Image(s)
Image Description
This image was taken during a Fall in Yosemite workshop with William Neill and Alex Noriega. The workshop was a great experience, during which we got great instruction, support, and feedback. We were encouraged to look for scenes like these frost covered branches lying in the brush alongside of the trail opposite the river that the trail ran along.
Feedback Requests
Exposure / Brightness comments.
Do you still see a color cast??
Pertinent Technical Details
Nikon D850 with Nikon 200-500mm lens on tripod
1.3 sec at f/29, ISO 64
Processed with Topaz AI and then LRC
Trying for more of a high key look.
1 Like
In the larger version, this really sings Marlin! I love the way you’ve used focus to highlight the branch/leaves/frost. I suppose one could find the grass intrusive, but I don’t; I think it adds to the depth and character.
The exposure looks just right to me, as does the saturation. I’m not seeing a color cast either. No nits; I’m just enjoying.
Marlin, a “clean” view would only have the frosted leaves, but moving the grasses out of the way would probably destroy the frost on the leaves. The grass do add a nice sense of depth, that would be lacking in a clean look. I do see some blue in the shadows, but that’s to be expected in shadows reflecting the sky unless there’s a full overcast.
I love this!! The colors look fine (no cast, just normal cool shady light). But I wondered if there was more textural detail in the leaves. I don’t know if you use PS but I used it to select the subject and did some further tweaking in quick mask mode, then used Nik CEP Detail Extractor and used the selection to mask the effect to just the leaves, as it was far too heavy on the lovely BG.
May not be your vision at all, just tossing it out FWIW. My masking was quick and clumsy. I think I should have lowered saturation on the yellows a bit and further darkened the leftmost leaf.
Thanks @Mark_Seaver. I thought about trying to remove some of it, but I think it does as you say and is just part of that messy scene. I enjoyed trying to get down to this angle of view. Kind of saw this first when I came up the trail from the river, so had to bring everything lower. Glad you like it.
Thanks @John_Williams , I do think the grass adds the effects you mentioned. Plus it is just part of that scene. There was way more grass than leaves. Happened to be able to isolate this branch, at least some. I am glad you like it!
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Thank you @Diane_Miller. I do not use PS, although I have access to it, I have been trying to get the most out of LRC first, just added Topaz to the toolbox and plan to start dabbling in PS, but hard to know where to start. I like the effect on the textural detail within the leaves. I think they did look a bit soft there. Although that effect did influence the title, a play on clouds silver linings:)
I agree with pulling back on the saturation. I think it also added more blue along the edges of the leaves. I even thought about going more high key, but settled on the one I posted. Thanks for playing with this one.
