Attention DPP Members, we would like to hear your opinions on the two selected photos posted here. Last issue, it was two young guns who battled it off using their black and white seascapes. This time, we took two friends from the Black Pencil Project and had them send their best mountainscapes for the showdown.

We bring you Rolly Magpayo, art director from GMA7 and Mon Corpuz, a web producer. Two photographers, different photos with one passion. As always, who owns the photo is a secret. We won't tell you, but feel free to comment on both.

Let's get it on!

Photo 01:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/ncarandang/01a.jpg

Photo 02:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/ncarandang/02a.jpg

i like photo 01because of the contrast, depth and how the light was captured (reflecting on the sides of the mountains) just my 2 cents =D

this one is tough....

hmmmm

it's hard to decide which is better but I think both are striking. But I'd go for photo 1 for it touches me better than the photo 2. just my thought....

Man, I think both photos should be appreciated in print :D

Unlike the first four challenges, this is hard to decide on. I'll sleep it off, for now.

Edit: I see both redeeming and distracting features in each of the photos, but they cancel out...

Man, I think both photos should be appreciated in print :D

That's how I felt also. I want to see both in 20x30.

oh my goodness, it's really tough to choose (though i already know who those pics belong to :)) but i think i go with #2. i can feel the serenity in it. and the place looks foreign (at least for me).

Contrasts, light and shadows always bring out the ooohs and ahhhs for me. Photo #1 gets my vote.

Both photos are very very close in my opinion. I can basically go either way on these two. Photo1 is also quite amazing, I love the colours and the over-all serene feeling it brings to the viewer. I also love the graduation of light cascading along the mountain ranges.

However, since I need to choose only 1, I'd go for photo2. There's a certain mythical about photo2 which I can't put my finger on. The fog on the upper left makes you wonder if something will jump out of it. I would say photo 2 seems to be a more complete photo for me compared to photo1.

oh grabe.... both excellent....

close. as in.

but ended up choosing 2. the well defined subject, foreground and bg won me over i guess.

Photo #1 gets my vote, although some obvious distractions on the bottom part, I just like the contrast and intersecting/alternating lines that seems to lead me into a world of fantasy.

Although I swear I have already seen photo #2 somewhere in the threads...Hmm...

Let me present my points first.

Photo 01

The technicals. Sharp, good color. Poor composition. The horizon is placed too tight above. There are dark distractions also below.

The substance. If the subject is mountainscape, this is clearly a picture of one. However, the focal point is weak. The main focus is the diagonal ridges of the mountains. No complete mountain was captured well. It would have been better if the sunlit mountain (upper right) was framed as the main subject.

Photo 02

The technicals. Sharp, accurate color. Better composition, compared to Photo 01, although I would have cropped the house closer into the rule of thirds. In so doing, I can also exclude the distracting stones from the bottom right. In reality, the photographer may be limited by his lens or 'pilapil' to walk by. In that case, I'd crop it in photoshop to improve the framing. By the way, nice placement of the horizon which is a little below the center.

The substance. There is a clear focal point or subject which is placed slightly off-center. Although the scene may actually be taken on a mountainous area, the scene is not convincing enough for me to qualify this as mountainscape. A similar scene may also be found in lowlands where the rocks have rolled into. The main subject is a house, not a mountain. If the mountains were hidden by the fog, then waiting for a clearer view could have been the solution.

Judgment. If you consider Photo 02 as a valid mountainscape entry, I'll vote for it. If not, Photo 01 is obviously the only other choice.

PS. (Personally, I think Photo 02 is more a farm or rural landscape, not a mountainscape. And so, this exercise becomes a comparison of apples and oranges.)

Photo no.1: lovely tonal range but the foreground shadow silhouette of the trees are quite distracting.
Photo no.2: great mood but itching to rotate the image 0.5degrees counterclockwise and wishing the rocks on the lower right foreground were not there.
Both: the atmosphere is well captured.

