Woke up Sunday morning expecting a flurry or two, no more than an inch, if that. Turned into quite the pretty little event. No wind, so the snow stuck to the tree branches. Not slick, so was able to drive around to several locations. This shot is on a curve just before Assateague that has some gorgeous trees that create a beautiful canopy that I keep wanting to shoot. The idea popped into my head that I wanted to try to catch the shot in this snow. I was pleased with the result! Had to photoshop out the one car that was in the back corner of the shot, plus a couple road signs and a telephone pole, and there were a LOT of power lines running through the bushes that I had never noticed before.
In addition, I tried a little dodging and burning in PS that I've never played with before. Have to say, it seems to have made all the difference in this edit.
I tried several new techniques in this shot, so your CC is DEFINITELY appreciated!
@frankhymus Frank, can I ask for critique on this one? We have a local Art in Nature Photo Festival next month, and I'm considering this one for entry.
@shesnapped A great idea for sure. For Processing, I'd try for more contrasting tone. Duplicating the final result on a layer and then working with the Blending Options, the Blending Mode especially, can be a simple way to achieve this. I like the Overlay/Soft Light group for this. And then of course adjust the opacity "to taste." You don't have to flatten to a background first. Form a group of all the layers you have, duplicate those in one with one operation, and then marge the copies. I'd also consider toning it a little if it is still a little "grey." Not so it's terribly apparent, just "richer" tones. Tone in the shadows only usually works best for me for "natural' effects.
A difficult composition, I think. I find a number of the very strong lines of the trees, very prominent, are cut off at the frame boundary. It's sort of like chopping of legs and arms of portrait subjects.
The reverse of this, what some authors call the "pokie" effect, is where small (or large as in your case here on the left frame) "incomplete" things or lines poke in from outside the frame.
I labor over these two things especially in my own landscapes, and trees are really, really hard to frame to abide by these two principles. Sometimes vignetting can assist to soften the effects, but in competitions any but the most effective vignettes are often severely frowned on my judges.
Also, the one strong vertical on the left of the frame pulls away from the curve, and I think, again, it might be a more unified frame if you cloned this away. Or if you could draw the branches to join this vertical, you might solve this as well as the "pokie" one.
A great piece of advice from some pundit I read many years ago, I forget who, "Don't forget to run your eye over the whole border of the frame, and not just the central subject, to check for 'intrusions and distractions."
Everyone else commenting here are not bothered by these things, and like the image a lot, so perhaps you should listen to them and not me. Not that the image is not most interesting and has a great potential, but like I said up front, it is a difficult one.
If the competition is to be juried by expert photographers and artists, I might submit it for any comments they might have.
I am sure others will jump all over me, but these are the sorts of things that formal competitions worry about. A lot. Best of luck, and keep up the good work...
I wonder, can you pick this one apart about "distractions " around the edge of the frames? I certainly can. :) Not a terribly strong image per se, so I really wonder why so many folks "faved" it. 8 out of 8. I think it goes to show that "emotion" can really suppress noticing technical imperfections. I would like to think that i can do both at my best. Good Technical photos, and photos that tug at the emotions.
@frankhymus Thank you so much for your critique and instruction! I definitely wanted it regardless of how much good feedback I got initially on this shot. I submitted it for my camera club's February competition and received 1st Place in my division (Beginner!) and received the judge's comments which were as follows:
Love the graphic impact of the trees in snow. B&W was a good choice to covey the cold. The composition has some visual tnesion and the tree on the left keeps it from being a lopsided composition. Like that the photographer has taken some chances here.
Very nice commentary, but not necessarily instructional. And I'm sure that the only reason it placed 1st is because I was in the Beginner Division which I chose for myself since it was my first year. I came to realize that I was probably a little more advanced than just beginner, but I really had no clue when I started last year. Admittedly, I received 1st Place numerous times for photos that would not have held up had I been one division higher. And I certainly scored enough points that next year I'll be placed in the next division. (I tell you this so you don't think that I think I'm actually a 1st Place photographer. I know better than that!!!) Anyway, my point is that I've received several compliments on the shot, but I knew it needed more than the treatment I initially gave it, and that's why I wanted your input. So thank you for giving me direction! I'm going to revisit this one in PS and put your recommendations to work later in the week. I'm also going to do the same with the egret photo, and thank you for those directions as well. When I rework them, I'll post them and tag you again. It will definitely be later in the week, possibly as late as the weekend as I have a client project that will likely take most of my nights early in the week.
