good moody shot Paul.
Regards
Jim

UnTrained (0) 2008-07-31 5:54

Hi Paul,
good rays of sunlight are acting over the landscape and the three turbines with their three blades each give their part for the principle of three. I like that weather impression.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

nels (2455) 2008-07-31 7:44

hello paul, nice capture of the suns rays, i knew these turbines were big but when you see them against the sheep they are huge. Great timing to capture, one turbine looks as if it only has two blades

adrian

Clementi (44457) 2008-07-31 16:47

Ciao Paul,
nice shot,
spectacular light which strikes the turbines to wind, almost remind us that also the sun is clean energy .
good job
Giorgio

litiancai (1040) 2008-07-31 22:01

Hi Paul,
Damn, they're some big turbines when you say the white does are sheep! The light is fantastic in this shot, seemingly only brightening up the town below. A well captured moment.
Regards
Lee

testmaniac (12236) 2008-07-31 23:16

Hi Paul Bakker,nice composed photo and beautiful light on the wind turbines. Very good photo job!

TFS

Phil

Graal (58169) 2008-07-31 23:57

Hi Paul,
an interesting sight, amazing landscape, good POV You had, I like it. Good work.
Gr., Aleksander

AiresSantos (42354) 2008-08-01 0:36

Hi Paul
Lovely light in this beautiful composition. Nice POV and atmosphere here. I also like another picture in the WS.
TFS and have a nice day
Aires

gracious (20017) 2008-08-01 0:40

Hello Paul,
Very nice ray captured in this beautiful image of the wind turbines in down hill view!
They are huge compare with the scale of the sheeps below them!
good sharpness with natural colour and details
well done
have a nice weekend!
cheers
Tony

danyy (69029) 2008-08-01 0:54

Bonjour Paul,
oui, cela devait être une journée de l'éolienne, "The windmill day". Il y en a un peu partout dans lo monde maintenant, il était temps de trouver des sources d'énergie qui n'exploitent aucun carburant fissile.
J'aime beaucoup me retrouver à leur pied.
Une photo ici avec des lumières difficiles mais tellement bien capturées qu'elles rendent totalement l'ambiance de jounrée couverte.
J'aime aussi ces percées de lumières bien visibles.

Best regards.
Daniel.

jmdias (19461) 2008-08-01 3:11

paul

this weather was very closed and even this way you got a nice image. The wind mills are in a nice position and the clouds let some rain to fall down and the light shows this nicely while the city and the horizon go away in front of us. very nice compo

hugs

jorge

John_F_Kennedy (31609) 2008-08-01 3:45

I like the texture of the sky you captured. Interesting to the rain. Well captured.
Best wishes,
Achim

trekks (14322) 2008-08-01 4:42

hi Paul

Good to know your camera has high 'AI' and finding you this great spot. The rare beam of light has its effect on part of the windmills and this is a nice capture of the magic moment.

And you have a tripod! I have a wish...to see slow shutter and the windmill moving! (that's a demanding wish)

tfs, bill

Docarmo (8840) 2008-08-01 6:43

Hi Paul,
Amazing effect of sunlight coming through the clouds! Impeccable composition! The note gives a good idea of scale. I also like the WS.
Thanks for sharing,
MCV

Dyerco (9126) 2008-08-01 7:06

Hi Paul
Great light. You were there at the right time. We have a few of these windmills in Canada although none nearby where I live.
Nicely done.
Phil

Giorgio (8726) 2008-08-01 7:30

- Really a nice light for this beautiful composition, Paul, the PoV is excellent and the soft color also, I like this verdant atmosphere almost monochromic, anyway, bravo!
Have a good weekend also.
giorgio

josepmarin (33837) 2008-08-01 10:14

Hi Paul,
Your demanding camera forced you to go out and thanks to this we can see this spectacular landscape with the wind generators on the meadow, with the small sheeps that give us its real scale and the city in background, and everything under a light that crosses the clouds, in a fantastic scene.
I like this mysterious environment that offers us your composition.
Great work.
Thank you very much for your warm words of spirit and of condolence, my friend, they have been very recomforting.
Best regards,
Josep

zeca (20026) 2008-08-01 19:44

Hey Paul! The lights are very nice! And the view is beautiful! Nice to see the details disappearing. Well taken!
Regards,
Zeca

pablominto (40876) 2008-08-02 3:39

Hello Paul,

I notice the towers seem to be smaller than for the ones around my place (not near me though)..!
They are not popular at all anymore, they are regarded as visual pollution and also responsible for killing a lot of birds...
An interesting documentary, and I notice the great lighting effect!

