I’m just going to go ahead and assume there are subjects that you are obsessed with and can’t stop shooting. This tree on a hill in the town of Loomis close to where I live is such an obsession for me. I have shot this tree with every camera that I own. I’ve shot it on digital and film. Black and white and in color. Soon after I purchased my monochrome camera, this was the first place I drove to as I was curious to see the tones I would get from it. Thankfully, there were clouds in the sky to add to the mood. This version is a newly processed one. I do post differently now than when I first processed this image.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any and all.
Technical Details
Leica M10M. f/5.6, 1/750, ISO 400. Summicron 35mm.
I really understand why you keep coming back to shoot this landscape with the tree! It’s a really pretty tree. I really like it in black and white too. I just wish there wasn’t that fence, but I know there’s nothing you can do about it. And some people like it. I’ll bet this looks really beautiful in the winter with a blanket of snow! Hope you post one like that if you can, if you get snow there!
Great image and B&W rendering. What a wonderful tree, I understand fully why you come back and photograph this tree many times. An idea could be to darken a tad the brightest parts of the sky above the tree at the border only to get a darker “stop” at the top of the image. Please see the image below that examplify what I mean (the actual implementation could be done better anyhow).
Thanks @David_Bostock. @Ola_Jovall I fooled around a bit with your idea as I do like it. Getting that border to be darker and still natural was a bigger chore than anticipated. Still not sure I have it right, but I reposted it above.
I’m sure it’s not a stretch to say that everyone probably has a tree, or a scene that we’ve photographed repeatedly over the years. I have many! (and most because I got to the same places over, and over, and over…)
And the good news with being obsessed with a subject/location? Is that your odds increase of capturing something as wonderful as this image!
I don’t mind the fence at all - it’s part of the landscape. Given the seen though, makes me ask the question, is there anything preventing you from walking up to the fence and just not include it that way? Looks like there’s plenty of real estate between the fence and the tree to get a similar perspective. But that’s neither here nor there, this is composed nicely with, or without the fence.
I really like Ola’s rendition! I think the added luminosity to the grassy landscape works well with this image. Even better is just enhancing that feeling that the tree is being spot-lighted by the lighter clouds and framed beautifully by the darker clouds around… There are perhaps a few roads you could pursue here - but I’d say both your original and repost work beautifully as presented.
I meant to comment on this when I first read your post. So much of that rings true. Obsessions? Obsessions? Me? Nah! Processing styles change? Whatever do you mean? LOL. I’m not laughing at you, but with you. It’s so nice to know I’m not the lone weirdo. Not that you’re a weirdo…oy vey. I’ll shut up now.
I like the rework a lot. The darker clouds frame the tree and match the darkness of the grasses and plants in the foreground. Some of the lightening Ola did works down there, but I think I like the darker iteration since the tree itself is basically a silhouette. The fence is more subtle with the darkness, too. It is what it is and I don’t mind it, but if it didn’t exist I wouldn’t miss it either.
You didn’t talk about your post processing, but if you use Photoshop at all, the TK8 panel is an incredible tool for isolating edits and giving you precise control. I’m at the point now where I’m going to dive into monochrome processing with it since I know there are some specific tools and actions for B&W. There aren’t a lot of tutorials out there for B&W though and so it’s going to be just me bushwhacking so to speak.
Thanks so much for the great feedback, Lon. There is a gulley between the road and the fence, which is hard to see properly in the photo, but it does prevent an old man with my knees from attempting it at his juncture.
Ha! You are not the lone weirdo. I like Ola’s dark framing above the tree, but I kept the original darker foreground because I’m just Mr. Contrast guy (as you’ve seen from my comments on some of your lovely work). For every BW image, especially taken with the Leica Monochrom, I use pretty much the same processing: local mask adjustments in LR. Then I take it into Silver Efex and up the midtones, subtle highlight of the tree itself, then I use one of the film simulations. Finally, I take it into PS for healing any spots, etc., then I do an Orton effect and mask that using Lumenzia (I assume that is basically same as TK8), and take the opacity way down for a subtle effect.
A very beautiful image and I think that the black and white treatment suits it perfectly. The rework with the darkened top of the sky is perfect and it always amazes me what a big difference that a small change (like this one) can make.
Thanks, Tom. I agree. A small change that made all the difference in the world. What’s more is that it’s a change I never would have thought to make. I have learned so much since joining this site.