Now, regarding your question about distractions around the edges. In the photo you linked, I see 3 white spots that are not "attached" to lamp/light shades like the others. Are those the distractions you're referring to?
1. I copy/pasted the judge's comments and meant to correct his spelling. The theme that month was "Cold", and he should have typed "convey", not "covey".
2. Do you know what he meant when he said that he liked that the photographer had taken some chances? Do you see that chances were taken? If so, can you point them out, and do they benefit the photo?
@shesnapped That's them, the spots, and with those removed cropped to 3x2 would fill the frame better.
The chances are all the trees I think. Like I said, Trees can be sometimes awkward, not to cut them off, especially when branches show a lot. And when there are so many.
@frankhymus Do you think it would be better to clone the trunk on the left, or pull the crop in a little tighter? If I pulled the crop in, would I still leave a hint of the trunk?
@shesnapped I would remove the trunk completely if you can't work to get the branches to merge on to it. I know the judge liked the branch for "balance," but as is, I do disagree with his assessment. i wouldn't crop further, just see if you can use the "context aware" healing brush to start. it usually does an excellent job.
A difficult composition, I think. I find a number of the very strong lines of the trees, very prominent, are cut off at the frame boundary. It's sort of like chopping of legs and arms of portrait subjects.
The reverse of this, what some authors call the "pokie" effect, is where small (or large as in your case here on the left frame) "incomplete" things or lines poke in from outside the frame.
I labor over these two things especially in my own landscapes, and trees are really, really hard to frame to abide by these two principles. Sometimes vignetting can assist to soften the effects, but in competitions any but the most effective vignettes are often severely frowned on my judges.
Also, the one strong vertical on the left of the frame pulls away from the curve, and I think, again, it might be a more unified frame if you cloned this away. Or if you could draw the branches to join this vertical, you might solve this as well as the "pokie" one.
A great piece of advice from some pundit I read many years ago, I forget who, "Don't forget to run your eye over the whole border of the frame, and not just the central subject, to check for 'intrusions and distractions."
Everyone else commenting here are not bothered by these things, and like the image a lot, so perhaps you should listen to them and not me. Not that the image is not most interesting and has a great potential, but like I said up front, it is a difficult one.
If the competition is to be juried by expert photographers and artists, I might submit it for any comments they might have.
I am sure others will jump all over me, but these are the sorts of things that formal competitions worry about. A lot. Best of luck, and keep up the good work...
For sure, in formal competitions, emotion has very little play if the technician content is poor.
Cheers! http://365project.org/frankhymus/365/2016-07-13
Love the graphic impact of the trees in snow. B&W was a good choice to covey the cold. The composition has some visual tnesion and the tree on the left keeps it from being a lopsided composition. Like that the photographer has taken some chances here.
Very nice commentary, but not necessarily instructional. And I'm sure that the only reason it placed 1st is because I was in the Beginner Division which I chose for myself since it was my first year. I came to realize that I was probably a little more advanced than just beginner, but I really had no clue when I started last year. Admittedly, I received 1st Place numerous times for photos that would not have held up had I been one division higher. And I certainly scored enough points that next year I'll be placed in the next division. (I tell you this so you don't think that I think I'm actually a 1st Place photographer. I know better than that!!!) Anyway, my point is that I've received several compliments on the shot, but I knew it needed more than the treatment I initially gave it, and that's why I wanted your input. So thank you for giving me direction! I'm going to revisit this one in PS and put your recommendations to work later in the week. I'm also going to do the same with the egret photo, and thank you for those directions as well. When I rework them, I'll post them and tag you again. It will definitely be later in the week, possibly as late as the weekend as I have a client project that will likely take most of my nights early in the week.
Now, regarding your question about distractions around the edges. In the photo you linked, I see 3 white spots that are not "attached" to lamp/light shades like the others. Are those the distractions you're referring to?
1. I copy/pasted the judge's comments and meant to correct his spelling. The theme that month was "Cold", and he should have typed "convey", not "covey".
2. Do you know what he meant when he said that he liked that the photographer had taken some chances? Do you see that chances were taken? If so, can you point them out, and do they benefit the photo?
The chances are all the trees I think. Like I said, Trees can be sometimes awkward, not to cut them off, especially when branches show a lot. And when there are so many.