A stab at removing the big branch/log in LLC and toning down the highlights at the end of the path even more than I had. Are they too muddy now? Also tweaked color balance.
The end of the same walkway through a cedar swamp that had the crossed trees in my other photo and another attempt to expand my fall photography and do something a little different. This time I have more emphasis on the ferns. That they are different shades of yellow was just a bonus. I really like the way they flank the trail and sort of wave goodbye at your leaving their space. It was late morning so the sun was still low, but it wasnât filtered by anything except canopy and I like the dimension it brings to the image.
Specific Feedback Requested
How it strikes you and general feedback. Does it still say autumn to you?
Technical Details
Tripod and probably a CPL
Lr for a wb adjustment and some work in the Calibration panel to bring the fall colors some life. Highlights tamed fiercely with masking. Other masks to even out the dark and light areas and direct the eye. A bit of texture, vibrance and exposure. A little sharpening and a crop to 5x7 proportions.
Oh, you bet this says Autumn. I like that the path leads the eye well into the frame but what I like most about this one Kris, is all of the fall colored leaves on the ground with no apparent indication of where they came from. All of the trees in the scene have green leaves and only the ferns have fall color so Iâm imagining a forest above me with trees that have leaves changing colors but they are not seen. I love that. I also love that Only the ferns on both sides of the path have turned color and really draw the eye in a good way. Had all of the vegetation been gold, you would never even notice the ferns. I have two small nitsâŚOne is the very bright vegetation at the end of the wooden path at the base of the spindly trees and the other is the wood log in the LLC that could be cloned out but these are both very small nits and meant as a way to possibly improve this image ever so slightly.
Thanks @linda_mellor, @terryb & @David_Haynes for having a look and commenting. For a while there I did way more fern photography than I seem to do these days, but maybe I should change that a bit. Glad it still says fall to you.
And yeahâŚI wondered if that bright bit in the back would be noticed, but the log, David? I love the log. They do make composition challenging though, thatâs for sure.
Fall for me too. I find this very inviting; it makes me want to head on down that trail and enjoy a crisp autumn hike. (Subconsciously, it made me think "I have to pay attention to the time since the days are so short and I donât want to get back after dark. )
The color may be true to the scene, but the overall yellow tinge flattens it to my eye. I like it shifted slightly blue, but a paradox is that can kill those great yellow in the ferns. To get around that, I often use a mask to leave the best yellows alone while moving the rest of the image away from yellow; that gives more color contrast which I find attractive. Hereâs an example below. The difference is subtle, but pleasing to my eye. (Your mileage may vary .)
Beautifully seen and captured image. I think the path looks great with the scattered leaves and hint of moss - with that classic âlead-inâ perspective. But particularly, I like that the boardwalk ends AND that the path continues on seemingly endlessly.
I think your processing is always spot on, but I also like Johnâs slight tweak in color. Always a personal choice; no right or wrong.
Thanks @John_Williams & @Lon_Overacker - I have done the âoops, wrong turn, longer hike than expected, break out the flashlightâ thing before and yeah, as they days get shorter you have to bear that in mind.
The color shift is subtle and I like it. Green in forests is intense even in scenes like this, so itâs hard to white balance sometimes. The trail up there goes left at the top of the hill, but right to a small parking area on a logging road. Itâs a nice trail just in side the National Forest. It is named for Sam Campbell who was a prominent naturalist in the mid part of the 20th century.
I saw this earlier and thought I had commented. Need to fix that now by saying how much I love it â I am SO jealous of your ferns, and the way they turn gold in autumn. The path here is so inviting with a nice curve and slightly irregular planks. @David_Haynes has a good point about the bright spots at the end of the wooden walkway, and I have mixed feelings about the branch in the LL. Itâs interesting but pulls my eye too much toward the frame edge. Love the gentle carpet of fallen leaves!
Thanks @Diane_Miller - the ferns are pretty wonderful. I have another to post so get ready to turn green again.
So I had a go with the new Delete and Fill tool in Photoshop and it did pretty well, but I also did some clone stamping to break things up more. Also lowered the highlights at the end of the path, but since I already had Iâm not sure it hasnât gone too far. See the OP for the revised version.
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Now it stands out in the original. So, kudos to the revision.