Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Todd Suttles on April 07, 2014, 07:04:09 pm

Title: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 07, 2014, 07:04:09 pm
Still practicing my PP. Any comments, suggestions would be apprecaited
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Slobodan Blagojevic on April 07, 2014, 07:18:27 pm
I think the highlights should be more... how shall i say... highlight-y? Otherwise, nice image and processing.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: luxborealis on April 07, 2014, 11:02:08 pm
Dramatic lighting, but as Slobodan said - highlights need to be raised. As well, try cropping in from th left taking off left-hand two trees. The trees aren't the problem, but with cropping in there appears to be better balance.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 08, 2014, 11:23:35 am
Good suggestions guys, Thanks!  Better?
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Bruce Cox on April 08, 2014, 11:48:04 am
Good suggestions guys, Thanks!  Better?


They seemed like good suggestions to me too.  The second version is not better, however. 

The first version is more about the light revealing the lay of the land than it is about the trees.  The horizontal contures held it together.
 
When you flatten out the bright light the biggest tree and its shadow take over and do not play well with others.
If you are going to brighten the highlights I think you need to brighten the shadows as well.
Maybe restart with the raw file.  It is worth working on.  I like the lay of the land.

Bruce
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Bruce Cox on April 08, 2014, 12:26:24 pm
And crop down the middle of the first little tree to the left rather than the second.  Croping at the second crops the big tree on its side and brings it forward to the picture plane and separates it from the other trees.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 08, 2014, 12:27:40 pm
They seemed like good suggestions to me too.  The second version is not better, however. 

The first version is more about the light revealing the lay of the land than it is about the trees.  The horizontal contures held it together.
 
When you flatten out the bright light the biggest tree and its shadow take over and do not play well with others.
If you are going to brighten the highlights I think you need to brighten the shadows as well.
Maybe restart with the raw file.  It is worth working on.  I like the lay of the land.

Bruce

another:
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 08, 2014, 12:30:37 pm
And crop down the middle of the first little tree to the left rather than the second.  Croping at the second crops the big tree on its side and brings it forward to the picture plane and separates it from the other trees.
another:
(I think I like this one best of all)?
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Bruce Cox on April 08, 2014, 01:31:24 pm
another:
(I think I like this one best of all)?


Nice
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: brandtb on April 08, 2014, 03:12:53 pm
Todd - I think your third is the best of them all...will pm some additional  /Brandt
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: muntanela on April 09, 2014, 01:02:04 pm
I'm  perplexed about the brightness of the trunks, it looks unnatural with the light coming from back and with the upper half of the trunks of a deep black.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: sdwilsonsct on April 09, 2014, 02:18:22 pm
I'm  perplexed about the brightness of the trunks, it looks unnatural with the light coming from back and with the upper half of the trunks of a deep black.
Me too. Easy to address.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: William Walker on April 10, 2014, 02:21:24 am
I'm  perplexed about the brightness of the trunks, it looks unnatural with the light coming from back and with the upper half of the trunks of a deep black.

My first thought...
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 10, 2014, 12:23:59 pm
Thanks guys!! I will start over. I see exactly what you mean and know what I did to create it. Will work on it tonight...
-t
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 10, 2014, 10:31:28 pm
Getting closer I think? Thanks to everyone who is helping me, waiting to hear back....
-t
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Colorwave on April 11, 2014, 01:31:23 pm
Ding, ding, ding.  We have a winner.  Nice job, Todd.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: sdwilsonsct on April 11, 2014, 02:03:01 pm
Better trunks.
But I would not have darkened the side edges of the image. The top and bottom have a reason to be dark, the sides don't. I like the treatment in the earlier versions better.
Nits aside, I like this a lot.
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 16, 2014, 01:22:26 pm
Better trunks.
But I would not have darkened the side edges of the image. The top and bottom have a reason to be dark, the sides don't. I like the treatment in the earlier versions better.
Nits aside, I like this a lot.
Very good point! I know I will like it better too. will change and re-post
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 16, 2014, 01:24:19 pm
Thanks everyone. Haven't been able to get to photography last couple days.... Life! will continue and post soon
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: muntanela on April 16, 2014, 05:30:10 pm
I think that the background should remain bright.

Something like this (perhaps with darker trunks)
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: Todd Suttles on April 20, 2014, 01:27:23 pm
I think I am through now with this one, but welcome C&C.. Thanks to everyone who helped!
Title: Re: Deep Shadow Road
Post by: RSL on April 20, 2014, 02:34:29 pm
Very nice, Todd. Worth all the hassle.