Photo Critique Forum

Please post no more than five images a day and respond to as many images as you post. Critics, please be constructive, specific, and nice! Moderated by gahspidy and mtbbrian.
Featured Photo
Photo by hminx

Photo by hminx
Featured Photo Archive >>
By posting on the Photo Critique forum you agree to post only your own photos, be respectful, and give back as much as you receive. This is a moderated forum and anything abusive or off-topic will be removed.
Results 1 to 13 of 13

Thread: Automn Purple

  1. #1
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Automn Purple

    Hi everybody,

    This is fresh from the garden! Our local botanical garden has a little grove of white ash trees, otherwise called Automn Purple. The light filtered through the leaves was so special I could not resist.

    F100, 28mm, F8, exposure time not recorded.
    Polarizer
    Velvia 100F pushed 1 stop

    While I like the colors, there is something which I do not like about this pic... I am considering a tighter crop (I would take a bit on the left and the top - but just a bit). Any suggestions?

    Thanks!

    Steph.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Automn Purple-10-preview.jpg  

  2. #2
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Southeast Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,505

    Re: Automn Purple

    I think you should take a slice from the right, not the left. Crop out that tree trunk on the far right. I think it would give the shot a better focal point. Right now my eye is drawn to the area of grass leading back to the green bushes just under the pretty colored leaves, and I'm left with an incredibly busy, jittery feeling. If you crop where I said, I think my eye would be drawn to the tree trunk in the foreground tree, and would lead my eye right up to the pretty leaves.
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  3. #3
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Re: Automn Purple

    Quote Originally Posted by kellybean
    I think you should take a slice from the right, not the left. Crop out that tree trunk on the far right. I think it would give the shot a better focal point. Right now my eye is drawn to the area of grass leading back to the green bushes just under the pretty colored leaves, and I'm left with an incredibly busy, jittery feeling. If you crop where I said, I think my eye would be drawn to the tree trunk in the foreground tree, and would lead my eye right up to the pretty leaves.
    Not a bad suggestion! I am always trying to respect to rule of the thrid, or at least not to put the main subject dead center. I was thinking to off-center even more the main tree. But I agree with you that cropping a bit on the right will simplify the whole composition.

    Thanks for letting me know that the BG attract too much attention. I think that I will try burning this section! ... or darkening it. That will give me something to do tomorrow!

    Thanks Kelly... I will be updating the post once I'm done!

    Cheers,

    Steph.

  4. #4
    Senior Member shesells's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    614

    Re: Automn Purple

    Steph, I love the light play on the grass and the fresh colors in the whole shot. I tried a tight crop where I took out the tree on the left, and some off the top of the whole pic. It looked good like that too. Nice shot.
    Kit

  5. #5
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Re: Automn Purple

    Quote Originally Posted by shesells
    Steph, I love the light play on the grass and the fresh colors in the whole shot. I tried a tight crop where I took out the tree on the left, and some off the top of the whole pic. It looked good like that too. Nice shot.
    Kit
    Thanks Kit.

    I'm in the office right now and I forgot to take the file with me! I wanted to try different variations! I will post different versions tonight following your's and Kelly's recommendations.

    Cheers,

    Steph.

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    390

    Re: Automn Purple

    Steph, not bad, but you applied way too much sharpening, which results in many halos ( see image) and an image that looks rather artificial.

    Btw, did you make heavy use of Photoshop's shadow&highlight filter? I'm asking that because I see a lack of shadows in the leaves, the lighting looks really flat. (second image (without the arrows))
    Attached Images Attached Images   

  7. #7
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Re: Automn Purple

    Quote Originally Posted by Elysian
    Steph, not bad, but you applied way too much sharpening, which results in many halos ( see image) and an image that looks rather artificial.

    Btw, did you make heavy use of Photoshop's highlight filter? I'm asking that because I see a lack of shadows in the leaves, the lighting looks so flat. (second image (without the arrows))
    Busted....

    You've got very good eyes! and on a JPEG I might add...

    Actually, the halos that you have noticed are the results of combining two exposures... I wanted to try to have the trunks a bit darker... But in this case, due to the complexity of the leaves and the sharp edges, this does not look like a good idea. I am not using the highlight filter, and I am always conservative with respect to sharpening....

    I think that I will be redoing the whole thing based on the original pic, and not a composite. I am still trying to find the limits of PS magic!

