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Archive 2016 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT

  
 
JimKied
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


There is a tree out at the beach that resembles a bonsai tree. The tree appeals to me, I can't really explain why. I guess it is because it demonstrates another aspect to life on a barrier island - one that is shaped by the winds and extreme weather that can occur here.

I feel there is an image at this location, but I am struggling to find it. The lay of the land is challenging. It presents itself better from the other side, which would imply a sunset shot, but the dunes from that side are a lot lower, forcing whatever perspective to take to be looking upwards at the tree, which makes for a difficult composition. This is a sunrise shot and I found a dune nearby that got me up enough, but not more over to the side I wanted. Yet it appeals to me in some respects. I had to throw the rule of thirds out the window here but there is a diagonal line of sorts starting from the lit sea oats in the lower left corner, the tree in the center, and the sunlit clouds in the upper right.

I'm still convinced that I will find a much better composition here - it may need to be at a different time of year or with the right light or something. I'll probably be going back here more in the future to see what I can find. Anyways this is a much darker and moodier image for me and appeals to my dark side. Hope you enjoy it. I appreciate any comments or suggestions.






Edited on Jun 23, 2016 at 09:25 AM · View previous versions



Jun 21, 2016 at 06:38 AM
Hathaway
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


I appreciate your efforts to find a composition when you know one is there. I find myself struggling with this from time to time at interesting locations. As for this image, I thought of a few things as I looked at it. And believe me, I am no expert in composition or landscapes so take my opinion as just my own thought.

1. This composition as presented might work better wider losing some of the foreground. Maybe a 16X9? Looks like it is a 4X6 but can't tell.

2. I might also move the bonsai to the left third of the photograph and highlight more of the sky. It seems to be the second actor in the image and a strong one at that. The sky to the right seems more interesting so if there is more to be had you could include it.

3. I like the leading lines of the dunes and I think they would still be there if you moved to the right.

4. I might try a composition moving forward and taking the dune grass out of the immediate foreground. While the shape of that mound mirrors the shape of the bonsai tree mound, it provides a lot of distraction with the dune grass reaching into the bonsai tree area. The dune grass also is distracting in the lower right and in the water to the left of the image.

As I said, I am no art or photography critic but thought I would share my amateur eye perception since you indicated you were struggling with the image and location.

Good luck and I hope you got a lot more great images from this location!

Bob



Jun 21, 2016 at 08:11 AM
JimFox
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


Hey Jim,

When I first looked at this shot based on your title and description, it really wasn't working too much for me. The tree is just too little in the scene and it seems to be getting lost with that area so dark.

But as I was looking at the scene, I found lot's of elements that I liked, you definitely worked hard on the composition. So with that in mind, I decided to forget any mention you had made about the bonsai tree. Once I did that, the scene actually appealed much more to me. I like the little details and lighting in this like the grass forming an X in the lower right, the way some of the grasses are being backlit in the mid to left region. And of course the sky is really wonderful. To be honest, your bonsai tree almost turns into more of a distraction. I think it would work better with the tree not quite so centered.

Anyway, hope that makes some sense. Maybe you are trying too hard with trying to get that tree into a shot? Sometimes we just have to let it come to us. That area there for sure has the makings of some wonderful shots. If your goal is to capture the bonsai tree in a compelling composition, all I can suggest at this point is that perhaps you need to get closer to it. I am thinking you are too far away from it in this shot at least.

It is cool to find trees or locations like that that appeal to us and cause us to desire to capture it. So for sure keep at it!

Jim



Jun 21, 2016 at 05:58 PM
JimKied
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


Hathaway wrote:
I appreciate your efforts to find a composition when you know one is there. I find myself struggling with this from time to time at interesting locations. As for this image, I thought of a few things as I looked at it. And believe me, I am no expert in composition or landscapes so take my opinion as just my own thought.

1. This composition as presented might work better wider losing some of the foreground. Maybe a 16X9? Looks like it is a 4X6 but can't tell.

2. I might also move the bonsai to the left third of
...Show more
All are great ideas. Unfortunately, I could not move further to the left like I wanted as the dune dropped off about 12 feet and there was no other higher vantage point. But I did consider your crop ideas and have done an edit that you can see below.
---------------------------------------------

JimFox wrote:
Hey Jim,

When I first looked at this shot based on your title and description, it really wasn't working too much for me. The tree is just too little in the scene and it seems to be getting lost with that area so dark.

