@Diane_Miller’s recent post and discussion encouraged me to dig out this image from 2008. The day before I was jostling with numerous other photographers. This day I had the whole place to myself. Go figure. This was taken just as the sun was kissing the very top of the mountains. I had good luck with a bit of mist on the water and a mirror like reflection.
I am not a fan of wide lenses, my widest lens is 24mm. Normally for landscapes I go from 35mm to 50mm, or telephoto. This was shot with a 45mm Tilt/Shift lens shifted up so that the trees remained straight.
Specific Feedback Requested:
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites) No
Canon 1Ds II, Canon 45mm TSE, 25seconds @ f/9, ISO 160, Polarizer and Tripod.
If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below.
I guess we’ve all been here - so fun. I like the tilt-shift effect. It’s subtle, but works well. Those trees are so lush and the bit of mist a nice element. If it were mind I’d brush the two trees on the right in front a little bit lighter and possibly a tiny bit warmer in white balance. Of course you’d have to do the same with the reflection.
I keep coming back to this to enjoy the pristine view and processing. I’ve been wondering about the slightest warming, though. I did a quick and dirty Color Balance with the midtones, adding a bit of warmth toward yellow and red.
I actually have three versions of this shot. One with the “as shot” white balance which is very cool color-wise. The one I posted, warmed up a bit, and a third one warmed up even more, similar to what you posted. I tried to balance the warming of the trees, but keep the blue of the sky. I really should just brush some warmth into the trees and leave the sky alone.
I went back to the Raw file and reworked it in Capture One. I brushed in some warmth in the trees, and lightened the trees a bit as well. I tried to keep the sky as close to what I remembered. Did I overdo it?
I like the rework, but think the sky needs a touch of the slider toward the aqua. Not much, mind you, but a little. The warmth in the trees gives them so much more texture and depth that I wouldn’t want to change that.