    Steph.

  8. #8
    News & Rum-or-ator opus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Southeast Wisconsin
    Posts
    2,505

    Re: Automn Purple

    Quote Originally Posted by Elysian
    Steph, not bad, but you applied way too much sharpening, which results in many halos ( see image) and an image that looks rather artificial.

    Btw, did you make heavy use of Photoshop's shadow&highlight filter? I'm asking that because I see a lack of shadows in the leaves, the lighting looks really flat. (second image (without the arrows))
    My eyes saw these problems but I didn't recognize what was causing them, except for a fleeting thought that it might be oversharpened. But this is exactly what's wrong.

    All I knew is that my eyes had that feeling you get when you see red and green right next to each other...you know, that "jittery" feeling...I think it's the combination of oversharpening and lack of shadows.
    Drink Coffee. Do stupid things faster with more energy.


  9. #9
    mod squad gahspidy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    N.Y. U.S.A.
    Posts
    8,368

    Re: Automn Purple

    I don't think it really needs any crop, but if you were to go for it i would a bit off the right and fraction off the top. I think less dof would have helped reduce the attention of the elements in the bg. The bg trees are lit while the main ones in the foreground are not. Lighting was not ideal for this composition. But the light hitting the tops of the leaves and all the colors from the leaves filling the top make it a eye pleasing image.
    please do not edit and repost my photos


    gary


  10. #10
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Re: Automn Purple

    Quote Originally Posted by gahspidy
    I don't think it really needs any crop, but if you were to go for it i would a bit off the right and fraction off the top. I think less dof would have helped reduce the attention of the elements in the bg. The bg trees are lit while the main ones in the foreground are not. Lighting was not ideal for this composition. But the light hitting the tops of the leaves and all the colors from the leaves filling the top make it a eye pleasing image.
    Here are two other versions.

    In the color pic, I desaturated the grass and BG in order to bring too much attention to it. As for the crops, Gary was right... it did not bring anything... I guess it's a bit better...

    The BW version is interesting. While not fond of BW for landscapes, I might keep it! Some of the leaves are merging with the BG though...

    Well.... I guess if I could take this shot again, I would wait for a more overcast sky and use a smaller DOF to blur out the BG... A lower F number would have also allowed me to have sharper leaves (there was a bit of wind and some of them are fuzzy)...

    Still learning!

    Thank you all for your help. I do appreciate that you took the time...

    Cheers,

    Steph.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Automn Purple-10-preview.jpg   Automn Purple-10-preview-bw.jpg  

  11. #11
    Excuse me while I burn in the sky Clicker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    511

    your colorful tree

    Steph, what wonderful color! I like that the b&w looks infared... very cool.

    And the desaturated background really helps put your focus on the " burning tree"

    I would remove the little tree markers at the base of each tree..
    Rachel

    What happens when you hit a Thousand? Should I watch for Balloons?

  12. #12
    Excuse me while I burn in the sky Clicker's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Texas, USA
    Posts
    511

    Re: your colorful tree

    oh......you had already removed them in the first post, and then went back to your original to make your changes.. nevermind me. lol
    Rachel

    What happens when you hit a Thousand? Should I watch for Balloons?

  13. #13
    Obsessive-compulsive... Steph_B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Cleveland, OH
    Posts
    404

    Re: your colorful tree

    Quote Originally Posted by Clicker
    Steph, what wonderful color! I like that the b&w looks infared... very cool.

    And the desaturated background really helps put your focus on the " burning tree"

    I would remove the little tree markers at the base of each tree..
    Yeah, you're right! I'll clone the lit'le buggers out!

    I was hoping to take more shots this afternoon of the same place... but the wind got there before me and the trees are now bare... it'll have to wait till next year!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Purple illusion
    By >JJ< in forum Photo Critique
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 09-20-2004, 07:39 PM
  2. Chevy in Purple
    By GoDive30 in forum Photo Critique
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 07-06-2004, 01:54 PM
  3. Purple heart
    By MotionBoy in forum Photo Critique
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 06-12-2004, 05:49 AM
  4. Purple Pink Orchid
    By Abaris in forum Photo Critique
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 03-17-2004, 10:51 PM
  5. purple
    By hifijohn in forum Photo Critique
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-15-2004, 10:14 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •