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EDIT: Updated to account for shadow problems.

great...... one of the best shots you have posted....... very good conversion

Ditto of what Bernie has said. Great contrast. You have created a mood that really suits the subject.
cheers
marco

When creativity from reality works, a fine image results - this is but one

Whilst the subject's are entirely different, this reminds me very much of the style of Sin City, which my partner who actually studied art, not just Hollywood action movies, says Sin City is reminiscent of the style of early 20th Century german painters...

Edit - and BTW, I think it's a great piece of photo-art. I liked Sin City too.

I like it Leigh, the black & white really brings out the texture of the soldier which is stark contrast to the texture of the sky behind it.

I like this a lot.
the colours in the sky helps set a sombre mood.

I think this would also work as a full length.

steve

The shadow on the back looks a bit funny for me. Like the darkening from the sky has crept into the subject. Just enough so that it doesn't look quite right.

Leigh

This is great. Nice composition & great PP.

Nice work Leigh!

Nice shot Leigh. The B/W conversion is perfect for the subject.

leigh bud
did you use the ir filter?

clouds look whack

great image, i can feel it

Cheers for the comments guys.

Nope Wendell, no IR at the shot level.

This is actually using one of my personal VirtualPhotographer settings called SkyBlack which blacks the sky in a fashion similar to what an IR filter would do.

It's a dual layer black & white as my filter would've completely blackened the soldier and I wanted a bit of texture to be seen in the shadows.

EDIT: Shadow problem should be corrected. I suspect people who saw the shadow are using an LCD, and one with a very high backlight behind it.

Ok. Adding one more image to the mix.

I really like this last one, its much more dramatic and in your face due to the close tighter crop, and for me I prefer the lighting in this one too.

Thought the first one was really good - the second is great!!

Ok, Thats more like it!
Love it! Very moody, very textured and a strong composition!

Good work Leigh!
I love the similar bumps and ridges in the statue and the sky. It's almost as if the sky was also sculpted. A creative image.

Nnnnsic wrote:EDIT: Shadow problem should be corrected. I suspect people who saw the shadow are using an LCD, and one with a very high backlight behind it.

Nope, I saw it on my profiled CRT with an aging (as in weak) maximum white. I like the shot even better now. Although everything in me revolts against the image, it is still a superb photograph.

Cheers
Steffen.

Leigh - Do you use a blue or red chanel picker to blacken the sky in virtual photographer? I quite like the effect you have created in the background.

These are both really striking and powerful images. I prefer the second because more of the soldier's face is showing, plus I think the tighter crop is more dramatic.

Your B&W treatment really suits these images and works wonders on the sky in particular.

Hi Leigh,

I like the second image best, although I think they are both very good.
The mood of the sky and your treatment of it really makes these images.

Willy wombat wrote:Leigh - Do you use a blue or red chanel picker to blacken the sky in virtual photographer? I quite like the effect you have created in the background.

This is one of my custom settings, however... let me find out.

I've got 3 variants of my SkyBlack setting... this one is using the red filter channel, another one uses the green filter channel, and a lighter one uses the blue filter channel.

Nope, for me it was better before the edit... oh well!

I like both Leigh - I don't always 'get' some of your shots, but this one hits the spot
Rel

No. 2 is absolutely great. Nice shadow details and very well chosen crop.

Well done.

Alex

I like the last one better, the sky and light is simply showing up better. great work there

Nnnnsic wrote:

Willy wombat wrote:Leigh - Do you use a blue or red chanel picker to blacken the sky in virtual photographer? I quite like the effect you have created in the background.

This is one of my custom settings, however... let me find out.

I've got 3 variants of my SkyBlack setting... this one is using the red filter channel, another one uses the green filter channel, and a lighter one uses the blue filter channel.

Thanks for confirming that Leigh. Cheers
Steve

Leigh - the first photograph is simply excellent. Very dramatic and evokes a strong response, for me just what a good photo should do.

In the second one, it seems to me as though the dual layer conversion become much more obvious - there appears to be a slight halo around your soldier - particularly his head.

Is this feathering? or something else?

I think this makes the photo look less 'real'. I have had a similar thing happen with my photos - I would be interested in your comment as a photoshop expert...