Critique Welcomed Wine Country

[Chris Dodkin]

Just North-East of here, is a little piece of wine country, around the town of Temecula, CA.

It's up and coming - still new in the wine scheme of things - but it's really becoming a magical place.

These shots were taken on the Leoness Cellars Estate

Terroir

Sun Ripened Harvest

Wine Country

All shots X-Pro1 - 55-200 and 18mm Lenses

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Looks beautiful, Chris. I'd love go for a walk through that landscape...

 

[Glenn Clabo]

Very nice shots of a beautiful spot. I love walking around wineries in general. There is always a feeling of peace...and I think you caught that here.

 

[Kev Pugh]

Very nice Chris love the framing of the grapes, works very well for me...

 

[Milan Vjestica]

I really like 2 & 3. Great compo on the grapes.

 

[Brian Moore]

That close up of the grapes is a cracker, Chris.

I don't go out to Temecula much but I enjoy it when I do. Its been up and coming for quite a few years now but, at least when I was last there, it still had that feel of smallness.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Looks beautiful, Chris. I'd love go for a walk through that landscape...

It's a lovely area Rob - although it was a little to warm for much walking yesterday - 89F at early evening!

Plenty of options for a cooling beverage however

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Very nice shots of a beautiful spot. I love walking around wineries in general. There is always a feeling of peace...and I think you caught that here.

Thank Glenn - they are very peaceful places - not much mechanical noise in the vicinity, lots of open space - the occasional customer falling over after two much sampling

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Very nice Chris love the framing of the grapes, works very well for me...

Thanks Kev - it was a challenge to keep the sunny grapes out of shot, as they would really overexpose, so that rather drove the comp

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I really like 2 & 3. Great compo on the grapes.

Thanks Milan - I initially didn't shoot the wide (18mm) shot - but then unpacked the camera and fitted the lens to try and capture the feel of the whole valley, hills etc.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

That close up of the grapes is a cracker, Chris.

I don't go out to Temecula much but I enjoy it when I do. Its been up and coming for quite a few years now but, at least when I was last there, it still had that feel of smallness.

Thanks Brian - definitely a small area compared with more northern wine regions in CA - but I was surprised by the extent of the vineyards around Temecula these days

 

[Ralph Thornton]

Nice set. I like the close up of the grapes. You included leaves and framed the grapes nicely which brings the whole image together.

The landscape shots are nice also. The composition is excellent. For the first one I'd probably clone out the white thing sticking up on the left and I might make the sky a little more dramatic by adding some contrast. Just some ideas.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Ralph - couldn't decide on the white stick (Bird box?) tends to draw the eye, but it is part of the ecosystem - can't decide - I'll give it a try without

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Here you go @Ralph Thornton - slightly different comp - no bird box pole, and a grad ND filter to assist with the contrast in the sky and mountains

What do you think?

Also - If you trace the horizon from the left hand edge, about 2 inches in, you can see the white dome of Palomar Observatory

 

[Lee Webb]

The original images are beautiful and the one you reposted even more so. They look like they coud be in a travel brochure or advertisement for a vineyard!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks @Lee Webb

 

[Darren Turner]

now there very nice set Chris, i really like the the first with the contrast between the vines in the foreground and rugged mountains in the distance. Also the close up of the grapes is great shot also.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

now there very nice set Chris, i really like the the first with the contrast between the vines in the foreground and rugged mountains in the distance. Also the close up of the grapes is great shot also.

Thanks Daz - looks a bit different to the countryside in your neck of the woods

 

[Darren Turner]

certainly does....... ours are surrounded by rain & clouds 98% of the time

 

[Pete Askew]

Superb set Chris. Love the lighting and the inclusion of the detail shot really makes it feel like a travelogue. I can imagine this easily in the pages of a Sunday glossy. Superb.