This is another image from my September vacation in Härjedalen,.Sweden. During a hike, the birch trunk caught my attention. When I also saw the plants on the ground I had to take an image.
Any comments are welcome!
Is this a composite: No
f/3.5, 1/250 sec., ISO 200, Olympus pancake lens 14-42 at 14 mm (28 mm eqiuv.), travel camera Olympus PEN E-P7, handheld
I like this caterpillar shaped trunk composition. I would have tried to increase the DOF though because I feel that the environment has something to add. It is a fairly creative image. Reminds me of those classes in genetics from many years ago.
I like the composition and colors of the image. The only thing I see when I look a the large image is a few in focus grass/plant seed pods coming in on the right hand side about 1/3 from the top with the area behind out of focus. I would consider either cloning them out or blurring them so they blend into the background. All around a very nice image of a lovely small scene. I’ve attached an updated image with the seed pods on the RHS cloned out. Not really necessary but might be more obvious at larger sizes.
Such interesting patterns in the twisted trunk. Nicely framed. I love the bouquet of flowers and leaves at the foot of the trunk. Nice juxtaposition of large, geometric shape and small, organic shapes. I don’t mind anything in the background that has been mentioned.
Love the warm color palate in this image Ola. You found an interesting shaped birch for sure and the foreground bouquet adds considerable interest. I really like the shallow depth of field on this because I think with more DOF you would have a much busier image and it would also take away from the grouping of plants in front of the trunk. Too much competition. Love it!
@Igor_Doncov, @bryannelsonca, @Chris_Baird and @David_Haynes thanks for your kind comments.
There are some mixed opinions regarding the OOF BG. I think that both options work. My preferred choice in the field where to blur t he BG, hence the aperture choice of f/3.5. Often, I also take some additional images with different level of depth of field but not this time since my hiking partner disappeared in the distance!
I like the soft background as I think you have plenty of detail in the foreground. This is a scene that would stop me in my tracks and I love it. The colors are muted and rich, the shape of the dominant tree is bold and assertive, the background is like a harmony vocal track - it all has to come together and I think it does.
I really like the form of the trunk which you’ve captured here Ola. Put me down in the camp for increasing the depth of field. I think the texture of the bushes would compliment the trunk if they were sharper.
I love the shape of the tree (its quite unique, S-curves in trees are not something that you see every day), and the subtle warm colors in the rest of the scene. To my eye, your processing is right on the money, giving it a warm autumn feeling. In terms of depth of field, I wish there was more sharpness in the details of the vegetation at the base of the tree, but I am good with the background softness as presented, it makes the tree more prominent. I think it is primarily the LLC that needs more sharpness.
I would tend to agree.
@Ed_McGuirk and @Izzy thanks for your kind comments.
I will see what could be done in post-processing.
