Walk about - Roots + 2

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Bob Jarman
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p.1 #1 · Walk about - Roots + 2

So with the focus on composition at the moment, I undertook a self-assignment: follow the route of my usual morning walk carrying a DSLR, prime lens mounted, and capture whatever "interests me at that moment" with the objective of creating an image. Being done in daylight rather than my usual 5:15AM, the light creates a fresh experience.

The goal is to "see" and previsualize rather than have an image fall into my lap with some drop-dead landscape, grandchild, or whatever. Tomorrow, spirit and motivation willing, I'll do the same but with a short zoom mounted.

All that said, here is one result - image is interesting to me, doubt it appeals to most viewers but I am interested in feedback and your thoughts. Couple of tree roots from the side of the roadway cut into the slope of a hill.

Thanks for looking and commenting.

Bob

NIKON D7000 50 mm f/4.5 1/200 sec 1000 ISO 0.0 EV

2013 © Bob Jarman

OOC should anyone else want to play...

Edited on Oct 14, 2012 at 12:06 AM · View previous versions

Oct 13, 2012 at 10:48 PM

Camperjim
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p.1 #2 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Interesting assignment and the image has some interesting shapes. To me the forms are sort of lost in the clutter. Different processing might help but as long as you plan to repeat this sort of assignment I would recommend shooting again. Maybe a little different angle or better lighting will work. Sometimes it just takes some luck and working a scene to be able to pull out the best image.

Oct 13, 2012 at 10:56 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #3 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Camperjim wrote:
Interesting assignment and the image has some interesting shapes. To me the forms are sort of lost in the clutter. Different processing might help but as long as you plan to repeat this sort of assignment I would recommend shooting again. Maybe a little different angle or better lighting will work. Sometimes it just takes some luck and working a scene to be able to pull out the best image.

Thanks for looking and your thoughts - I'll do that tomorrow.

For me, the objective is all about the light, shapes, and presence.

Regards,

Bob

Oct 13, 2012 at 11:03 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #4 · Walk about - Roots + 2

The B&W isolates it better. I see an alligator head on the left swallowing something, or a fish, head on the right.

Oct 13, 2012 at 11:35 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #5 · Walk about - Roots + 2

And two more for variety..

NIKON D7000 50 mm f/2.0 1/200 sec 640 ISO 0.0 EV

NIKON D7000 50 mm f/3.5 1/200 sec 1800 ISO 0.0 EV

Oct 14, 2012 at 12:06 AM

IndyFab
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p.1 #6 · Walk about - Roots + 2

The B&W looks like a gator or geico eating hi sprey.

Oct 14, 2012 at 02:03 AM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #7 · Walk about - Roots + 2

IndyFab wrote:
The B&W looks like a gator or geico eating hi sprey.

Yes the rounded contour of the horizontal root does suggest a gator, although that was not what I visualized at the time.

My Sunday AM promise was over taken by other requirements (make breakfast for grand-kids and help their mom with errands) - walk never materialized.

Rather, I sought to separate the roots from the orange/red clay and bring out the detail in both soil and root system. The first time I've gone beyond superficial use of Silver Efex Pro2, and, I am pleased with the results. As originally stated, the image likely does not appeal to many but personally, I like it.

Not meant or directed as a criticism, but after hanging out here for over 5 years, I have grown bored with the cliché and feel a need to push my personal envelop. If we cannot grow individually, what is the point? And I encourage anyone else similarly motivated to have ago at it.

My 2¢

Bob

Oct 15, 2012 at 12:32 PM

Oregon Gal 2-time assignment winner

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p.1 #8 · Walk about - Roots + 2

The first image would benefit from some early morning or late afternoon side light to bring out the textures of the roots. I much prefer the B/W over the color and you did a nice job with the processing. I agree with Ben and IndyFab about it looking like an alligator on one end and a fish on the other.

I love the last image and shoting it from a lower perspective works well.

