Image(s)
@Paul_Holdorf , Thanks for the review and suggestions. I usually convert to B&W right away and use the color sliders, as you suggest. Even in RAW the image is pretty monochromatic. I will try to separate out the layers a bit more. The soil is actually brighter and I muted it some some will play with it some more.
Image Description
Have always been fascinated by tree shapes. Came across this scene when walking along. the opposite bank of a dry wash. Erosion has exposed some of the roots show the transition from root to trunk to branches. I think the black and white treatment gives it a more dramatic look.
Feedback Requests
Maybe took this week’s challenge a little too literal?
Thoughts on the composition. I had trouble with the bright sky in the background.
Pertinent Technical Details
Nikon D850, Nikon 18-200 mm, f/3.5-5.6 lens. (was trying to lighten the load a bit so went back to the kit lens that came with my old D300).
40mm, 1/125 sec, f/18, auto-ISO 1600
Developed in LRC, monochrome, cropped to 4 x 5, Brushes to try to darken the sky, remove tool to fade some of the brighter roots, selective sharpening along the root in the center. Gradients to balance the light and sharpness. I replacd the first image I loaded with one that lightened some of the dark spots I noticed after seeing it here. The dark area in the branches left of center, maybe needs a little more?
Such a cool tree! I like how you see this, but also think it needs something to add some dimension and separate the tree from the soil a bit more. Maybe make the soil a little less bright but do some work to enhance the roots a bit? Some vignetting might help at the top with the bright sky and give some depth to the sides of the cliff. , but you also want to separate the sky from the branches, so it may not be terrible as is. Did you edit this as a raw image in color and then convert to black and white in Lightroom? I find the color sliders in B&W really helpful. You can adjust luminance of say the blue sky and darken it that way.
Marlin, this does a good job of showing the complexity in both the branching and the roots of this tree. Your two posts make for very different views, with the original focussing interest on the soil and the roots, while the redo focusses on the main root and the transition from root to trunk. It’s “artist’s” choice which way you want to go.
Thanks Mark. As you say, the first image shows the roots and the small branches emerging out from the tree. While the second emphasizes the transition, from roots to branches, which I think is a bit more of a compelling story for the image. To add to my artistic dilemma, when do I stop editing and just pick one, I also have a color version, very desaturated, that I like a lot, just not quite as much as these two. For me, I liked Paul’s suggestions and the resulting emphasis on the transition. But, maybe that will change next week:)
Complex and Real !!! Way to Cool Image of this Tree. Great in B&W and the THE TONE is so good. I think its fine like it is. No more editing really needed in my opinion.
Thanks Gill. Glad you like where we landed. This one has been fun to develop
