The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
(aka Dendrolycopodium sp.) are some of my favorite plants in the woods, but usually found in tangles of other low foliage that makes them hard to photograph well. When I found this one recently, I had to try - ended up stacking 3 shots to get this image. It is isolated by the large tree behind and I was able to get a clear view.
Specific Feedback
Open to ideas for processing etc. Stack look ok?
Technical Details
Camera supported on a bag of rice that I picked up that morning since I didn’t have a tripod.
Lr for initial work to get the shots ready for stacking - the usual S-curve and denoise AI action then some sharpening, texture & clarity.
Zerene for the stack and light retouching.
Ps for some distraction removal and CAF work. Also used masking to tease apart the green tones in the plant and vary luminosity in them as well.
Oh, Kris, you are bringing back memories for me. When we were kids we used to go out into the woods and pull these up and then make Christmas wreathes out of them to sell. So I am pleased and surprised to see that it grows WI too. We lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland at the time. That little bud on top would turn yellow and pollen would fall from it if shook.
You got down low and did a wonderful capture. I can see why it was called Groundpine. Excellent capture.
How fun - I’d never heard of making wreaths with these. They are a type of club moss so are not flowering plants - the pollen is actually spores and they scatter on the wind. Such pretty little mini-trees!
I love the vibrant greens in this plant, Kris. I do think some of the brighter out of focus areas at the bottom are a bit distracting. It also feels like it could use a touch of counter-clockwise rotation. The out of focus tree trunk makes a very cool background.
Thanks @Dennis_Plank - I see what you mean about the light areas, but cleaning up any more would alter things just too far from reality for me. In terms of rotation I’m more flexible, but like the way the very top is straight and the rest of the plant angles and leans. Pretty sure I used the internal level so it was pretty close to begin with.
This looks so much like a Redwood seedling until I get to the top. Whole new thing for me. Cool shot rewarding apparent contortions. I’d desaturate the orange in the LL as I don’t see what it represents, but a small issue
It does?? How wonderful. Amazing that trees so immense start as small as any and come from some of the smallest cones produced by conifers. The LL is a bunch of pine needles poking up into the scene. I already toned them down, but maybe I should do more or use a solid color layer to turn them greeny brown.
I think the plant structure is fascinating. I’d for sure get rid of the pine needles. Selective Color might do the trick. A clean clone probably shouldn’t be needed.
