This is an image I captured while camping at a local state park a couple of weeks ago. A few of the leaves here in Missouri are just starting to turn. It’s been a hot and dry summer here, so my expectations for our autumn are pretty low. Usually things start turning in earnest in the second half of October, so it seems unusual to see such early hints of orange.
(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)
Fuji X-T2 w/ 50-140 at 55mm, f/11
Initial adjustments in Capture 1. Then some cloning of distractions, dodging/burning the foliage and rocks, smart sharpen, orton effect, and vignetting done in PS.
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A very pleasant quiet scene with appropriately muted colors. The blue in the water works well to bring out the subtle yellows, and leads nicely back to the bare tree. I’m wondering about burning down the bright sand, or even reducing the amount of it. I’d hate to lose any of the lovely water on the right but doing an Edit > Transform > Distort and pulling the LL corner straight down a little might be interesting to compare.
This is a fun one to click through to the full version; there is a lot to explore in the image at that resolution. I especially enjoy the subtle color variation of the water and the what lies beneath.
My thoughts concurred with @Diane_Miller about the brightness of the sand. It is an attention grabber, and dropping its luminosity some would help free the eye to wander the rest of the good stuff. Here’s a quick edit to illustrate:
I like the mood of this image, that most flowing in the water is just gorgeous. As @Diane_Miller and @John_Horn stated get sand bank is a bit distracting when glowing those highlights, John did a great work tone them down a bit.
Maybe the autumn is a bit early this year but for me I’m glad its finally here .
Thanks for sharing,
Cheers
Adam, really nice image, I love the Y shape of the river, it makes for a dynamic composition. And as @John_Williams pointed out there are some interesting textures and colors to explore in the foliage. And believe it or not the dead tree with no leaves is a plus to the image for me, it helps draw my eye to the top of the Y. And the little hint of mist is the icing on the cake. I agree with the other’s comments about the brightness of the sand, and I think John’s rework nicely deals with that.
We are in a severe drought here in New England too. Foliage is 10 days early, but due to a cold September, not the lack of rain. But the meteorologists who predict foliage (a big tourist business here) are saying that drought can actually intensify the colors. However they also say the drought will cause the foliage to not last as long as normal. Bold and Brief is how they put it. I wish you good luck with your foliage shooting this fall.
Super interesting, Ed. Thanks for sharing that. One of the most interesting aspects of landscape photography is the need to become an amateur meteorologist.
This looks really good and I like the repost from @John_Williams. I am also really liking the bare tree at the back. I find this very calm and serene and quite like the image.