But as I was looking at the scene, I found lot's of elements that I liked, you definitely worked hard on the composition. So with that in mind, I decided to forget any mention you had made about the bonsai tree. Once I did that, the scene actually appealed much more to me. I like the little details
...Show more

Oh yeah - I was definitely trying to get that tree in the shot, so I was probably forcing it - a lot. When the clouds lit up like they did, I knew I had to capture them and I wasn't in an area where I could move around much. So I winged it. But I did do some cropping to bring more of a rule of thirds perspective to the image and this cropping also makes the tree a little more prominent - probably not enough, but I do understand your thoughts. And I can't wait to catch a break to get back out there and try some things.










Jun 22, 2016 at 10:09 AM
JimFox
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


Hey Jim,

Definitely can feel for you wanting to making something work here, especially cause you did get such a super cool sky.

Lot's of ideas for crops with this one. I like the idea of #2, but that grass in the lower left just unbalances the foreground I think. If you have a shot where it's simply the bonsai tree on the left and the sky on the right (cropping out the lower grass effectively) that might work.

But since you are in a cropping mood, looking at #2, what I miss a lot is that "X" of grass in the lower right of the original. Did you try a crop where you went 4:5 format, where simply you are cropping off the left side? Kind of like #2, but keeping the bottom area intact. The foreground in your original, to me was really strong, and an important part of the image. So don't lose it all like you did in #2. just try a different format crop (4:5). We don't see many anymore with that format, but I think it would work really well to keep the cool sky, move the bonsai off to the edge where it can compliment the scene, and then you can use all of that cool foreground to lead the eye into the scene.

Hope that makes some sense? Sometimes it's hard to verbalize what we see in our eyes in an image to someone else.

Jim



Jun 22, 2016 at 11:43 AM
JimKied
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


JimFox wrote:
Hey Jim,

Definitely can feel for you wanting to making something work here, especially cause you did get such a super cool sky.

Lot's of ideas for crops with this one. I like the idea of #2, but that grass in the lower left just unbalances the foreground I think. If you have a shot where it's simply the bonsai tree on the left and the sky on the right (cropping out the lower grass effectively) that might work.

But since you are in a cropping mood, looking at #2, what I miss a lot is that "X" of grass in the lower
...Show more

Pretty sure it does. I definitely need to explore the different formats. I'm liking the 4x5 format a lot more. Seems to bring some more cohesiveness to the image. Here is the 4x5 format.







Jun 23, 2016 at 09:30 AM
DaleBerlin
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


Jim, very nice find. I feel your pain, personally I find beach areas one of the hardest environments to compose in. I really like the grass and sky in this shot, and I think the tree provides a wonderful transition between the two. With that said, I think Mr Fox has given you excellent advice for improving the image as shot. By far, I like the last 4x5 you posted using Jim's advice. Very well done.



Jun 23, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Hathaway
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


I like the last 4X5 crop the best as well. Always interesting to explore many options in cropping to see what works best.



Jun 23, 2016 at 12:59 PM
JimFox
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT


Hey Jim,

Yep, I am really liking that last crop! What is visualized doesn't always turn out as well in reality, but in this case that 4:5 crop is really sweet. So many wonderful details for the eye to enjoy and feast on. I am now voting for this!

An additional thought. It's sometimes fun when a shot like this takes on a kind of community feel as the image goes through some suggestions and some editing and honing until finally the diamond in the rough is revealed.

Good job!

Jim



Jun 23, 2016 at 05:30 PM
JimKied
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Bonsai Tree EDIT EDIT




JimFox wrote:
Hey Jim,

Yep, I am really liking that last crop! What is visualized doesn't always turn out as well in reality, but in this case that 4:5 crop is really sweet. So many wonderful details for the eye to enjoy and feast on. I am now voting for this!

An additional thought. It's sometimes fun when a shot like this takes on a kind of community feel as the image goes through some suggestions and some editing and honing until finally the diamond in the rough is revealed.

Good job!

Jim


And thanks for your input with it. And yeah, I do enjoy getting the feedback from you and all the folks on this board.



Jun 23, 2016 at 06:13 PM





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