Illumination

Image Critiques
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56ZE_0859v2-npn.jpg
56ZE_0859v2-npn.jpg2298×1867 1.79 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

… or “The Guardians” ? Struggled with the title on this one. Any suggestions?

This was captured the same morning as my previous landscape, just 16min prior. The sun was just now clipping the very top of El Capitan, some 3,000ft directly above me. Bluebird skies above and the early morning light was beginning to illuminate the meadow and forest, but the fog still lingered.

Not that it matters, but I’m unsure of the pine or fir species. Pretty sure NOT Incence cedar, nor lodgepole or ponderosa. I’m guessing white/doug fir, sugar pine? Heck, no idea. My botanologist Mr. @PrestonBirdwell was not available for consult!

Specific Feedback

As always, your comments, impressions and feedback are welcomed.

In full disclosure, I cloned out numerous little broken, branch stubs on both sides, mostly the tree on the right. There are still many others, but at some point you draw the line on how much manicuring you want to do, or should do.

I wanted to emphasize the glow of the fog and ilumination of the tree trunks. To that end I also employed an Orton layer I think about 25-30% opacity. Too much? Or is this natural looking?

A few larger gaps with the brighter background? Any issues or suggestions there?

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions!

Technical Details

Nikon Z8, 24-120mm @103mm, f/11 .5s iso64, probably CPL, tripod

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Lon,

Again, not sure why anyone of you guys were unhappy with the weather. Some of the nicest work from the Valley that I have seen in a long time.

The lighting in this photo is just sublime. The way the trees trunks have the light just wrapping around them from the right side gives them such a wonderful 3D effect.

Composed and processed wonderfully. No suggestions from me. Some might point out the tree on the right side of the frame being cut, but I do not find it in any way detracts from the image.

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Simply stunning, Lon. You are correct. This is a different grouping of trees than I shot. The fog with the blueish cast is Yummalicious. The orange bark of whatever kind of pine tree those are really pop and so do the greens. The greens were just insane on this trip. I love that most of the trunks are perfectly straight intermixed with a couple that are leaning ever so slightly and to my eye, that’s the second thing that makes this image. Just the slight skew of those trees. Dang I wish I stayed the night and shot Wednesday morning with you guys. Sensational conditions and light. There is so much to like about this image, Lon. Really beautiful.

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Those couple of hours that morning were just amazing. It’s also fascinating to see what you were seeing just down the road from where we were getting more light into the fog.

The bottom line is your conditions paid off in spades. Fog is so good at giving depth, and here it really shows the “up front” picket fence from the guys in the background. It’s a beautiful effect, and really puts order into the typical forest chaos.

I think the processing looks great. Orton works well with fog, and the clarity when viewed at full-size is still very good while keeping the dreaminess.

(Making a mental note to use in the future…)

1 Like
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Hi Lon,
The soft light and fog are flat out gorgeous and set quite the mood for this wonderful woodland scene. I love the cool blue tones of the fog and the way they contrast perfectly with the warm glow on the trunks of the trees.The fog looks very natural IMO so the Orton layer looks perfect for my tastes. My first thought was to suggest cropping off those two trees on the right, but when I did that I did not like the scene as well. Now I am thinking they make for a nice frame; so I got nothing. Another beauty from your trip.

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Your ‘botanologist’ is not sure what species these are, but my SWAG is Western White Pine. Without seeing the needles up close, or a cone, ID is pretty tough. (The study of trees is ‘dendrology’, so I would properly be called a ‘dendrogologist’ :slight_smile: )

This is a fabulous image, Lon. The reflected light is sublime, and you did a great job processing this. No nits on the comp, either. Top drawer image, my friend.

Edit: OK. I did some poking around. The Western White Pine’s altitude range puts it at over 6000’ in the Sierra, so that alone rules out my earlier SWAG. Taking a closer look at your image, and some further poking, my SWAG is a Sugar Pine. BTW: If there were any cones from these trees, they would be very large. Research continues…
-P

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I’m late here, as usual, and can only echo the comments above – simply drop dead gorgeous!! (As @Kris_Smith would say – lickable light!!)
May I ask how you got the Orton effect? I’ve seen several ways, and rarely find they work for me, and none that I’ve tried quite mimics using an in-camera OOF shot as was done back in film days.