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Author Topic: Trees at dawn  (Read 4238 times)

Jeremy Roussak

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Trees at dawn
« on: April 25, 2009, 01:57:56 pm »

I rather like it, but perhaps you had to be there.

Comments?

Jeremy

[attachment=13236:trees__dawn.jpg]
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Tim Gray

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2009, 03:20:51 pm »

Great light!  For me there's a more natural framing by cropping the top down to just above the green on either side.
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2009, 03:42:50 pm »

Jeremy,

I like it a lot (it says more to me about "the human condition" than most of the people pictures I see -- sorry: that's a rant for a different thread.)

If you crop, as tim suggests, I would crop down to just below the dark tree at the top center. In other words, leave a bit of breathing room but remove a couple of (very minor) distracting elements.

The light and the "gestures" of the trees are just great.

-Eric

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Jeremy Payne

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2009, 04:06:45 pm »

I agree that the top could come down a bit ... it might make a nice square, but then again, that might be cutting it a bit close ...

The light is nice - but to my taste, I'd warm it up a bit ... I hit it with a 25% Warming Photo Filter in PS and it looked better to my eye.
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John R

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2009, 11:50:32 pm »

The light is the most outstanding feature of this image, and it is beautiful. But I cannot seem to make the visual design work aesthetically. It seems to me the two green trees and the bottom grasses create a kind of visual triangle that gives the image a kind of formal symmetry that makes the image somewhat static. I think it would have worked better if there was no green trees and the nicley glowing delicate leaves were on ther own against the grey trees.

JMR
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dalethorn

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2009, 11:56:36 pm »

If you just removed the orange weeds at the bottom you'd have the perfect image - very atmospheric.
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jasonrandolph

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2009, 01:04:18 am »

Quote from: dalethorn
If you just removed the orange weeds at the bottom you'd have the perfect image - very atmospheric.
I'm with Dale on this one.  The yellow grass, while giving the image some foreground, didn't match the other colors present to my eye.  Otherwise, it's a great image, one that I think will make a nice print!

wolfnowl

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2009, 02:22:08 am »

Quote from: dalethorn
If you just removed the orange weeds at the bottom you'd have the perfect image - very atmospheric.

I agree.  I can see the argument for cropping out the top, but I'd remove the bottom instead, maybe leaving just the tufts of the grass stems to provide a base, and leaving in the top because it fits better with the rest of the image.  I like the green as they provide symmetry and a sense of framing.

Mike.
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Christos Andronis

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2009, 05:57:05 am »

Quote from: wolfnowl
... I can see the argument for cropping out the top, but I'd remove the bottom instead, maybe leaving just the tufts of the grass stems to provide a base, and leaving in the top because it fits better with the rest of the image.

Mike.

I agree with Mike. I would probably remove the bottom grass and also play a bit with reducing the contrast. By removing the bottom grass the image becomes square which helps to emphasize the overall symmetry of the image. Other things you cloud try: toning down the shadows to bring forward the tree trunks, reducing the saturation and adding a warming photo filter in PS.

Hope this helps,

- Christos

Jeremy Roussak

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2009, 02:17:53 pm »

Thank you all for your comments. I agree that adding a bit of warmth improves the image (I've done it by raising the temperature in LR rather than using PS's filter: the effect looks the same to me). I agree also that cropping the top to remove the black tree helps.

Here's a square version, with most of the reeds at the bottom removed. I must say that I'm not sure about this: I rather liked the idea of an orange/yellow base at the bottom of the image. I've also reduced the green saturation a bit, to tone down the green trees, and darkened the shadows.

Better?

Jeremy
[attachment=13251:trees__dawn_2.jpg]
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RSL

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2009, 02:55:23 pm »

Quote from: dalethorn
If you just removed the orange weeds at the bottom you'd have the perfect image - very atmospheric.

I don't think so. The grass is an important part of the picture, but it's too intense. How about simply reducing the saturation in the lower yellows like this:

[attachment=13252:trees__dawn.jpg]

I didn't do it, but you also could play around with the lightness of the grass. I think the picture loses a lot without the grass.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2009, 02:57:35 pm by RSL »
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Hans Kruse

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2009, 08:56:09 am »

Quote from: RSL
I don't think so. The grass is an important part of the picture, but it's too intense. How about simply reducing the saturation in the lower yellows like this:

[attachment=13252:trees__dawn.jpg]

I didn't do it, but you also could play around with the lightness of the grass. I think the picture loses a lot without the grass.

I agree about not cropping from the top. I think the way the trees end at the top is really good. At the bottom I also agree that the gras is standing out too much. I downloaded the original and used a graduated filter in Lightroom where I reduced exposure and saturation. I do not think the saturation should be too low as it then starts to attract attention.

I like this image. It is great.

RSL

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2009, 09:25:57 am »

Quote from: hkruse
I agree about not cropping from the top. I think the way the trees end at the top is really good. At the bottom I also agree that the gras is standing out too much. I downloaded the original and used a graduated filter in Lightroom where I reduced exposure and saturation. I do not think the saturation should be too low as it then starts to attract attention.

I like this image. It is great.

I like it.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2009, 02:39:40 pm »

Quote from: RSL
I like it.
Thanks for all the suggestions: it's interesting to hear others' views on an image.

I've thought a lot about how best to present this shot. In particular, I've printed copies with and without the reeds at the bottom and gazed at them over the last fortnight. I can't bring myself to like the version without them.

However, I do agree with Hans that they need toning down a bit. In fact, I already had a graduated mask lying over them in LR, which I'd used to drop their exposure a bit, so I've dropped it a bit more and decreased saturation just a little. I've also added a bit of warmth. The result is pretty similar to Hans's version.

Thanks again. It means a lot to an amateur snapper like me when people here say they like one of my images. With this kind of input, I might just begin to improve!

Jeremy
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Hans Kruse

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Trees at dawn
« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2009, 04:03:57 pm »

Quote from: kikashi
Thanks for all the suggestions: it's interesting to hear others' views on an image.

I've thought a lot about how best to present this shot. In particular, I've printed copies with and without the reeds at the bottom and gazed at them over the last fortnight. I can't bring myself to like the version without them.

However, I do agree with Hans that they need toning down a bit. In fact, I already had a graduated mask lying over them in LR, which I'd used to drop their exposure a bit, so I've dropped it a bit more and decreased saturation just a little. I've also added a bit of warmth. The result is pretty similar to Hans's version.

Thanks again. It means a lot to an amateur snapper like me when people here say they like one of my images. With this kind of input, I might just begin to improve!

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

That's great to hear that the feedback have helped you going through your thought process once again and arrived at what you think is a better image. That helps in producing the next great images.
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