Love those Trees

[armand]

That's silly, Rob. 

I've seen a good number of images of the crack in the ground, too ... and I can assure you that there isn't an image out there that truly captures the full glory of sunset at the Grand Canyon live and in person ... or hiking into and out of the canyon ... or looking over the edge ... or rafting down the Colorado ...

If you think you've "been there, done that" simply because you've seen some images of the place, you have short-changed yourself.

I also add to this, even if you see pictures or documentaries until it's in front of you you don't fully realize the scale.

[stevenf]

Four more panoramic images from my recent shoot in the Rockies. All images taken with a Horseman 617 with Velvia 50 Film.

Steven

http://www.friedmanphoto.com

[RobbieV]

Outstanding work. Some of my favourites ever, on here.

[armand]

Four more panoramic images from my recent shoot in the Rockies. All images taken with a Horseman 617 with Velvia 50 Film.

Steven

http://www.friedmanphoto.com

I like the first and the last the most

[stevenf]

Armand

Thanks for the feedback, I am just in the decision process for print choices for a show as part of a photo festival.

Steven

http://www.friedmanphoto.com

[muntanela]

Bagni di masino beech forest, 1 november.

[armand]

Bagni di masino beech forest, 1 november.

Love it, makes me feel I'm actually there! And I do want to be there ...

[muntanela]

Love it, makes me feel I'm actually there! And I do want to be there ...

The forest isn't very large but really primeval. There is also a lovely ancient spa with hotel ( XVI-XVII cent.).  Masino Valley is very beautiful and quite unspoiled (no ski resorts) with wonderful granite mountains. See also Mello Valley, the small italian Yosemity...When you want... tell me...

[kencameron]

Lovely forest, nice colors. In the shot, not sure about so much sky - it demands more attention that it deserves (with acknowledgment to a comment by Tim Walcott on one of my images).

[Tony Jay]

Bagni di masino beech forest, 1 november.

All the ingredients for an image magnifique are present in this composition but I feel inclined to agree with Ken that the sky just has slightly too much prominence. Some of the foreground also has some dead space.
This is an excellent effort though and should provide a lot of inspiration for the future.

Tony Jay

[tim wolcott]

Ken it deserves more attention, but more important needs a ladder and heavier fog.  This would eliminate more of the sky and bring the attention to the forest and trees.  But give it a better composition.  I often carry a ladder with my ridiculously heavy camera bag out.  Its very painful but nothing is worse than not getting the shot you really want.  Its like running a 400 meter race and letting your guard down at the end.  Never say never.  And yes I used to run professionally. 

The third ones was shot from a ladder in Maine during a storm. 

Been away, here are a few others.  Tim Wolcott

[Tony Jay]

Tim, maybe you are the man to talk to with regard to shooting in a rainforest (there is plenty around my locale) but I have always had a lot of problems capturing the essence of the rainforest.
Other types of scenes appear much easier to achieve really good compositions.
It is true that I have pursued several ideas with some success but have yet to have to really nail the concept.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tony Jay

[kencameron]

I often carry a ladder with my ridiculously heavy camera bag out. 

Great shots as always Tim.

Ever since you first mentioned that ladder, I have been looking out for you. I have seen men with camera bags, and men with ladders, but so far no man with a heavy camera bag and a ladder. I am beginning to think we just don't hang out in the same forest.

Have a great xmas. Everyone else too.

[Rob C]

Tim, maybe you are the man to talk to with regard to shooting in a rainforest (there is plenty around my locale) but I have always had a lot of problems capturing the essence of the rainforest.Other types of scenes appear much easier to achieve really good compositions.
It is true that I have pursued several ideas with some success but have yet to have to really nail the concept.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tony Jay

Tony, that's a simple condition to cure, don't even need an antibiotic: just stop looking at the forest and see the wood.

Just like this: not a forest in sight, just wood, Kodachrome and red mud. Season's greetings to you.

;-)

Rob C

[stevenf]

Tony

Here are four of my rainforest images, I hope you find them interesting. Camera Horseman 617 Velvia 50 film.

Steven

http://www.friedmanphoto.com

[Tony Jay]

Tony, that's a simple condition to cure, don't even need an antibiotic: just stop looking at the forest and see the wood.

Just like this: not a forest in sight, just wood, Kodachrome and red mud. Season's greetings to you.