My vote goes to no.1. Even though the shadow is distracting, my eyes are still drawn beyond that plane and admire the atmosphere and the beauty of light and textures captured on the mountains.

Voted for the second photo, although it was tough.

I've seen the same technique used by a lot of photographers already. The major difference is just the location and time. For contrast and color, nothing can be said about it.

I super loved the second photo. Simple, strong and serene. If I were to add on it, I want see more sky or fog and straighten the horizon a bit.

To Mister Rolly and Mister Mon, thanks for the visual treat.

both photos are magnificent!
but photo number 2 catches my attention because of the
cool relaxing green ricefield:)

weew this is really tough both the are great but we have to choose one, for me I choose no.2.

The light, colors and depth of photo number one is indeed breathtaking. I do however find the two treetops on the bottom right of the picture to be distracting. This is a scene where a photographer cannot take a bad photo of.

For photo number two, everything seems to just fall into place for me. The foreground stones, the slightly tilted subject, and the echo of a house in the distant fog. Composition and mood wins it for me. I can definitely feel and smell the mist drifting up from this photo. So I'll have to give it to photo number two.

+ 1 vote on fist photo

i have to vote for the photo that gives the strongest initial impact for me.. and that's photo no. 1.. i love the vastness and the feeling of freedom it exudes..

I vote for photo #1 because of the dynamism and the colors. I like photo #2 for its surreality -- the fog that mystifies house ever more. But overall, #1 gets my vote.

Im not a technical guy in the field of photography but at first glance i felt i was inside Photo#2 and that made me stick to it more than the first photo.

Needless to say both photographs are amazing, spectacular and breathtaking... Congratulations sir Mon and sir Rolly.

bry

I vote for Photo #1. Beautiful contrasts, breathtaking view and yet interesting details in the foreground, the last glimpse of the warm sunset and the incoming chill of blue dusk, nice.

Im imagining if the second photo was covered in mist and the photo in high key, then maybe...

liked both, but #1 was the clear choice for me. liked the ethereal glow of #1

I like photo 1 because of the selective lighting on the sides of the mountain...

I like photo 2.

None of the above (NOTA) :Grin:. I can't choose :Scared:.

two thumbs up for the two photos! I'd choose photo #2. Subject is spot on, serenity is captured beautifully with the mist on the background and green as foreground.

BRAVO for both very nice photos! photo number 2 got my vote! love the BG and FG!

Ill Go for #1

They already said.

A color were last.. but the peace was there.

So it's for photo #2

Every once is a while, one is confronted with a dilemma – that is, to take a stand on or to ignore a decision path. Acknowledging (or feigning) ignorance is easy. Taking a stand can be hard. For me, it was hard, as I chose to make a stand – which dictated the need for slumber on my part.

Both bear pleasing and annoying technical and artistic qualities – call it distractions/focus, clean/unclean lines, rule of thirds or golden rule, whatever. And, as I look at the images over and over, I seem to prefer the first one. Yet, there is this faint voice, seemingly negligible, but (admittedly) nagging, that beckons my eyes to ogle at the second. As it is in life, it was not an easy choice to make.


For me, my choice is Photo #2.

It appears to have more imperfections (e.g. the barn – that building with a tilted reddish roof, those haphazardly strewn rocks that do not lead my eyes toward that building because of that break in the farm plot, the mist). Nonetheless, compared to the first image (which seems to show cleaner lines, better eye candy, and the like), Photo #2 tickled my mind of a seeming mystery that lies behind what is not shown.

What lies behind the mist?

What human joys and sufferings have that apparently forlorn barn witnessed throughout its existence?

Have the vagaries of time and the dynamics of the earth’s geology caused that structure to tilt? Is the tilting an outcome of the feeble human hands and crude construction tools? Or it simply rooted in the photographer’s intent or mistake?

Is there some optical poetry that one can elicit from its theme?

Questions galore…



But, then again, it is a close call. It was merely the suggestion of a mystery behind the mist and the barn that tipped my scales. Had I woken at another time or gotten up at the other side of the bed, I may have chosen otherwise.

