Haresfield Beacon Autumn

[MoreOrLess]

Went back to a shot from last autumn from Haresfield Beacon overlooking the Severn Vale...

[Jeremy Roussak]

Could you open up the shadows in the centre a little? It looks rather dark.

Jeremy

[RSL]

+1. That's a beautiful tree, but you miss a lot of its beauty if the mid-tones are blocked.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Could you open up the shadows in the centre a little? It looks rather dark.

Jeremy

I agree. But it has great potential.

Eric M.

[MoreOrLess]

A version with the mid tones lifted, doesn't seem to have quite the same impact to me with less separation between the tree and the rest of the shot.

[Jeremy Roussak]

A version with the mid tones lifted, doesn't seem to have quite the same impact to me with less separation between the tree and the rest of the shot.

I think it's an improvement, but I see your point. You seem to have made a global change; why not selectively lift the central shadow, leaving the trunk intact?

Jeremy

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

And the shadow areas are still blocked up in a way that to my eyes just looks unnatural rather than dramatic. But the second version is an improvement.
Do try Jeremy's suggestions.

Eric M.

[MoreOrLess]

I think it's an improvement, but I see your point. You seem to have made a global change; why not selectively lift the central shadow, leaving the trunk intact?

Jeremy

I brightened the trunk and the ground infront of it to try and keep the same contrast between it and the shadows.

Another attempt, I left the trunk as it is lifted the mid shadows a little less(but also desatured them less) and tried to lift the shadows in the top right in a realistic way.

[PeterAit]

Crop the left edge, please. That busy and uninteresting bush is a problem, IMHO.

[RSL]

I don't agree with Peter on this one. I think that bush at the left is critical for the picture's graphical balance.

[Riaan van Wyk]

I don't agree with Peter on this one. I think that bush at the left is critical for the picture's graphical balance.

I think so too.

Looks like I'm the odd one out here but I'm not too bothered by the shadows, from the angle of the sun it would seem to be late afternoon/ mid morning harsh light, that is helluva contrasty anyway.

[MoreOrLess]

I don't agree with Peter on this one. I think that bush at the left is critical for the picture's graphical balance.

That's what I thought as well, I tried to delutter it a little to get more separation between the tree and the brush but I'm not sure the composition is as good.