This tree caught my eye in 2015, and I drive past it when I relax in Victoria's Grampians in winter and explore the district, with much violent breaking, looking for a place to safely do a U-turn and then safely park the car. Experience has taught me to be careful after a flat-looking grassy verge had a hole one of my front wheels fell into. There was no mobile phone network and it took the whole day before I could finally get towed out.
The images are in chronological order. They show an evolution in processing. My sister-in-law picked the heavily vignetted third image out of hundreds when I offered her a print of her choice. Now it looks contrived to me. Even at the time, I was just playing around, and tried to depict a somewhat threatening air. The raven very obligingly added its sinister touch.
The first three show the SOOC image, and two edits of it. Exactly six years elapse from then to the first monochrome version, in 2021. The last two mono images were made in June & July of this year. The very last image is the SOOC version of the final mono. I deliberately over-exposed the bland-looiking sky. On converting to mono, I used only the red channel, and was surprised that the sky now complemented the tree beautifully.
Out of the lot, I prefer the sixth. I like how the cloud arches around the tree and the other clouds radiating away from it.
Exactly! And I wasn't expecting much with that sky. Thanks, Chris.
I actually like #3 & #4 Chris. #3 may be contrived, but the vignette draws they eye through to the tree, and the backdrop of the relatively light sky.
I find the sky in #4 provides good contrast and yet does not distract from the subject.
Thanks, Alan. I do still like the vignetted ones, I must admit. Nothing wrong with deliberate departure from reality.
I like the processing of #6 the best. I just wish the raven had shown himself a second time.
So do I, Andrew!!! Bloody obstinate bird...
Thanks for your comment about 6. Maybe I'm getting better with time, but it does mostly feel like the luck of the draw (and realisng about over-exposure, I suppose...).
Between the 2 edits of the first image - I prefer the 2nd edit (3rd image). i actually think the first edit (2nd image) feels more contrived than the other edit. I love to see the brooding skies in both - something about these skies creates a story prompt inside of me. I definitely like the composition in color over b&w. When it comes to b&w, I'm a sucker for minimalism.This seems really busy. At FIRST GLANCE that last photo looked like frost or covering of light snow until I looked at the bigger version.
I enjoyed your story of capturing this tree. Thanks for sharing it. I think there was a lot more left untold to it - an entire day before getting towed!