Greetings,
Pablo -

cunejo200 (7159) 2008-08-02 17:30

Hi Paul,
A timely photo to teach us about other forms and sources of energy. Lovely vista. The fog gives a good atmosoheric feel. Good DOF. Well done. Danilo

danos (32708) 2008-08-03 0:11

Hello Paul,
nice cpmposition and POV of this panoramic view of the Ashhurst city in the foreground with the windmills to decorate pleasantly the foreground.I like the haze atmosphere as the dark sky that make the scene so great.Well done.

Regards,Danos

siolaw (25788) 2008-08-03 2:21

Hi Paul,
A good high POV on the windfram and neighbouring town... The weather could have been better, but you can't do anything about that! The size of these.... things is simply surprizing! Good you pointed out the sheep grazing down there...
Greetings
Laurent

toto (18729) 2008-08-03 3:59

Bonjours,
belle photo de ces éoliennes a l' avant et a l' arr!ère ce ciel superbe et menaçant qui laisse filtrer ces rayons lumineux.
Cela donne au village et alentours un air un peu mystérieux.

Amitiés Thomas

feather (49868) 2008-08-03 4:28

Everything in threes! Well all except the first turbine has three blades? Those rays emerging from a cloudy sky are what we all hope for and you got lucky. Your high POV gives great depth to the landscape.
Kath

Budapestman (42188) 2008-08-03 8:46

Hi Paul,
Great impression with beautiful lights. The composition is very spectacular and the perspective is great. Amazing landscape, Have a nice Sunday
George

PixelTerror (86282) 2008-08-03 11:41

Hi Paul,
I know what you mean with demanding cameras ;-)
There's still a winter feeling in this faraway world where you live, but you were glad to have these sun rays make their way through the clouds to push the highlights of your image, I like that and I guess this moment did not last long.
Have a nice day JY

plimrn (19686) 2008-08-03 14:11

WOW!! This is not easy light to capture so beautifully and right on your favorite row of turbines. The note lets us understand the scale; I guess your demanding camera knew a new triumph awaited it.
HLJ, Pat

Scharan (13951) 2008-08-03 15:23

Olá Paul

Uma foto muito bonita, com bom ponto de vista e cores harmoniosas. Parabéns pelo trabalho.
GA
Vera

Waylim (10909) 2008-08-03 22:58

Paul,
We can certainly have more of these to provide us with energy intead of burning oil. Beautifyl backdrop give these turbines really nice detail. Consider the weather was not so ideal for photographing, the color are rich but muted. Great composition and beautiful. Thanks
Way

fabio_ts (13674) 2008-08-04 2:09

A lovely image with nice mood thanks this evocative sky, well done Paul, compliments!!!

have a nice week,
Fabio.

daddo (11335) 2008-08-04 2:58

Hi Paul. This is a stunning shot and seems to present a thesis that man made object can have a harmonious presence in nature.Wonderful moment as the light breaks through, especially the way it hits the town like some heavenly spotlight. regards. Klaudio.

andante (7092) 2008-08-04 5:37

Beatiful combination of elements you are presenting on this picture. The light breaking through the clouds, the rain falling on the background, the windmills claiming the foreground and everything balanced. Great captured,
Cheers,
Enrique

axiotea (16145) 2008-08-04 23:36

Hello Paul
Yes, you were lucky the sun somehow filtered through the clouds at the right time, to highlight the city down below and the wind pumps which are providing graphism. The other photo in ws is quite attractive ;)
Cheers
Marilyn

jafadabret (39825) 2008-08-05 1:48

Paul bonjour.
Qui a dit que les éoliennes enlaidissaient les paysages ?
Cette photo prouve le contraire et tu fais bien de préciser que les point blancs au pied des tours sont des moutons, on se rend compte ainsi de l'échelle et de l'immensité de ces éoliennes pleines de grâce.
Jacques

