Magpie Mine

So ... how do I get this kind of b&w picture quality?  The polished, almost liquid inky tones are so impressive and the image is incredibly crisp.  How much of this is down to the camera quality and how much to the operator I wonder?!  Also, how much was the image enhanced in Photoshop?

Magpie Mine site

Ruins at the old lead mine site - side lit by evening sun.  ISO 200.

Capturing the sun as it disappeared on the horizon:

ISO and low light

ISO 800 captures the image as the light fades, but it could be sharper.

Good demonstration of the rule of thirds though!

Experimenting with side lighting and higher ISOs

The sun finally came out briefly late in the day.  The low side light emphasises the texture of the wood.

ISO 400

Tricky lighting with shaded wood and strong side sunlight through the trees.  Late Autumn afternoon gives long shadows.

ISO 400

Autumn

Playing in Photoshop ... Autumn Leaves

Would like the B&W to be more dramatic - like Charlie Waite's boat image ...