With Spring finally finding its way to us I have been watching Willow trees starting to leaf up and been desperate to get out and play. Here's the result of another experiment, a series of 15 images layered and selectively blended blah blah - I'm sure you all know the story by now.
For some reason I always seem to struggle with yellows in this type of image. I'd love to hear honest, sincere feedback (whether positive OR negative) and as always treat all comments as a chance to improve.
I'd especially be interested in any suggestions on how to improve (the image that is....)
When looking at this image and taking in the vibrant the yellows of the willow... I thought... I wonder what this same image would look like if shot at in the dead of night with the tree lit by either light painting or pop-flashes, then blended in this technique. I think it might look haunting with the bright yellows and black of night.
With this image, I feel the overcast sky blends too much into the top half of the tree, not enough contrast. A blue sky with slight clouds would give that same painterly feel of the images you posted the other week.
Only because this is a willow with striking yellow leaves... If you had an old giant tree without any foliage or was dead, with a overcast sky, that would be striking.
Just my thoughts of course, nothing more.
Thanks Joe. I'm not sure about shooting in the dead of night - this was taken on a closed golf course and given the current environment I was feeling I might be apprehended for trespassing as it was. God only knows what the authorities might think discovering some guy popping of flashes in middle of the night.
Great suggestion though....
All opinions are valued, so thanks for being willing to express your feelings on this. Your suggestions are appreciated and will be considered on future edits, or new shots.
Send Joe to do it, Alan.
lol, I would, people look at me crazy anyway. Before I popped off flashes I'd bring out a few fake alien bodies and rope off an area like a crash site.. Then if anyone showed up they would have a bigger story to tell :)
We are a hoot! Alan and I like to "find our way" into off limit derelict buildings and you will set up scenes like this! What a team!
Great idea Chris - Joe - are you feeling inspired to make any midnight trespassing visits?
**Whispers** I've been pondering it...
**Coughs** I'm still trying to find a tree in an open area which I have yet stumbled upon. Even near-by golf courses are "tight" and not really open as such. There are a few younger trees but nothing "majestic" spotted yet. There are some killer trees but deep in marsh where I can't get more then a single angle on. I'm looking though, I'm looking. There might be a few at a local parking lot...There are def some at local cemeteries but that I def don't feel right visiting at night. Not because of spooks or wraths but just respect.
There are some incredible trees in pink bloom right now but still nothing isolated and most are on people front lawns. heh.
Yeah, I hear you Joe. Same here, you really have to work for those. I have one lined up on someone's (large) front lawn - waiting for the right light/conditions.....
Keep looking......
Try graveyards and golf courses. ;)
🔦📷👌
Good idea about the night shot!
I like this image, Alan. A bit as with Joe, it struck me that the silhouetted top of the tree looks a bit anaemic compared with the lower branches superimposed over the background conifers.
I'd simply increase the saturation of yellow, and orange to an extent, in the higher branches, a bit like this:
Thanks Chris - now that you have pointed that out I tend to agree. Sometimes we all need that second set of eyes and prove once again how valuable the feedback process can be.
I think that also goes some way to address Joe's comments, and will likely rework the top a bit as you both suggest.
Nice edit Chris
Thanks, Ruth.
Hi Alan, I'd love to see the reworked image. I share Joe and Chris's thoughts. I was also thinking about a high contrast black and white but then played with it and didn't come up with anything. I do think the color boost Chris suggested is good idea.
Just thinking on this... Just tossing around ideas like they say.. I brought the sky back from the image you posted; still the original sky from the file (not a replacement).
Not sure if it is better or not, but just ideas and tinkering around. Nothing more.
Good suggestion Joe. Unfortunately, it reinforces my thinking that Alan would have benefitted from a clear sky as the blue would have helped this image. Wouldn't it be great if the weather worked on our schedule?!
You're telling me. Ugh.. Out of the last two weeks, it's been sunny once here; the rest of the time heavy overcast, solid white. :-/
I've been trying to take shots of birds in flight, so high shutter and high ISO for the poor light. Really feeling the limitations of my older (near entry level) camera.
Interesting to hear both your views. I like the pale sky, as it gives the image an airy, luminous atmosphere which is a fundamental part of its appeal.
With all due respect, I find Joe's edit to have a somewhat oppressive air by contrast. This is fine in itself, but to my mind takes the image in a new direction altogether.
My aim in the edit was to fulfil more completely what I saw Alan as "doing" here.
It's all good. I don't disagree at all, my edit def changes directions of the original. Just tinkering around being stuck in the house for the day. :)