I was attracted to this old log by the bright green moss and also the old “bones” sticking out. Thought this would make a nice composition with the log providing a strong leading line and the branches and roots rising perpendicular from the log. Wanted everything in focus so used a small aperture and focus stack of 12 images.
Specific Feedback and Self-Critique
Advice on the composition and technique would be great.
Technical Details
Fujifilm X-H2, Fujinon XF 16-80 @ 54mm (35mm equiv), ISO 1250, f/22, 1/18s, AWB, tripod mounted. Post processing included some adjustments to exposure and contrast.
Oh I’d have been over to this in a second, too. What a grand old thing. Nurse logs are such vital parts of the forest ecosystem and I’m sure this one is contributing mightily. The moss is lovely and so vivid. I just want to reach in a pat it. Yes, I’m crazy. That said I wish you’d gotten in closer and lower for this because the texture is really something. You’d have lost the strong diagonal, but that in-your-face perspective might have made up for it.
In terms of the stack, it looks mostly ok, but wonder that you had to close down that far given you were stacking. I find that staying at the sweet spot for my lenses works best for overall sharpness and lens performance. You may need additional images if you open up a bit, but you’d also be able to use a lower ISO in the process. Does that make sense? There is a thread going in the discussion area that I can link to if you like. Neat find.
@Kris_Smith , thank you for your critique. Good point, could have used a mid aperture, lower ISO, and added a few more shots. Sure, I’ll take that link, always something new to learn!
Jim, this is a fine look at this log, with the green moss standing out so well from the winter background. There’s a fundamental optical issue when you may have overlapping areas of sharpness that makes using a small aperature the only answer. (If you look at my webinar here on NPN, I explain it.) Your stack looks fine, with one small exception, which is the four branches coming in from the left near the upper corner. Those look like stack duplicates because that branch was moving during your stack and you had enough sharpness in four consecutive layers for the software to use all four. The fix is to use the clone tool in your stacking software while the layers are aligned. Pick one and clone it in.
I really like this composition and the subject.
We have a few fallen trees in our local patch of woods that look very much like this, it’s almost a shock to see such a bright and almost vivid color amongst all the bare tree branches and decaying leaves.
Good for you taking 12 images to stack for front to back sharpness.
I’m not very well versed in stacking yet but it’s still on my to do list.
I have a lot to learn.
I’ve looked at the results of your stack a few times and I kept feeling like maybe the stacking process might have contributed to the overall softness so I took it into Ps and applied some sharpening using a high pass filter as well as other more typical sharpening tools, then I tried using the texture and clarity in ACR. The results were promising but still not quite what I felt they could be.
The last thing I tried was Topaz Sharpen AI and with only the minimum strength applied in the standard mode, it made a difference.
After using Topaz Sharpen, I added a very slight amount of selective surface sharpening with a high pass filter (using the overlay blend mode in Ps) because it still seemed slightly soft on the tips of the moss.
Then I added a linear gradient mask to pull down the exposure some on the FG area, then a slight reduction in saturation and lightness.
I also added a bit of shadow on the left side of the log at the rock in the FG just to dull the brightness.
The linear gradient, saturation & lightness reduction and shadow addition was more of a selfish, personal preference edit but I did feel that it helped with making the image a little more subdued in exposure and helped with balance of highlights and shadows (again, personal preference).
To me, this example edit was more about mitigation of stacking pitfalls where the end results might wind up having a softer focus than it should have.
It’s really just an opening for discussion in an attempt to learn more about the process.
(I’m aware of your extensive skills as a photographer and your editing skills so it’s not about that).
Did my attempt at sharpening help or hinder the quality of the image?
Does it seem over sharpened to you?
The tips of the grass like blades of the moss were (in my view) lit fairly bright so I don’t think its from over sharpening but I could easily not be seeing it properly.
Hi Mervin, thanks for all the work you put into improving my image, and I can see the difference in your edited version, which does not appear overly sharp to my eyes. Also, I like the more subdued exposure on the tips. As for my photographic and editing skills I wish they were extensive, but learning more every day from the great people on this site.
An irresistible subject Jim and well shot diagonally. I have a similar shot from Yosemite. My only thought is that a wider angle approach would provide context for the subject. I’m curious about the location.
Thank you for your kind remarks and suggestion @james7 . I agree, sometimes we focus too much attention on our “subject” without considering the whole story. A wider view would provide more context. The Green Giant resides in a local nature preserve here in southern CT. It reminded me of the [many] moss-covered trees I saw in Olympic National Park’s Hoh rainforest three years ago, though we hardly get that amount of rain annually.