Oct 15, 2012 at 12:57 PM

ben egbert
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p.1 #9 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Bob Jarman wrote:
IndyFab wrote:
The B&W looks like a gator or geico eating hi sprey.

Bob

I get it. The web is a lousy place to show large images intended for print and that one has an emotional attachment. Its much more suited to small subjects that you have no connection to.

I go for a walk each evening, I am thinking about taking my 50D along set for small jpg and just take pictures of oddball stuff and show the jpigs SOOC. Last night without the camera I saw several possible subjects.

Oct 15, 2012 at 01:55 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #10 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Oregon Gal wrote:
The first image would benefit from some early morning or late afternoon side light to bring out the textures of the roots. I much prefer the B/W over the color and you did a nice job with the processing. I agree with Ben and IndyFab about it looking like an alligator on one end and a fish on the other.

I love the last image and shoting it from a lower perspective works well.

Thanks Barbara,

As for #1, ironically the cut in the hillside faces due NE and this particular time of day (shortly after sun clears treeline on opposite side of lake) is the only in which it receives sunlight and even then it is still mostly obscured by trees on the opposite side of the road. Side lighting isn't going to happen...not that this is an excuse for the image

Self-critique on last image: camera position and soft, rich tone works well. It needs work on foreground as there is probably as much soil as grass and I would like for that area to be darker. I would also like for the tree trunk to be sharper. I could not get there with LR or USM tool in PS - need to employ another technique using history brush. Perhaps that will work better, or, maybe a lost cause. Solution - next time bring a tripod

Regards,

Bob

Edited on Oct 15, 2012 at 05:17 PM · View previous versions

Oct 15, 2012 at 05:06 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #11 · Walk about - Roots + 2

ben egbert wrote:
Bob Jarman wrote:
IndyFab wrote:
The B&W looks like a gator or geico eating hi sprey.

Oct 15, 2012 at 05:07 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #12 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Reworked #3

Oct 15, 2012 at 11:53 PM

sbeme

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p.1 #13 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Bob,
This is one of the hardest exercises to assign oneself. I know others that have done the one image/day challenge for a year.
The processing in the first image makes the image into something of interest. Didnt know you had gators that far north in Georgia, but what do I know, a NJ boy!
Your last image has a peaceful quality. The toning is nice, the comp nicely balanced. It all works together well.
Scott

Oct 16, 2012 at 01:19 AM

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p.1 #14 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Bob, like the re-work on the last image. You have increased the sharpness on the tree trunk and boosted the contrast ever so slightly via sharpening and it looks much better. Curious if cropping to the very bottom of the tree would work.

Oct 16, 2012 at 03:11 AM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #15 · Walk about - Roots + 2

sbeme wrote:
Bob,
This is one of the hardest exercises to assign oneself. I know others that have done the one image/day challenge for a year.
The processing in the first image makes the image into something of interest. Didnt know you had gators that far north in Georgia, but what do I know, a NJ boy!
Your last image has a peaceful quality. The toning is nice, the comp nicely balanced. It all works together well.
Scott

Thanks Scott,

Glad you find the images interesting.

On occasion there are reports of gators in the Savannah River locally but most often just south of here. I believe the suitable water-temperature line is about 20 miles south of here. In their absence there are more than sufficient water mocassins, rattlers, and copperheads to discourage my exploring the river's edge or anywhere nearby for that matter. Your birding forays in the Florida wetlands would give me the creeps.

Regards,

Bob

Oct 16, 2012 at 12:39 PM

Bob Jarman
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p.1 #16 · Walk about - Roots + 2

Oregon Gal wrote:
Bob, like the re-work on the last image. You have increased the sharpness on the tree trunk and boosted the contrast ever so slightly via sharpening and it looks much better. Curious if cropping to the very bottom of the tree would work.

Thanks for checking back, Barbara.

I looked at the crop you mentioned but then the tree seems to grow out of the frame and the image appears to me to lack grounding.

In looking on an iPad the blurring is very clumsy and ought be redone.

regards,

Bob

Oct 16, 2012 at 12:42 PM

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