Perhaps, one can surmise that the two images must coexist. Indeed, they probably do. After all, these were taken from the same locality.

Photo no. 1 is obviously beautiful. Anyone who sees this would definitely wanna visit the place and experience the atmosphere this photo shares. Brilliant colors and wonderful lighting. However, It really didn't give me much attraction for some reason.

Photo no. 2 I thought one moment there that it wasn't taken in Philippines (was it?), I could've placed the house farther right of the frame though, there seem to be more details on the left part of the background which could have added to the depth of the image. The mist is so mysterious and that's just what got to me the most.

So, I vote for photo no. 2.

Nino, this one is hard. I guess I must congratulate you first. I had an easy time with the first ones. This set is quite the photographic mindwank.

I love the light in #1 but #2 seems to have more story. #1 grabbed me at first and my eyes stayed there for quite awhile. #2 was kinda flat but offered a bit more in terms of what the others referred to as "mystery". Composition-wise, #1 has more geometry working for it while I find #2 to be too centered.

This is a classic case of light vs. content. I think the winner here is nino. I am unable to choose :)

Nino, this one is hard. I guess I must congratulate you first. I had an easy time with the first ones. This set is quite the photographic mindwank.

I love the light in #1 but #2 seems to have more story. #1 grabbed me at first and my eyes stayed there for quite awhile. #2 was kinda flat but offered a bit more in terms of what the others referred to as "mystery". Composition-wise, #1 has more geometry working for it while I find #2 to be too centered.

This is a classic case of light vs. content. I think the winner here is nino. I am unable to choose :)

Hahahaha. You made me laugh here my friend. At least the great etch-a-sketchivarre was mindwanked photographically to the point that your brain experience the blue screen of death.

I still would like you to choose though.

This is one face off that's really had to decide on which one to vote, as both photos tickled most of my senses. It's these photos that makes me want to go there to meditate, as the photos conveyed the feeling of tranquility of the places which have been the subject of these photos.

I made my choice, I went for photo no. 2.

i'd have to think like if i were to buy, which would i choose... man, very slightly, #1.

Photo #2 for me...

the haze captured in photo 1 was just amazing...

The first photograph gives us the visual treat of depth. It showcases the photographer's success in using the quality of light to work for the image; while it is a technical mastery in defining the grandeur of the near to distant mountain ranges, the foreground was not well thought of, and was compromised; the image is simply that, a mountainscape -- a mighty good mountainscape to boot.

The second photograph gives us that visual treat of serenity and mystery; the foreground and up to the middle part of the image was clearly defined with vibrant greens, leading lines formed by the rocks; but the thick fog hides what lies beyond the dwelling. It grips the eyes of the viewer to inspect what the photographer wants to convey, and why it is composed as such. A different 'depth' if I may add.

That said, photograph #2 is my pick.

(But, if I were to choose where I would want to be, it would be on the same spot where photograph #1 was taken :) )

Cheers and congratulations to these two fine gentlemen of Black Pencil Project!

I must say this is a tough decision but my vote will be on photo #1 because the photo was breathtaking and i love how he compose the endless boundaries of the mountains and foggy effect that gives drama into the whole picture. absolutely amazing.

Great images guys, can't choose between the two.

my vote goes to Photo 1.

really hits the theme. mountainscape.

Photo #1 for me..:Grin:

mine is photo #1...

My Vote goes to Photo2

For starters I tip my hat to both photographers. It's amazing what you guys do with the BPP.

Now back to the pictures. I find both photographs a little too cropped for my tastes. In Photo 1 I would have preferred a little more sky or a wider cropping of the picture to really give an impact and feeling of grandeur that a mountainscape photo is supposed to have. Having said that i love the contrast and the depth of field the photographer was able to convey.

In the 2nd photo i find the subject too big and the impact of the fog which for me brings a sense of mystery/story in to the picture was lost a little. Also the fog really downplays the mountains from our view. A wider cropping would also have shown or at the very least alluded to the mountains hidden by the fog.

