This tree grows along my driveway and I find the seed pods backlit by the waning sun when I come home form work. I finally took time time to photograph this this past week.
As simplistic as this photo looks, my patience was tested. I wanted backlit seeds against a darker background. So, I had to wait for the BG foliage to be shaded. By this time, the sun had moved behind the top of a Eastern Cedar, so I has to wait for sunlight to shine through the gaps in the foliage to back light the seeds with enough intensity to create the contrast I was looking for. Then there was the occasional light breeze. The smallest breeze had the seeds moving all over the place. I’m in awe of folks who photograph insects.
Specific Feedback Requested
I’m open to all comments. I specifically would like your input on ratios.
The photo was shot at 2:3, but the right side of the photo has a lot of negative space. The crop you see is 1:2.25. If I crop at 1:2, I would crop off the top and loose the tip of the branch. How important is the branch tip to the composition?
Also, in terms of ratios. How important is it to stick to the standard ratios? Would it be acceptable if I wanted to make this photo 5" x 12"?
Technical Details
Canon 5D IV | EF100mm Macro | f8 | 1/125s | ISO 400
Processed using ACR and Photoshop
Beautiful backlighting, well worth your patience. To my eye that upward-pointing branch end adds to the composition. The cluster of aperture-created circles to the right of the topmost seeds I’d clone out, as they do distract a bit - but I like the other ones in the BG very much. I never worry about standard ratios, but probably would if I was getting stuff printed. I like your ratio here a lot; it suits the cool composition. And gorgeous seed pods.
Nice one! I can see why you made time and tested your patience for this. The light and background do a great job of showing off the texture and shape of the samaras. I agree about the brighter white bokeh balls - see if cloning them improves things. It might.
Am torn about both the aspect ratio and the branch above, although more decided on losing the branch than the tall skinny composition. It does suit the shape of the seed cluster and because of the ubiquity of cell phone pictures, we’re used to the shape. Aspect ratios are funny things. Back in the 80s and 90s when I worked in film processing labs, people were not happy about the cropping needed to get to a standard 5x7 or 8x10 print from their 35mm film. The ratios are completely different, but somehow both standard. It’s like the package of 10 hot dogs, but 8 buns conundrum. Why? Those print sizes aren’t compatible with older film formats either, but yet they stuck. But as Mike says, unless you’re trying to get a standard print size, I’d ditch the idea of standardized ratios and crop for what suits the subject and the image.
I love the backlight on this, and I agree that the two white bokeh dots might look better as green or cloned out. Size is only dependent on what you are using it for. If you are printing and framing, then try it as is and see if you like it, and if not maybe expand the canvas and make it the dimensions you want. If you are posting it, then go with what you have. It’s lovely and congrats on your patience!
Hi David. This shot of yours is close to my heart as I really like flora images with black or nearly black backgrounds, especially when they are backlit as this one is. The lighting you have here is great.
As with earlier comments, I feel that the background here starts to steal the show away a bit from the seed pods, and as Krsiten has commented, the vertical bit of brach at the top may be a bit distracting.
I have taken the liberty of doing a couple of adjustments myself (as I really like this type of image) to darken the background, remove a bit of the vertical branch then crop, and darkeneing so that there is just the faintest light on the branch. I apologise now if you don’t like it, but thought I’d try anyway. Cheers.
David, Beautiful backlit image as it is, but agree with others on bokeh spots in the background. Phil’s rework and crop is right on. It also makes it look stark and striking!
I posted a re-worked photo below my original. I cloned out the bright white balls and did some burning on the brighter parts of the remaining bokeh. I didn’t want to go all black BG with the branch tip in the photo. I felt it was too much black, negative space. If I decide to crop out the the branch tip, I will consider going all black.
Nicely done. I prefer your reworked image. I think sticking to a standard aspect ratio serves no purpose that I can think of. I crop every one of my images for what creates the best balance for the image. I cut the windows of my mats to fit the image. Only the outside dimensions of my mats are “standard,” and even then I have the odd mat size.
