I spend a lot of time walking in my local forests, usually with my dog. During these walks in good or “bad” weather I always brings my camera, sometimes with a wide angle lens other time with a telephoto. This image was taken during a telefoto walk. I had gotten quite dark and I saw a single birch tree standing out against the dark background of other trees. I found this interesting and took a picture of it.
Specific Feedback Requested
All feed-back is welcome. But I am particularly interested what you think about the dark shadows, I could lift them but I am afraid it will make the image less mysterious. Also I am interested in comment about putting the tree trunk in the center of the image.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Processed in Lightroom with strong increase in contrast and desaturation
@johanlennartsson.se
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Johan, I love the stark, simple concept of this image. The deep shadows help simplify what would otherwise be a very chaotic background. In the forest where I live, we have what are called black spruce trees, which can give the woods a very gloomy, mysterious look, and these background trees remind me very much of our black spruce forests. I would not suggest lifting the shadows any further than this, to me you have struck a nice balance between a gloomy look and showing some shadow detail.
My only suggestion would be crop away some of the out of focus clutter at the very bottom, perhaps a 4:5 aspect ratio would accomplish this.
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thank for taking the time to comment on my image. I will try another crop as you suggested. Big thanks!
Photography and photographic art is very subjective and we all have different things speak to us. I agree with Ed comment about the background and getting the tree to stand out. I probably would not have even noticed this or seen it as an image. Nice eye.
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[quote=“Richard_Teller, post:4, topic:21723”]
Photography and photographic art is very subjective and we all have different things speak to us. I agree with Ed comment about the background and getting the tree to stand out. I probably would not have even noticed this or seen it as an image. Nice eye.
[/quote] Thanks a lot for taking time to look at the image. Appreciated!
Didn’t see your question earlier. IMO the center placement is perfect for this image, it helps to make the birch tree more dominant looking.
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I really like the mood of your image.
For me those blacks look really fine. Even the centered tree (what’s wrong with centered things?) work in this case.
I do like the immediate foreground - and that “beam” of light, but one or two brunch (es) that crosses the main tree bother me a little.
not sure if I make myself clear…
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Thanks a lot for your comment (and yes I understand what you mean 
). Maybe I should do a little bit of cloning of the branches. I will try and see what I look most.