In the end I voted for Photo 1. :Grin:

I'd go with #1 because of the gradually progressing light effect. I also like #2. Almost voted for it. I think it could have been more stunning if the placement of the house followed the Rule of 3rd same as he did with the foreground. My 2 centavos.

i'll go for photo 1, though no 2 catches my eye with the vibrand green foreground, but the changing levels of light accross the mountain somehow gives varying depth and continuity.

In this age of post processing, it' s difficult to tell which has been "pasteurized" or "blended". Too much technologies get in the way. I like both photos. But I'd give it to photo #1. Photo#2 is a well shot picture, but a tad too processed for my taste.

the 1st photo reminds me of randall's shot during OA 5. hehehe :D

just like the others who voted before me, this was a tough one.

while i do like both photos, #1 caught my attention because of the depth of field from the layers of mountain that cover most of the scene. the light highlighted this characteristic even more.

the shadows of the two trees (?) at the lower right hand corner appeared distracting, though. unless they were included to match the other trees on the lower left to help frame the shot.

what's great about #2 was the serene feeling it brings. i liked the contrast of the greenery at the bottom of the frame matched with the cloudy background. personally, i would've wanted to see a human element in this one. i doubt if having a human presence in the shot would take away the serenity of it.

hats off to both photographers on this one!:Grin:

#2! nice one :)

Photo no. 1 captures very nicely the tones of the earth from a wide and distant horizon. Showing the blue variant hues enhances depth and perspective of the mountainscapes. Highlights from the Sun's cast are wonderfully captured. Exposure is perfect, still maintaining detail even across shadows. The greatest asset of this image is the investment of the photographer on the timing of this shot - which has generously produced all the right colors - which gets my vote.

Photo no. 2 gets the job done well. However the mist blurs the details and whatever lines the mountains hold, which the viewer is expected to visualize to complete the concept. The details are amazing and the colors are perfect, but it seems to evoke another theme, actually even subtracting the target theme.

photo #1: I like the way it was captured perfectly while the sun illuminates the two right mountains. The silhouette in the lower left section distracts me though. Nice hue and contrast. I prefer this one :Grin:

photo #2: Simple is nice. The hut stands out from the fog covered mountains. The rocks popping out of the ricefield gives a nice contrast to the greens. It would have been a perfect fog background if the left portion ( the hill with a house) is also covered in fog.

First off, I hate this issue of face-off challenge for one simple reason. Picking one ain't that easy. (Nino, kindly take that as a compliment haha)

Both photos convey different story, different feel and different mood. That's one of the things that make this face-off challenge such a tough one.

Ok so off to the insights. I have shot landscapes just as well but not quite on the PRO grade bracket so please take these words with a grain of salt.

#1 : I'm a big fan of chiaroscuro and this photo is one great example. The light illuminating one of the mountains at the right side of the frame catches my attention most. Tone graduation is very smooth making the mountain range layers very well defined and not flat-looking. Staring at this image alone made me feel like "I was there" which I think is one essential trait of a travel and/or landscape photograph. Composition could have been a lot better for my taste if this was shot with more space at the top as I would like the horizon to have its fair share of the frame. But then, I'm not there when this was shot so I really have no idea on POV restrictions and stuff.

#2: As contradicting as it may seem, I'm a big fan of mist and fog as well as how my fascination with chiaroscuro goes. And again this photo is a very good example. The mood here as opposed to that of photo #1 is quite laid back making the viewer feel a bit of tranquility. The fog at the background leaves the viewer wondering how it would actually look like under clear visibility situation. Is it cluttered? Is the mountain range too far from the foreground, making the latter perfectly isolated? This image generates more questions than answers and that again is another essential trait of a good photograph. While this image got my attention just as well as the first one, I think the composition here is a bit too tight. Just like what the others have already said, the house could have been placed a bit more to the right. Or if I were to shoot the same scene, I could have chosen the minimalist route for this one and shoot wider.


