Groundswell (w/2 changes)

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

With trees in back right lightened a bit -

And with some slight warming of greens and yellows as per Igor’s suggestion -

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

My time in NH coincided with the beginning of the end of the Mountain Laurel bloom. Even though it wasn’t the peak of freshness, there were enough flowers to make some good photos and I really liked this arrangement off trail at the Florence Tarr Nature Preserve. The larger trees set off the bushes quite well and these are small enough for me to get all in frame. The older ones are far over my head and sprawl everywhere. Never before have I seen Mountain Laurel in such profusion - acres of it reaching back into the woods and lining the trails. Really stunning and one of the things I miss since none grows in Northern Wisconsin. No laurels at all, really, which surprised me.

Specific Feedback

It was raining off and on all day so heavy clouds and sort of dim, something I tried to preserve, but not make things too muddy or dark. I exposed for the flowers which are white with pink bits and about 3/4 inch across. Really tried getting the luminance right from those flowers to the darker tree trunks.

Technical Details

Handheld

Lr for everything to start with including reducing exposure and lifting blacks, reducing highlights and adding some masks to further massage the light. HSL and Calibration panels to manage color separation and luminosity. Transform & Lens correction panels to optimize geometry. Sharpening & texture w/some manual noise reduction. Ps for edge patrol and distraction removal.

[Donna_Callais]

Very nice shot. I think this is one of my favorites of yours. I love the contrast between the two FG trees and the greens and whites surrounding them. I’m feeling like the clump of trees to the left are a little distracting. I tried a crop that I think really focuses on the two FG trees and the beautiful vegetation around them. Just a thought.

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

Thanks @Donna_Callais - I’m glad you like it and had a bit of playtime with it. While I don’t think I’ll go with a vertical because I like the spray of boughs in this shrub, you have given me the idea to lighten those other trunks a bit so they won’t be such a strong presence, something I hadn’t considered before.

[Igor_Doncov]

This is wonderful Kris. It looks like a bouquet. To give it just a bit more life I would either globally warm up the image a tad or just the greens in HSL. Maybe. I read that cooler colors retrieve and warmer ones come forward. I therefore conclude that cooler colors give a flatter look than warmer ones.

[Kris_Smith (Kristen M Smith)]

Thanks @Igor_Doncov - I was surprised that this sank so quickly out of view, but forest scenes just seem to be hit or miss.

I added another version in the OP with some warming as you suggested and I like the effect, but I know IRL the laurels are much cooler in the green range. Mountain and great laurel have quite deep almost blueish leaves, but that might not be the most inviting as you say, so we can experiment and see what works.