I would be grateful for any feedback, but especially on how you would approach this if you were taking a photo of it and any post processing ideas or suggestions you may have to help improve it.
I only had one lens with me, a Sony 90mm f2.8, and no tripod. It was a windy, overcast day with occasional sunlight cutting through the clouds.
The settings I used were 1/80, f5, ISO 100. I then used photoshop to boost the exposure and adjust the levels in certain areas around the wall and the tree.
I do want to return to get a better photo, possibly with a wider angle lens so I could move closer.
It is in a lovely area of Lancashire called Wycoller if you are ever passing that way. There is a tiny hamlet which dates back to before the 10th century, and a clam stone bridge across the river which is over 1,000 years old. The old hall was referenced in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte who lived nearby. The bottom part of wall shown is a very old method of fencing using slabs of stone to mark the fields and keep the animals separated.
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Martin, I think the strong diagonal of the hill and those stones works very well with the leaning of the main tree. It would be “nice” to not have it overlapping with the 2nd tree on the left, which might be possible by moving a bit to the left.
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I like the strong diagonal Martin. The wind blown grasses are also very nice. Agree with Mark on the overlapping trees. Another suggestion would be to add a little room at the top to give the tree a little more breathing room.
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Martin, I love the composition of the diagonal hill, tree and stones, but as others have said, the overlapping trees really detract from the simple graphic power of the other elements. The top and bottom crops look a little tight to the tree and stones, so a little more room would be good if you have it. The color palette and texture of the grass is lovely, and the processing looks great to my eye.
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Fabulous image! I agree, the overlapping trees are a bit of a distraction, but for me are not a deal breaker. In addition to the suggestions for extending the photo on the top and bottom, I would crop a little on the right, perhaps half of the distance from the last stone to the edge.
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@Mark_Seaver @Eva_McDermott @Craig_Moreau @Tony_Siciliano Thank you for your comments. I appreciate it. I will be revisiting the location so I’ll take note of your suggestions and also try and get a shot from further back. I didn’t have much time on the day, but I’ll see if I can get a better angle too. Cheers.
Martin,
I’m really liking this one - it’s a bit unique and has several enjoyable elements - being the main tree, the grasses (beautiful) and the wall, “Stonehenge”-like. Also, that strong diagonal is key to this image.
I have a couple thoughts and suggestions. At least for me, the way you’ve composed this, the diagonal and stone wall, fence, is front and center - or at least very important to you simply by the you’ve included it. However, you titled the image “Lanchashire Tree” which tells me that the tree is the main focus. So I think there are two competing elements, each of them worth being the primary subject. With that, I thought of two crops. The first emphasizing the strong diagonal, the stones and the beautifully color grasses. Maybe cropping in to the tree is sacrilege… but my own guidelines are, “If you’re going to clip/crop something, do it so it’s on purpose.” Cropping enough from the top to make the diagonal the main story and the trees, blue clouds more of a supporting element.
The second option brings emphasis to the tree with a square crop. While the diagonal is still strong, I think the hill, grasses, stones become a strong anchor, rather than the main subject. And that is one grand tree btw and most worthy exploring more!
In both versions I toned down the blues a bit and in the square version expanded the canvas up top to give the tree a little breathing space.
Totally subjective, but most certainly a scene worth returning to (many times!) Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lon, that’s great feedback! I really like the square crop. It think there is some potential in that tree & wall, so I will head back up there and see what I can do. Cheers