Having said all of that, I realized, I still need to pick one haha. It's quite hard especially if the choices like these 2 are at par topnotch! This is like going "all in" on a poker game just to see that thing called river. But then again, there's gotta be something in there on one of the photos that could top the other one even by just a hairline. So, without further blah blah, I go for photo #1.

Again, this is just my insight that has been a byproduct of preference. So please don't take it seriously guys.

- Agree with Marlo Moya - my 2 fils...

The first photograph presents contrast of shades and color which differentiate the distance of the mountains. The beautiful reflection of the sunlight resulting from the photographer’s perfect timing adds drama to the photograph. I find both the silhouettes of two trees on the bottom part of the picture and the tilting horizon distracting. The presence of the fog draws the viewers’ attention on the center of the photo that defines the mountains and its vastness.

In the second photograph, the log structure draws all the attention of the viewer and not to showcase the topic, i.e. mountainscape. Though the photo shows clarity on the foreground, the fog seems to disturb the continuity of the landscape. I think a wider cropping would show the magnificence of the place.

After much analysis, I voted for Photo 1 for its better showcase of the beauty and majesty of a mountain. Both gave artistic and creative representations of mountainscape, but I like a scenic picture that shows the hugeness, features and characteristics of the land.

This particular face off is pretty close to call. Congratulations to the 2 photographers and to DPP. This match would definitely set the bar high in the next serving of Photo Face Off Challenge.

Story pulls heavily with image #2.

But the light in image #1 is fantastic. I also love how the artist worked the dynamic range of the image.

Picked image #1

Mountainscape face-off?

100% Photo # 1

Photo 1 hands down for me. The layering and light angle are just perfect!

The foreground composition for Photo 2 is bothering me, something's off... I'm still picking my brain ;-)

My vote goes for photo 1. The warm colors and layers of mountains catched my attention; especially the golden hues on the right and the blending of orange and blue on the far most view. Contrast, saturation, as well as the color balance are awesome. Lastly, the silhouette trees makes a perfect foreground. Indeed a well-composed and great photo. :)

I like the depth of field, the varying lights and shadows. Hence, photo #1 for me.

In photo #1, i like the contrasting light condition on the mountain face and the continuos mountain range which shows vast area and distance. It gives me the adrenalin rush feeling of "go conquer my slopes and peaks".
While photo #2, has a good concept of eliminating the background by going for a shot while the fog was in its thickest phase thereby making the rustic house standout. It delivers a feeling of cold lonely morning.
While i like both pictures but my heart goes to photo #1.

Some of you may see photo number 2 as tilting, but I is not. Tried checking it with photoshop
by placing a rectangular marquee tool.

I'd go for photo 2, it tells a lot of peculiar stories.

oh no, I love them both!

The first photo takes me to a different world. The clouds in between the layers of mountains look surreal and the layers itself look so deep. The colors make me feel cool, or cold... but the darkness/exposure of it makes me feel rather dark and sad as well. But the yellow in the horizon gives me hope. It looks like it was taken from above, not quite sure where the photographer was standing. It makes me feel like I'm there, flying above the mountains.

The second one looks much simpler, it gives me a feeling of a simple life, of home. I could envision a movie revolving around life on that hut already. It makes me imagine and think of other photographs in that place. It's a landscape photo, but I could see people in it, for some reason. I kinda see how they live their simple life there. The fog in the background also doesn't seem real, it doesn't connect with the rest of the image, but makes for awesome cinematography, hehe.

I'd pick photo 2 because the first one, with all it's awesomeness makes me feel a bit emo. :3

I'll gun for photo #1. The main reason for me is that the photo stick to the theme itself, mountainscape. The best part of photo 1 is that he was able to capture the beauty of mountains in the morning, the morning fog. You can see how dramatic the color combination is and how the morning break evolves.

Photo #1 for me for its accuracy to the theme. The contrast, brilliant capture of natural light creating rims on the mountain sides, varying opacity of fog density with distance, excellent dynamic range, seemingly infinite multiple horizons, topped by being taken from a vantage point that brings all those elements together makes the photo very cohesive.

