Finally had a chance to get outside and experiment! It was the perfect weekend for it too ...
All Canon gear
#1
f/5.6
1/500
iso 200
18-135mm lens @24mm
I walked about 1/3 of the way around the tree and used 12 layers.
PROS for me: colors and composition
CONS for me: Cropped too close on the sides and ghosting of the top branches
#2
f/5.0
1/500
auto iso
55-250mm lens @55mm
I walked 1bout 1/4 of the way around the tree and used 4 layers.
PROS for me: The light streaming through the branches from above is what caught my eye. I wanted to see how the lighting would turn out in ITR.
CONS for me: The tree is much too dark a subject with not enough separation from the background.
I have a few more ITR photos to work on this week and hope to post. I also tried one of Alan's people walking photos (my husband and I). We'll see how that turns out.
Let me know your opinions!
Nice attempts Jennifer!
I like the first one and the ghosted branches don't really bother me. I would actually like to see it with a little less detail and more "blurry" if that makes sense. If you don't like the ghosted branches you can always paint them out with the clone stamp tool. I actually did that a bunch with the one I posted a couple days ago.
I agree with your take on the 2nd one. Looks like there is potential there but the tree blends in to the background too much. This is something that I always seem to struggle with as well when trying this.
Great experiments though!
Thank you, Kyle! I don't have much luck with the clone tool, but I do try to mask out within the layers. I was so focused on the bottom, I didn't notice the top. Oh well. Also, I'm going to post another tree later that's less detailed. See what you think of that one. I appreciate your feedback. Hope you are well!
It's great to see you/others trying this Jen. I am really liking the first one, but feel that all the layers may not be impacting.
What layer opacity did you use? I normally check by switching off the bottom (100%) layer and looking for the 'checkerboard'. If not visible then this and likely lower layers are not having any impact.
If, however, the checkerboard pattern is really strong then the opacity of layers above is too low, and this bottom layer is providing much of the outcome.
FWIW - I typically select all layers but the bottom and try opacity settings in the 5-10% range (depends largely on the number of layers) to set some sort of baseline, lowering the opacity of the upper layers (as they have a greater impact) and increasing those at the bottom end.
There's no science to this, I just try and balance out to ensure layers are having an impact (proven by switching each on/off).
Make sense?
This fantastic advice, Alan. I'm working on more right now, and that will be my new standard to start with on opacities. The layers for the first one were reduced to 25%. I try to be aware of one of your old posts on layer opacity adjustment and their impacts. Thank you for both tips - checkeboard and starting with a baseline from which to play around.
Hey Jen, if it's any easier for you I'd be more than willing to jump on a Zoom session with you. It's been a while, but sometimes it's easier to show than explain.