Manamo (3474) 2008-08-05 5:19

ah, clean energy, that's cool!
light certainly was not with you that day Paul, except for those nice rays that show between the clouds. I don't know, you and the people who critiqued seem to tell that the light is good all over...I don't see that, but it's not your fault, it's my opinion. However, I think you managed to get a fantastic composition (trilogies are always winners!) and a good exposure with the conditions you had.

what are the white dots on the grass in the foreground?

best regards,

Marc

hay_kes (28562) 2008-08-06 0:19

Hi Paul,
A wonderful capture vith great POV, light and excellent landscape.TFS.
Cheers,

hAyAti

Charo (31671) 2008-08-06 3:58

Hello Paul,
Good prospect of the city through wind turbines. Excellent light and atmosphere.
Best regards,
Charo

crckt (7078) 2008-08-06 10:16

Hi Paul,
The fog looks really nice, so does the cloud with the rays of light filtering through.
Good composition,
Shaeri

Bluejeans (32547) 2008-08-06 11:46

Ola Paul ,
Bonitos estes três moinho de vento em escadinha nesta paisagem coberta por um manto verde , gostei de ver as ovelhas a pastar , boa profundidade de foto com a cidade ao longe ,os raios de luz ficaram fantásticos ,parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

dvlazar (6488) 2008-08-06 20:31

A nice study of weather an landscapes... the rain or mist is very atmospheric in this shot. The 3 towers must be huge - and well framed like that too.

Dave

gaby (19793) 2008-08-06 23:29

Hi Paul,
The perspective and the diagonal are superb - love the magic effect of the sun rays in the image -
Regards
Gaby

skippy007 (7149) 2008-08-07 2:36

Hello Paul monster blades, the front one looks like is missing one, was that by accident or design?. Nice natural colours, I like the way those sun rays seem to be lighting up the town. By the way very thoughtful of you to take your camera out when it needed to.
Well done.
Thanks
Santo

Photo65Net (43096) 2008-08-07 11:49

Paul,
Wow, superb light and contrasts catch here.
I like a lot these light rays, nice job,
Regards,
JB.

Angshu (33815) 2008-08-10 21:59

Hello Paul
Like the rays of the sun filtering through the clouds, diagonally across the frame. The windmills stand out majestically on the hills. Lovely view down below in the valley, the river & the town of Ashhurst in the distance. Lovely view & good work!
Regards
Angshu

giorgimer (21322) 2008-08-10 23:50

Hi Paul,

good composition and very attractive mood by the spotlight.

TFS

Gio

Tue (25608) 2008-08-11 2:20

Hi Paul,
A great view of this landscape with the large windmills very well placed in the foreground. The light is just gorgeous, really beautiful to see those rays of light through the grey cloud cover. It adds a beautiful mood. Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

Stepan (27175) 2008-08-16 9:57

Cold and dark but interesting. The aerial pov is ok and produces a good visual compo. The sheeps (I mean the scale) is amazing.
Well done.
Stéphane

Didi (36204) 2008-08-16 23:50

Hi Paul
The subject is interesting and the POV is well choozen
But I suggest to use the cloud setting in the white balance for giving warm colours.
Cheers.

Vato_Law (11682) 2008-08-19 14:07

Hello Paul,
Great mix between nature and man made things here with a great visual impact.
These 'new' windmills over the hill are a great anchor point to begin looking at the shot before going downstairs and watch the city at the valley.
The showers of light coming from above are another very good point of this one which adds high impact and some mystical look to it.
Thanks to your camera's will :)
Cheers.
Paulo

Gregtom (7119) 2008-10-15 5:18

Hello, Paul!
Very nicely catched light effect. Rays of sun are beautifully breaking through the clouds and the weather seems to be little windy. Windmills also look very nice as they match very well the idea of getting free energy.
regards,
Greg