Photo #2 for me was just framed too high such that the upper half is mostly fog and is in essence negative space. The foreground rocks were cut and incomplete. I think it should have been better framed had it been taken horizontally with more foreground and with lesser fog formation.

I vote for Photo #1 - I felt i was on that mountain... :)

just wondering, how does one's image gets chosen for the face off? :BlackEye:

Photo 1. Photo 2 is off-topic.

A very thin line indeed........ will go for photo 1...... it's closer to how I would do my own given the situation. The high key of 2 or white predominance is something quaint and very tasteful too..

A very thin line..... kudos to Mon and Rolly..:)

I'll settle my vote to Photo01... my reason for not Photo02 it is because half of it only has fog.

Photo # 1:

I think that the composition and the tones from the first photo interprets the theme best.

hhhmmmm... #1 :)

i like photo number 2 more, i think this was taken minutes before the rain, the rocks in the rice field tell a different story, my words are not enough to describe photo number 2, i like! very much!

my vote goes to sir Rolly...
the art director, because i like the photo... haha...
i like the compo...

my vote goes to sir Rolly...
the art director, because i like the photo... haha...
i like the compo...

These photos are already published on the latest issue.... :)

These photos are already published on the latest issue.... :)

Waahh should check this out soon. I wonder though if I get a complimentary copy. :)

/m

................deleted................

01-05-2010

I like Photo #2.

both are awesome shots but i'll lean towards #2. The color is just amazing + the foggy background (very interesting).

I love the contrast of the second picture. The small house and the presence of boulders in the rice paddy make it look extraordinary.

Both photos are beautiful images. I like the Picture 1 better becoz of the dramatic colors, grandeur & majestic stand of mountains and expansive range of depth of field. :Shock:

Picture 1 tickles me. It shouts DEPTH!

Picture 1 tickles me. It shouts DEPTH!

I'll agree with luigi on this one. Love the depth, the hues of the blues and the capture of the horizon. Very stunning.

It's photo 1 for me, it captured the elements it needed plus the image has it's mysticism, depth and drama that sets it apart from being just another photo.

As for photo 2, although the concept is nice, for me the contrast and color saturation of the image can still be tinkered and improve, it would also be nicer if the the hut and land only covers 1/4 of the space thus adding additional depth and drama to the composition. Just my 2 cents.

definitely #1 photo for me :)

Question, am I supposed to get paid on this one (or at least received a complimentary copy) since DPP published my photo as a regular content? :D

i really really like both pictures and i think there is no battle between this two, i think ill go for pic no.1 for making it more epic scenery

I would also go with Pic no. 1 as it got the most "nice" comments from me. =D Composition is great, and I love the way that the landscape is portrayed.

Geez, haven't had the chance to vote. Well anyway I'll just leave my two cents though.

I had to read what others had to say before me and true enough this was a hard choice to make since both photos are good. But if we have to be strict with the theme, I'd say my vote goes out to photo #1. If only the mountain area of the second photo were not covered by fog - then I might have chosen that one. Kudos to both photographers.

I vote for the second photo because the first photo is good and very beautiful but its kind of mediocre it's like another beautiful photo of mountains that has been created a million times before. The second photo is a bit mystical to look at and it has this sort of mystery in it.

this is easy...

my pick is #1 - reason: mountains :) (the theme is mountainscape. photo number 2, doesnt have mountains)..

can i identify the photos. Mon Corpuz' photos are not too dark, that's his style based on my observations in his landscape photos. and that's photo no.2.

i believe they have different levels in this landscape photography. photo no. 1 is likely a rembrant type. more on the contrast while photo no.2, is more on sunny mood. bringing out all the colors.

photo #1 is a very common scenery and nothing too much for the eyes.
i go for photo #2, it pulls my attention to that bahay-kubo and telling me that amidst of the mystic fog, the house serves as refuge. ;) and it is the center of discussion.

