Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: MoreOrLess on July 11, 2013, 01:04:57 pm

Title: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: MoreOrLess on July 11, 2013, 01:04:57 pm: Went back to a shot from last autumn from Haresfield Beacon overlooking the Severn Vale...

(http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6789/m6ke.jpg)
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on July 11, 2013, 02:49:04 pm: Could you open up the shadows in the centre a little? It looks rather dark.

Jeremy
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: RSL on July 11, 2013, 03:23:00 pm: +1. That's a beautiful tree, but you miss a lot of its beauty if the mid-tones are blocked.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on July 11, 2013, 03:23:50 pm: Quote from: kikashi on July 11, 2013, 02:49:04 pm
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.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: MoreOrLess on July 11, 2013, 05:01:58 pm: 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.

(http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/8855/gh57.jpg)
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on July 12, 2013, 03:26:44 am: Quote from: MoreOrLess on July 11, 2013, 05:01:58 pm
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
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on July 12, 2013, 09:15:35 am: 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.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: MoreOrLess on July 12, 2013, 02:52:11 pm: Quote from: kikashi on July 12, 2013, 03:26:44 am
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.

(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/3744/qie2.jpg)
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: PeterAit on July 12, 2013, 04:29:18 pm: Crop the left edge, please. That busy and uninteresting bush is a problem, IMHO.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: RSL on July 12, 2013, 05:37:01 pm: I don't agree with Peter on this one. I think that bush at the left is critical for the picture's graphical balance.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: Riaan van Wyk on July 14, 2013, 01:32:10 pm: Quote from: RSL on July 12, 2013, 05:37:01 pm
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.
Title: Re: Haresfield Beacon Autumn
Post by: MoreOrLess on July 15, 2013, 01:02:23 pm: Quote from: RSL on July 12, 2013, 05:37:01 pm
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.

(http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/7268/u1i9.jpg)