This is from my favourite summer kayaking haunt (I’ve posted a few on NPN, which reminds me how special this lake has become to me). The deadheads are a legacy of logging and of major seasonal water level shifts on this dam controlled lake system.
Specific Feedback Requested
How does the B&W conversion look? How could it be better? I tried Nik Silver Efex but could not see any benefit over LR and PS. This an fuji-x raw file and I used the ‘enhanced’ feature in lightroom and did a B&W conversion. There are local filters to dodge and burn throughout and a little contrast and sharpening to the stumps. In photoshop I applied a curve filer and a warming filter. I think the IQ and the log is quite good and I like viewing it a larger size to see the grain and texture in the logs. But there is something about the texture of the logs that bugs me and not sure if others see it. Perhaps it is IQ limits on small sensor, or maybe it is ‘enhanced’ too much. Or maybe I just looked at it too long! I like the logs in the bottom of the frame under the water for context and framing…but wonder if others agree. I tried a tighter crop but liked the broader context.
Nice B&W conversion. My preferred B&W tool is Nik Silver, but it is what you are comfortable with.
Only my two cents, I think the image is much stronger cropped just below the tree reflection.
Steve
Hi Charles! This is a very interesting image and I like it! The white stumps look like a very spiky crown, and the reflection is nearly perfect. B&W works well for this shot. Viewed large, there’s plenty of detail, especially in the stumps. I think this is a good photo.
IMO the sunken logs on the bottom draw attention away from the main subject, the “crown” and its reflection, so I suggest cropping them out. The bare branches on the right also compete with the “crown” and draw my attention. These I would darken so they meld into the background.
Charles, you’ve already had several good suggestions. The most being to crop out the bottom logs. They do look a little off, likely due to the water blurring them.
The B&W looks fine, I use my raw converter’s B&W tool too, rather than a plugin. While I like Silver Efex I do notice that it increases the noise in the raw file even without a grain applied.
I think this one deserves that crop and then to be printed large. Well done.
Thanks @David_Bostock , @Steve_Rosendahl , @Steve_Kennedy , @Eva_McDermott I am glad the conversion and detail/texture in the stumps
looks good to you. I had thought the crop would not likely be a crowd favourite :)! But I may still keep it as is because I feel it points to the story of the place. I can see it both ways, but what I find is that the eye goes immediately to the stumps and then is pulled down and around the frame to consider context. I agree I should dim the brightness on the top branches and I think I will apply a vignette. And maybe make two prints with a crop because I agree that looks good too.
This photograph makes me want to scan ever more slowly around to take in all the elements and absorb the quietness of the place. I have a place like this … just a pond, and it is a quiet pleasure to be there. Cropping some of the bottom is fine, as the submerged logs are so interesting that they offer a distraction, but I like seeing a bit more of the submerged logs at the bottom to provide a foundation for the image. Cropping also results in a bit less bull’s eye framing.
I wanted to accentuate the darker parts of the main stump. The result is less bright overall and a little more texture. Maybe not the direction you want. I used History Brush/Multiply but Burn midtones/shadows might work also. Darkened the lower RHS log to make it appear submerged.
In this attachment, I lost the warm tone you had … when I burned the RHS log, it turned red!
Hey thanks @Dick_Knudson this looks great. I like what you did with the crop keeping some of the logs in the frame but making them less distracting (perhaps that is what others meant as well). It preserves the context and I was ambivalent on the bullseye framing. I am glad you are enjoying the detail and peace of the place, it was what I aimed to capture. I think you’ve hit the nail on the head withe cropping and I agree with burning the logs a bit (no pun intended; funny about the red you got). I will play with blacks in the main stump as you suggest…I’ve never use the History Brush for this, will see what I can learn. Thanks again, you’ve pointed me in a promising direction.