"mountainscape".... mmmmm, my vote will go to no.1

Photo 01: I'm looking at every mountain's edges and seems sharp all throughout maybe because of the PP and it could have helped a lot moving the frame a little further to the left to include the whole body of the shadow tree on the lower-left portion of the frame. Great hue and shadows. I feel like I'm on top of situation looking at this photo.

Photo 02: Although PPed have complete elements foreground rocks, subject house and background mist + mystical object hiding.

My vote is for Photo #2. It's just my eyes though. I agree with other members that both pictures were print worthy.

Great job for Mon and Rolly.

Cheers!
-Sau

i like #2, but #1 is more appropriate on the theme. so #1...

I am a newbie photographer but I know that when it comes to Landscape Photography, TIMING is another factor in making a good composition.. the #2 photo would have been better if the photographer patiently waited for the fog to go down a little to cover the "white house" at the far left.. it would have shown more the purpose of the photographer to put the "bahay kubo" be the center of the attention in the photo.. the color was nice, peaceful.. and the composition was better than the #1 photo..
on the other hand, the #1 photo showed clarity and good contrast.. it is mroe colorful than the 2nd one.. if the photographer moved his camera to the left to show more of the silhouetted trees and move his camera up a little to remove the unwanted "tree cropped" below, the composition would have been better..

both photos made a good composition but the #2 photo, for me, is better than the #1 photo.. the message of the former photo is clearer than the latter..

[a neck to neck battle]

I will choose photo 01 - the just love the whole composition.

they are both great images but photo 01, i've seen it a lot of times already from other post (i.e Mr. Jay J.).. is it in sagada?... photo 02 its nice and calm but the background seems pale to me..

Indeed, they both are great photos.
Personal preference for me would be the second photo.

It's more surreal and more unique.
The visual interest of the second one doesn't rely on contrast and strong color, but more on the subject matter. I feel that it tickles curiosity more and, in comparison to the first, is not just a technically sound photo of some mountains.

That wonderfully colored house and that field of green, when inspected again, rests on foggy marsh... And that slight ghost of the mountain in the distance through the fog... It tells you that the background is not just washed up exposure but is actually a white out fog.
It's not a loud image, but it is a sophisticated nuanced one.

Photo No.1 -I go on technical aspect choosing the best..spot metering on photo no.1 had been done or more or less did the braceting exposures to get that sunlight in the middle.
and great composition too.

Photo No.2-is just a matrix metering and picture wise it will more attractive if the house is not dead center...could be just one third of the right bottom and all foggy sky at the top.

being from the cordillera:)and being away for sometime, i had to ask myself ...which photo brings me closer to home, i'll go for photo A - it gives me the feeling of just being at the spot.:Grin:
photo B, is great as well..pero parang may kulang...medyo bitin..there's that feeling of searching for more. To both of the the litratista..great job. God bless your talents

"Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" - 1 Corinthians 10:31

Parehong maganda super cool!
Photo 01 may lalim at "color perspective" but i would like to suggest sana kung sana lang may reference to show the size or the majestic view of the mountains. :)
Photo 02 gusto ko yung line, seperation ng foreground, the high color conrtrast at sa background yung the monotone effect. Just a question lang bakit sya nasa center? Congrats man! Da best!

Photo 02 gusto ko yung line, seperation ng foreground, the high color conrtrast at sa background yung the monotone effect. Just a question lang bakit sya nasa center? Congrats man! Da best!

Hi Arnel,

The second photo was mine, so my answer to you will be water over the dam.

While it is a common notion among untrained photographers about the ideal framing of the scene, eg. to shoot it abiding to THE rules of thirds; the photo was unceremoniously photographed using a least known basic principle which is formal balance.

Symmetrical, or formal, balance in a photograph is achieved when elements on both sides of the picture are of equal weight like a seesaw. The idea is, there are two equally weighted objects and they are equidistant from the pivot point, or fulcrum, the board will be in balance.

