Last weekend had the opportunity to explore a little bit around the northern part of the Oregon Coast. This was my first time attempting to photograph PNW forests and spent a good amount of time just walking around finding something interesting. Found this scene by the side of a trail at Cape Meares and it caught my attention. I liked the shape of the foreground ferns and how the light was making the moss glow.
I want general input in composition and editing. Never done this type of scene before and struggled quite a bit both composing and the processing it.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
Any pertinent technical details:
Focus stacking 4 different shots in photoshop (it was hell!!) Then dodge and burn and color efex pro for contrast, finally a bit of Orton effect in selected areas.
I like this a lot, I like the details and the shades of green. A complex suite of details which convey the sense of “ecosystem”… Maybe, maybe I would slightly crop the foreground in lower part of the image, but it is probably just a matter of taste.
Laughed out loud at your stacking comment; I have felt that pain.
I too struggle with our forest scenes. It seems like it should be so simple, because the beauty is just overwhelming when you are in it. It is so hard to capture depth, and to find a pattern amongst the chaos.
With that said, I think this does a great job. You’ve stacked the different parts of the scene nicely. Personally, I would have gently found a new home for those few red branches in the ferns, but that’s a bit controversial. You might play with burning down those bright bits in the background (where the background lighting shines through), but that’s minor.
These scenes are so typical of the Oregon rain forests yet so difficult to photograph. The color has been really well renditioned. I find the composition to be too busy, however.
Jose, I also find these complicated woodland scenes difficult and can relate to your struggles. I love the colors and processing of this scene as you presented it. I find the composition to be challenging. I like all of the interesting elements but as a whole they do not work fo me. I tend to agree with Igor and find this scene a little too busy.
For my eye you’ve “organized” the complicated scene into 4 distinct and complimentary layers. Not an easy task, and together they walk you through the scene while giving your eye a little pause in each layer. Very effectively seen, framed and processed. You should spend more time in the forest! Love to see what you can turn out.
I’ll be redundant and say that these forest scenes are some of the most difficult to bring order from chaos. I think you’ve simplified that challenge quite well. The processing is excellent and the stacking has provided tremendous detail throughout; job well done there.
I might partially agree this is busy, but for me it’s beyond that. I think you’ve simplified the details to the point where there are only two main story telling elements; the big fern, and the wild moss covered tree up top. Here’s where the difficulty lies - it’s an image of two halves. You might experiment with cropping some off the bottom to make the fern an anchor/support rather than a competing element for the rest of the scene. Just a thought.
You have done an excellent job of making some kind of order out of what is a very busy scene, Jose. The lighting is exquisite and I like the way the FG ferns part and direct me to the lovely moss covered tree. Did you happen to get any closer and eliminate the FG ferns with just the moss covered limb on the ground with the other set of ferns along with the tree? I think that might simplify the image even more.
Thanks all for your comments I really love the input I always get from this forum :). I went and cloned out the red twigs in the foreground which I think smooths it out a little bit. Also darken more the sky spots on the background. See the newer version attached.
@Antonello_Provenzale, @Lon_Overacker I tried cropping a little bit the foreground but it feel off. I completely cut off the way the ferns “radiate” which was what attracted me to them.
@John_Williams after reading your comment about the foreground red twigs I started noticing them more and more and went down a rabbit hole getting rid of them, I think that really makes it look more clean. Thanks!! (see the new version attached).
@Igor_Doncov, @Alan_Kreyger I see what you all say about how busy the scene is. I tried simplifying as much as a could my moving around the area and elimination ferns and branches that were not adding anything to the comp. I never imagined how difficult these scene are to compose.
@Hank_Pennington I wish I could spend more time in old growth forests, sadly we don’t have many of those here in Colorado.
@Ed_Lowe I did not got any closer shots, those foreground ferns is what caught my attention and never thought about not including them. This was a new type of composition for me so I’m still learning how to work with complicated and busy forests scenes.
