Spring on the Merced +crop/alt

Image Critiques Landscape Critiques
1

Edit: See my reply below for edits and acknowledgements. Below is an alternate repost incorporating most of the suggested feedback. I’ve put the repost in the original post so you can click between versions. Thanks!

I think I might have a few more dogwoods to share… :wink: , but wanted to show this one now as a bit of a reference, if not for it’s own merit.

I usually don’t go for the wider, more scenic views, usually gravitating towards the more intimate. But near the end of the day with Harley waiting patiently back at the car… I grabbed a few comps of this view down river. The dogwoods are plentiful this year and the timing was perfect. This particular dogwood you can see the “low hanging fruit” so to speak and these are the branches that set up nicely for some intimate images.

The problem was that at this time of the day, the wind is typically whistling back up the canyon and nothing is still. I waited for a lull, but alas, none of the dogwood blossoms are sharp - this will never see print. So I just wanted to share the context as I will be showing 2 more images of that lower branch, maybe next.

49D2207VCR_1500
49D2207VCR_15001170×1500 817 KB

You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.

49D2207VSQCR_1500
49D2207VSQCR_15001500×1500 926 KB

What technical feedback would you like if any?

I really would like some feedback here. My goal is always to “make the image the best it can be,” while retaining a sense of reality. That’s my goal. This image is heavily processed with about a dozen separate layers, including low opacity Orton, LAB Color and various Levels layers using Green and yellow channels (from TK’s Panel v4). Once in a while I bring back Tony’s Lights Triple Play to tame down the hot, blurry dogwood pedals. Burned down the two right corners and dodged some ULC as well as the main tree trunk (which is a cedar, not the dogwood). Also did a low opacity clone/painting in the water to remove/mitigate a small patch of white water. This is also cropped a bit from the top.

Some think that all this information is unneeded and I can see that. In the end though, I just want to know if whatever processing went in to this, do the results look ok?

Thanks for any comment!

What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Comp is a little awkward and wondering if anyone has a concern with the river running in and out of the frame? Or do the trees hold the comp well enough?

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

(If this is a composite, etc. please be honest with your techniques to help others learn)

D800E, 28-300mm @48mm, f/22 1.6s iso 100

2

Lovely scene Lon, but for me the “power” or best photo is in the lower 1/4, cropped so the horizontal (dogwood?) branch extends across the middle of the frame. With the loss of the white rapids midframe the blossoms pop off the page as the streaks of moving water become more prominent.

lon%20crop
lon%20crop1030×510 136 KB

2 Likes
3

Too bad the flowers are not sharp, as this turned out quite nice (and something nicely different). The processing looks completely natural to my eye. Looks good.

4

I like your processing Lon. I too like the bottom portion of the frame. It can stand alone on its own merit.

5

Thanks @Hank_Pennington! I had not even considered that crop. Certainly something to keep in mind for next year! Thanks for the comment and suggestion!

6

Lon, a bit different look here on your dogwood groups overall. At least from my recall. I like Hanks idea and as you stated maybe next time on that cropped look…:+1:

For me two items for possible change for another look. Maybe a crop in on the right to eliminate the one tree on the bank of the river there. The bend works just fine, but find that tree a real draw for me from the FG scene. Secondly, and this is monitor to monitor I know so very subjective. The glare if you will of the white intensity overall. With the dogwood flowers and river water makes the viewing intense when the scene to me is quite calming. I find I can usually fuss a bit with couple things to dampen the whites for viewing without hurting the color and strength. Again totally subjective from monitor to monitor I know, but just an idea on that point.
As always, no nits just playing with ideas for “possibly” a better look, and then again “maybe” not…:thinking:

This was a bit of my idea here.

Lon's-photo
Lon's-photo1145×1500 940 KB

7

Lon, I think this comp is really nice as presented. I am not bothered with the tree on the URC but I would prefer it to have a little more room to the right.

That is a lot of processing but it does look quite natural to me. I would love to see this scene with different light, maybe some shadows and of course no wind, too much to ask? Maybe next year?

8

Hi Lon,

I think your image is well balanced and doesn’t appear to be heavily processed at all. Invisible Photoshop if you will.

It also looks as though you nailed the focus and shutter time on this one.

9

Lon, when I first saw this without reading the text, I immediately said to myself that you have nailed the timing because, at this size, they look pretty damn sharp to me. It’s too bad that it’s not the case at 100%. I really like the composition, as well as @Hank_Pennington’s suggestion. But I understand that you are presenting a different composition of this scene. There is a slight green cast on my screen. I might consider making it slightly more blue. But I could be biased.

2 Likes
10

I’m enjoying this very much Lon. It’s a different perspective on the subject than you usually provide and I like that. It’s a good strong composition with your great processing abilities. I particularly like that darker ulc because it gives shape and definition to the green guys below. It would be interesting to see how much you removed.

Before seeing Hank’s crop I came up with this. Might as well show it.

645869926d4d896ccf7e4290f1f95a4082113026%20copy
645869926d4d896ccf7e4290f1f95a4082113026%20copy1168×872 1.17 MB

11

Lon, this is beautiful and I wish I was there to enjoy it in person. I have gained a new appreciation for getting these flowers sharp, given the usual wind that comes up. It’s very challenging. The processing looks very natural, just right. I like Paul’s crop from the right, which puts the dogwoods more at the center of the image. I don’t find the whites too bright, but just the way they look. I look forward to seeing more of your shots from this recent trip.

12

Thank you so much everyone for your comments, feedback and suggestions! What a great example of what makes NPN so special. I’ve been capturing images for a very, very long time. One thing that will never change is the desire to make an even better image. Through your feedback, I think this is a better image (ok, posted above in my OP.)

Thank you @Hank_Pennington for getting the ball rolling. I like your crop in that it really showcases the star of the show - in that long branch ending with the dogwood blossoms. I think the square crop still brings that in to play.

@Adhika_Lie - good call on the color. While quite subtle, I’ve adjusted the color balance removing some yellow, adding a touch of cyan and magenta using a Selective color adj layer. Good eye on the color!

@Paul_Breitkreuz, @Igor_Doncov and Hank, your crop suggestions got me looking at this closer. While initially I was fixated on getting a broader scenic “landscape”, you guys have in a sense put me back to my strength and a more intimate crop. Igor, I like your crop, but for some reason I’m finding myself getting picky that if I’m going anywhere close to square, well, square it is.

Oh, and Paul, I also burned down the LR quadrant a bit to try and mitigate the “glare” or brightness in the water and dogwood in that area. Excellent observation and comment.

I think this incorporates most everyone’s feedback, including Paul’s eliminating the tree trunks in the UR. I’m quite happy with this and will call this my final answer… :wink:

Thank you again so much!

Lon

13

Igor, a very little bit was cropped off the top from the original RAW - not significant enough to post the difference. Just a bit more of the tree trunks on the left and more greenery across the rest of the frame. Keen observations as you are apt to offer. Thanks!

14

Put me down for preferring the original composition. I like the space and seeing the upper blooms.

1 Like
15

Your cropped image works best for me, and I have no nits on the processing; great job. My only suggestion would be to blend in a longer shutter speed for the water on the right, to give it a creamier texture. (I think that would add to the calm mood.)

Love the idea and effect overall; would definitely be worth another try in the future to try to sharpen those flowers so you can print it large enough to cover your garage door.