Formal balance in photos may look static and unexciting; thus I choose to frame the house dead-centered to present an air of dignity. I wanted to emphasize the mountain house (endemic of Sagada) as a constant element, juxtaposed to the fast changing landscape of the place.

Interestingly, the intersecting lines of the roof, created an optical illusion, thus the need to frame the focal point a little off-centered, to make room of the the starkly house and terraces on mid-left of the frame to serve as references for horizon. This is then counter-weighted by inclusion of rocks on the foreground right.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5208540482_a73b0bd80c_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5208540482_7a055fa75b_z.jpg

/m

Hi Arnel,

The second photo was mine, so my answer to you will be water over the dam.

While it is a common notion among untrained photographers about the ideal framing of the scene, eg. to shoot it abiding to THE rules of thirds; the photo was unceremoniously photographed using a least known basic principle which is formal balance.

Symmetrical, or formal, balance in a photograph is achieved when elements on both sides of the picture are of equal weight like a seesaw. The idea is, there are two equally weighted objects and they are equidistant from the pivot point, or fulcrum, the board will be in balance.

Formal balance in photos may look static and unexciting; thus I choose to frame the house dead-centered to present an air of dignity. I wanted to emphasize the mountain house (endemic of Sagada) as a constant element, juxtaposed to the fast changing landscape of the place.

Interestingly, the intersecting lines of the roof, created an optical illusion, thus the need to frame the focal point a little off-centered, to make room of the the starkly house and terraces on mid-left of the frame to serve as references for horizon. This is then counter-weighted by inclusion of rocks on the foreground right.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5208540482_a73b0bd80c_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5208540482_7a055fa75b_z.jpg

/m
Well done and well explained here sir mon! or should i say master mon?:)

Break the rules! :Grin:

Every detail I've noticed in the First Photo gives a story that a viewer, like me, would think of his own interpretation. The composition is great. I think, where the shot was taken made it great. The colors are very natural and full of zest. I love the silhouette of the foreground (especially the part where a tree, taller than the others, & a leafless tree were shown together as a group), and how the last mountain layer on the upper portion of the photo differs (in terms of Lightness) from the one in front of it . The smoke and the fogs are exceptional. It makes the overlapping of the mountain layers more emphasized and really scenic. If I were a runner, this would really catch my attention. Its serenity & nature's beauty brings inner peace in one's soul. The Second Photo portrays quietude. It has more space compared to the first photo, and its simpler. I like the trail of the stones & its direction. The house between the 2 "parallel lines" pulls the attention of the viewer. But for me, there were less colors present compared to the first one. I don't feel more thrilled about the lighting and colors that the other photo has given me. Even the composition is good on it, the details shown are just 50% of the first photo. Though I think both of these photos have their own beauty and depth of calmness, my vote still goes to the First Photo.

for me to decide... I'm a mountaineer I choose the photo 01 because talk about mountain not downside area. though both photos was great but I like the first one. :D

Both photos are great! For me the 2nd photo at once gave me a feeling of calmness, completeness and security. But the 1st photo is something. There's more to than what we see. It's a kind of mysterious... with the lighting coming in between the mountains. I'll go for the first photo. More power to both!

Photo 1 for me :)

:Grin:I'll choose numero uno

Photo 2 for me. It conquered photographic heights greater than a climb to the peak.

Attention DPP Members, we would like to hear your opinions on the two selected photos posted here. Last issue, it was two young guns who battled it off using their black and white seascapes. This time, we took two friends from the Black Pencil Project and had them send their best mountainscapes for the showdown.

We bring you Rolly Magpayo, art director from GMA7 and Mon Corpuz, a web producer. Two photographers, different photos with one passion. As always, who owns the photo is a secret. We won't tell you, but feel free to comment on both.

Let's get it on!

Photo 01:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/ncarandang/01a.jpg

Photo 02:
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb296/ncarandang/02a.jpg

Gorgeous pictures =)

iLL GO FOR 1 ....
A reward from brutal travel...
could easily relate to the experience....

both are phenomenal pictures..

just my 2 cents..