It was an early fall morning in late September and I was working in the area of my favorite national park…so I decided to play hooky for a few hours to see how my favorite flood plain was doing. Alas t’was not flooded as I had hoped but the light was decent.
I trudged forward for a 4 mile hike. Along the way I saw many a fox squirrel but no owls, woodpeckers or yellowfinches but as I had stated the light was decent. Although I did see some wild boar which made me change tact and head in the other direction .
I walked along the path with the idea in my head bestowed upon me my sir Adam Gibbs “follow the light, the photos will follow” (I don’t think he ever has said that but it is the sentiment) and then I noticed the back lighting on the Cypress knees and started snapping away…this is the result
Specific Feedback Requested
General thoughts on Composition and Edit. I really tried to compose this well but feel pretty OKAY about it. I was going for a bit of an out of focus foreground but found it to be a bit distracting
Technical Details
Canon Eos R5 ,RF28-70 F2 , hand held
ISO1250 @52mm
F3.2
SS:1/1000
was processed in light room then moved to photoshop for some light dodging and burning with lumenzia also removed some distraction sticks near the edges. Also added orton lightly to the rear of frame to soften highlights.
Nice use of back lighting. I like the composition with trees on the sides focusing the eye to the opened middle. The Cypress knees add a nice depth to the photo. I agree with your assessment for the FG. It’s a little too soft. Did you take any photos using a different aperture?
I just can’t help letting my imagination take over with this image. Yes, great light and kudos for taking advantage of it.
What I’m seeing, imagining, is a gathering. All those little “knees” - are peoples, creatures… in great gathering deep the unenchanged forest. Even the blurred subjects up close make this even more real than imaginary, and adds some depth to the crowd of subjects. And at the head of the congregation are the elders - the somewhat taller knees… standing in front of the ancient ones - telling their stories to the young ones…
Anyway, didn’t mean to carry on, but that the story that is portrayed for me.
Sure, I think a little more depth and more in focus would be nice to have, but again and for me, the oof elements, including the tree trunks, just throws more emphsis to the taller knees - the elders and the forest they all call home.
Thank yah for the feed back! I believe I did stop it down maybe for a few shots maybe to 5.6 or 6.3 oftentimes ill focus stack but didnt bring my tripod this particular day. So i figured ill go do something completely different today as an experiment. Ill check out the other shots when i get home from camping. Cheers!
Love your version of the story! Can you be my ghost writer !! I think I did stop it down for a few shots, so ill check it when i get back home. I really feel that this depth would be fine if it werent for the knee in the left of frame. Thank you for your impeccable storytelling and feedback! Cheers!
Hi, this image has a lot going for it. The back lighting creates a sense of intimacy and mystery - which really plays into the wee mossy knees. I, like @Lon_Overacker, see a mysterious gathering of even more mysterious beings. Cheers!
I concur with @Lon_Overacker’s and @Pamela_Sherlock’s comments about the Cypress knees gathering. They seem to be drawn to the light. I think the overall composition and lighting is pleasing.
This image has so much going for it. The ‘stalactite’ looking things do have an audience look to it as though in a theater. The composition is also super with the dark sides revealing a brighter middle, almost like a theater. But the large OOF object on the left kills it for me. The smaller OOF are ok because there is a progression of OOF to in focus there but the large doesn’t work for me. If you crop it out the composition is much worse.
!! I think I did stop it down for a few shots, so ill check it when i get back home. I really feel that this depth would be fine if it werent for the knee in the left of frame. Thank you for your impeccable storytelling and feedback! Cheers!