A recent fall color shot

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ben egbert
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p.1 #1 · A recent fall color shot

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Edited on Oct 15, 2012 at 01:38 PM · View previous versions

Oct 13, 2012 at 01:57 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #2 · A recent fall color shot

The colors are great and I am sure it makes a great wallpaper, but I am not sure it would work well as a wallhanger. My eye runs through the scene without finding specific areas of interest. Nothing retains my attention. I tried to look at the image for cropping to improve the composition and to pull the viewer's eye into the scene. I did not see any obvious cropping opportunities. That leaves mainly color and brightness as tools to retain our interest inside the image.

I darkened the sky, removed some distracting treetops, I tried to brighten the shrub in the center of the clearing to help create a center of interest, and then I used burn/dodge and vignetting to try to hold the viewer's eye into the image. I overdid the process a bit mainly to illustrate what I was trying to accomplish.

Since we recently discussed rating images, on the usual camera club scale of 6 to 9 points, I would rate the image as a solid 7. Nicely done, but not outstanding. I would like to believe my approach might bring this up to a 7.5 level. I am willing to bet Karen and other contributors can find a better processing style and improve it further.

2013 © Camperjim

Oct 13, 2012 at 04:13 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #3 · A recent fall color shot

Thanks Jim. Your approach added drama to what I originally thought of as a serene setting. I took some 10 different shots within 300 yards of my truck mostly of different stands of aspen than this one.

Nice work by the way, good masking and color work.

Oct 13, 2012 at 04:24 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #4 · A recent fall color shot

Thanks for the kind words. I know you prefer the clear, unprocessed images while I try, usually unsuccessfully, to add some additional interest or drama. I have even been known to paste in some wildlife to add interest. If you had left me more foreground, I might have pasted in a deer or bull elk.

Oct 13, 2012 at 04:32 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #5 · A recent fall color shot

I forgot to mention. I did not do any masking or substantial work on this. Darkening the sky was a 5 step process. Use the selection wand, control C, control V, then select opacity and flatten. I should have checked the treetops carefully to be sure additional adjustments were not needed.

Oct 13, 2012 at 04:37 PM

sbeme

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p.1 #6 · A recent fall color shot

Pretty colors, tempting scene to shoot over and over in different light.
I am with Jim. I think it needs something else, and a moodier sky both changes the original feel, losing some serenity, and adds more engaging interest.
I think the yellow are a bit too bright.
I think Jim's rework improves not only because of adding interest in the sky and more depth, but also because the original was lacking in color and luminosity variation.

Scott

Oct 13, 2012 at 05:00 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #7 · A recent fall color shot

Thanks Scott. I am learning with each comment.

Oct 13, 2012 at 05:38 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #8 · A recent fall color shot

Sorry, Ben but after the discussion on adding interest, I could not resist the temptation.

2013 © Camperjim

Oct 13, 2012 at 05:41 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #9 · A recent fall color shot

Ha ha, the buffalo is a bit small dontcha thunk?

Oct 13, 2012 at 05:51 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #10 · A recent fall color shot

Big enough now?

2013 © Camperjim

Oct 13, 2012 at 06:47 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #11 · A recent fall color shot

much better. This is moose country though.

I post my shots mostly with minimum processing (Mesa Arch was a recent exception). I do this because I think it a good starting point for critique. I am more interested in improving my taking than my post processing. But i can always learn that as well. I encourage redos.

You are getting some good masking skills. I have been using the mask suggestions that Karen recently gave me to hide skys while working the rest of the image. I am not sure why I used to get halos and artifacts and now I don't. Perhaps I had some setting messed up.

Oct 13, 2012 at 07:03 PM

Oregon Gal 2-time assignment winner

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p.1 #12 · A recent fall color shot

Ben, very nice image. Like Camperjim's re-work with the addition of the birds and buffalo. Have you considered cropping a little more sky out and changing the yellow hue to -1 or -2 to bring out a touch more oranges.

2013 © Oregon Gal

Oct 13, 2012 at 07:38 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #13 · A recent fall color shot

I never considered it until you folks showed it. I guess the original was pretty much what it was so I never thought about more. I am going to try it just to learn how to do this. I usually use curves or Topaz to get more saturation seldom a single color change.

I failed the color test Kent gave us recently so I am usually afraid to mess with it.

Edit, it worked, I took several days off the aspen color change. I guess I could even turn them into maples :-)

Oct 13, 2012 at 08:11 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #14 · A recent fall color shot

Oregon Gal, the birds and buffalo are meant to be a joke. It would take a lot more work to get a more natural appearance and as Ben pointed out, we need a moose not a buffalo.

Oct 13, 2012 at 09:38 PM

AuntiPode
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p.1 #15 · A recent fall color shot

You know, this almost inspires me to make a series of classic landscapes, each with a large teddy bear somewhere in the foreground.

Oct 13, 2012 at 10:02 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #16 · A recent fall color shot

AuntiPode wrote:
You know, this almost inspires me to make a series of classic landscapes, each with a large teddy bear somewhere in the foreground.

That has been done with all sorts of objects.

For a long time I shot landscapes with hidden faces staring back. Some were really blatant and hardly anyone noticed. I even did a show at the local library with a dozen or so of my faces images. Lately the woodland spirits seem to have left me alone.

Oct 13, 2012 at 11:07 PM

AuntiPode
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p.1 #17 · A recent fall color shot

Yes, but *I* haven't done it.

Oct 14, 2012 at 01:49 AM

Oregon Gal 2-time assignment winner

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p.1 #18 · A recent fall color shot

I realize it's a joke but it does add an extra dimension

Oct 14, 2012 at 01:52 AM

AuntiPode
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p.1 #19 · A recent fall color shot

Actually, I like the idea. Appeals to my sense of whimsy.

Oct 14, 2012 at 04:28 AM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #20 · A recent fall color shot

The focal-point for me is the white tree trunks amidst the yellow leaves, so I would do a tighter crop.

Highlights reduced and Topaz filter applied:

2013 © Imagemaster

Oct 14, 2012 at 03:36 PM

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