;-)

Rob C

Thank you Rob - and a Merry Christmas to you too.

You are not wrong in your assertion: it is difficult to see the forest properly - all those damn trees keep getting in the way.
My photography has grown out of a love for the outdoors in general and so far most of the things that I really care about I have managed to get portfolio-grade images or approaching that standard.
The glaring exception so far is the rainforest. Rainforests fascinate me, yet, photographically at least, I am not seeing and capturing anything more than what I would characterize as slightly above average pics at best (One or two recent images may stand the test of time - we will see).
So, I am not trying to shoot subject matter that I am indifferent about, and I am not bereft of ideas, but it is becoming somewhat apparent to me that there may be technique issues that have escaped me.

On a completely different note - Thank you for your kindness and guidance through the course of the year. It is very much appreciated.

Your friend

Tony Jay

[Tony Jay]

Steven thank you for your interest in my predicament.

I have gone back through the thread a little way and had a look at several of your contributions.
Beautiful images all.
Your 'Aspen glow' has the visual impact for me of the finale of the 1812 Overture - a true tour de force.

I am not completely conversant with your equipment but if memory serves your Horseman is a dedicated panoramic camera.
Either that or you really like that particular aspect ratio for your panoramas.

Come to think of it does shooting with a particular aspect ratio in mind (easier if your Horseman is indeed a dedicated panoramic camera) help with visualizing the outcome? The answer may be self-evident but perhaps there is a bit more to this than I realize. I would appreciate any comments that you have.

As already stated I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing your image posts.
Those four rainforest pics remind a little of the forest architecture of what would be termed wet sclerophyll forest in Australia. The Eucalypts may possibly be a bit taller though.
The tropical and subtropical rainforest that I shoot in seem to be much denser (although I admit that I have never shot in the temperate rainforest that I assume is somewhere in North America - perhaps Oregon or Washington State?).
I am interested to know whether if that is the case, and not just my interpretation, would that change your approach in any way?

I will post a couple of images in the next day or so to show images that I believe are passable.
Any comments in general and critiques of the images would be appreciated.

A Merry Christmas to you Steven.

Tony Jay

[stevenf]

Hi Tony

Thanks for the kind feedback. Autumn Glow is a big seller for me, just sold one this week. the images are from Moss Ferns and Maples British Columbia and the other three are from Rainforest on the south island of New Zealand. The Horseman 617 is a dedicated film panoramic camera with a three to one ratio, none of the images are cropped. It makes it easier for the galleries that sell my work to have consistent image sizes.  I use the Schneider lenses, each one has a viewfinder. The viewfinder is key to locating imagery in the forest. You could use framing cards, hopefully Tim will join the discussion he believes in using framing cards. I had the pleasure to meet Tim and shoot around with him last fall. Tim is a great guy and very passionate about his work. Forest imagery is a real challenge given how chaotic the forest can be especially the forests you mention. I will look for your posts and comment. Here is a recent magazine article from F11 Magazine on my photography that may have some interest. Thanks again for your kind feedback. Happy holidays, got to run, I am cooking dinner.

Steven

http://www.friedmanphoto.com

http://www.f11magazine.com/site/pdf/f11%20Magazine%20-%20Issue%2017%20-%20DecemberJanuary%202013.pdf

[Tony Jay]

Steven thanks for the links.

I read the article in f11 magazine in full.
Very interesting.

I think what stood out for me was the issue of time.
This is something that for me is in short supply generally.
Often I only get a single day at a time and even going back to areas that I know may make for a pleasant time in the forest but due to light or weather only very moderate shooting conditions a lot of the time.
The time factor limits the search for optimal compositions too.

To compensate for the above limitations I frequently shoot mini-landscapes with the focus (pun intended) on smaller elements in the forest.
In Queensland there are many locales where I could shoot but possibly what is required is to select a particular area and explore it in detail.
Possibly this would allow me to slowly assemble places with good compositions and then hopefully when the light is good I might get the odd winner.

Tony Jay

[muntanela]

Lovely forest, nice colors. In the shot, not sure about so much sky - it demands more attention that it deserves (with acknowledgment to a comment by Tim Walcott on one of my images).

I agree. I feel there is too much "vacuum" in the middle,not only too much sky.

Here another image (I had to cut the rock on the left).

The difficulty with the composition of these images is that the slope is quite steep...