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Just for Fun No C&C will be given: Cattails, Creek, and Commerce

The Nature Conservancy owns a 3,000 acre prairie restoration named Nachusa Grasslands in north central Illinois. It is a remarkable area and well worth visiting, even in winter. An odd aspect of the place, however, is a high power transmission line that runs diagonally through the reserve. It is easily overlooked but seems to show up unexpectedly when composing wide angle landscapes. When that happens, it is often easier to incorporate the structure than try to avoid it.

An example from yesterday's three hour hike on a brisk winter morning -

original.jpg

Cattails and Commerce, February​

The little creek filled with water after heavy rain about a week ago. Its surface quickly froze and when the water drained away, the ice collapsed. Tricky area to walk in where one wrong step can result in a slide to the bottom of the creek.

Canon TS-E 45mm, two frames stitched from vertical shift in landscape orientation.
 

Chris Calohan

Well-known member
While I can live with the power lines, the contrail is far more annoying. I like power lines, and poles and love when they are included in a composition. I think I might have been tempted to use a polarizer to really enhance the sky, thus the pylons and lines.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
While I can live with the power lines, the contrail is far more annoying. I like power lines, and poles and love when they are included in a composition. I think I might have been tempted to use a polarizer to really enhance the sky, thus the pylons and lines.

The contrails, I'd edit out then if it upset me. There's just enough of room, even now, to increase the impact of the sky with this file. Tom can do anything with post processing so if he feels it, then it can be done.

Abra Kedabra!: probably from from the Hebrew or Aramaic, אברא כדברא - avra k'davra

"Behold I create as I have spoken"!

So Tom, if it muses you, give it a magical nudge! :)

Asher
 
Thanks for comments Chris and Asher,

Abra Kedabra!

Ha, so that's how it is spelled and that's what it means! One of those mysteries, sort of like bibbity bobbity boo. Used to worry about that one when I was a kid in the 1950s.

I agree that the contrails might be distracting for some viewers. I decided to let them stay for several reasons: they were there and in the scene; they are part of commerce; I'm too lazy to heal/clone them away.

The sky could certainly be punched up a bit, but I've fallen into the notion of not doing that unless it is necessary to enhance the subject or the story of the photo. In this case, it didn't seem to be so. Besides that, cranking up the contrast in skies seems to be a trendy thing to do these days. This is OK in moderation and when there's an apparent need, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. Or so I think.
 
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