This is a remnant oak grove in the middle of a clover field near my house in Forest Grove, Oregon. There are many of these oak tree clusters in my rural area. I shoot this scene a lot in all seasons - but winter is my favorite. On this snowy day it reminded me of my favorite Robert Frost poem.
Specific Feedback Requested
Any/all feedback would be welcomed!
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Sony a4 shot at 50mm. f 9 1/200. Some minor adjustments in C1 - then a slight Orton effect in PS and some curves adjustments to brighten up the trees.
Hi Amy. This is a very nice first post. It captures the feeling of winter very nicely. The cluster of trees is very attractive. I read your introduction just now where you stated that you are looking for feedback for your images as you are new to landscape photography. One suggestion about this image has to do with the subject being dead center with equal spacing all around. In the future try to create creative compositions with regards to how the various elements are spaced within the frame. That adds visual interest to the viewer. Although the subject is fairly small symmetrical and a central position works well for it.
Amy, this is very evocative of the Robert Frost poem, it’s a very apt reference. There are a couple small touches here that I really like. Having some detail in the background spruce trees helps create a nice sense of depth, which can be important in these type of snowy images. I also like how you have a gradient of clarity (sharpness), going from more detail at the base of the trees to softer at the top, it adds some contrast in texture that I like.
In terms of composition, and your two alternate versions. The second off-center composition also has the added advantage of showing more of the background trees, which to me is a plus. I think having the extra breathing room along the sides of the second comp also helps the image. If you were going to retain a centered composition like in the first image, then I think adding a little breathing room along the sides would add something to that as well.
But overall, this is an appealing group of trees, and i like what you have done with the processing here.
Ed - thank you so much for your thoughtful and kind response. I shoot this cluster of trees a lot as it is three blocks or so from my house and I find them so compelling. I think I caught them on a perfect day - before the snow had fallen off the trees in the background - and on a foggy morning lending some added atmosphere. One of those days I am glad I got out in the weather with the camera.
Thank you again for your kind words. I meant to submit this in the weekly challenge… but the feedback here has been invaluable!
A nice scene that reminds me of my childhood (upstate New York). My only suggestion would be what others have said in terms of giving more space on either one or both sides.
A lovely group of trees in lovely light and weather! Welcome to NPN – a wonderful place to hang out!
The suggestions about centering or not are valuable, but one thing notable in this image is that the trees have a little more visual weight on the left, and that could justify a more subtle off-centering, especially with a subtle oval area in the left half of the clump darkened or of increased contrast. It can be a nice touch to do something that is barely, almost subliminally, noticed.
Diane - thank you so much for your thoughts - and for taking the time to look at this photograph. Sometimes when editing, etc. I will look at a photograph so much that I don’t see those subtleties - thank you for seeing that visual weight. I have already recropped and like the results. What a lovely community this is!
Lovely! I’m jealous of those nice oak stands you have in your area of the Willamette Valley; we don’t have many like that here across the river. The snow really adds a quite mystery to them. I’m glad you stopped to “watch his woods fill up with snow.”
This is really nice Amy. What a terrific cluster of trees you have here. It says WINTER to me. I can feel the cold it’s conveying. You have enough fog to reduce the far background beyond the tree tops to zero visibility while allowing the midground conifers to creep into view without distracting too much from the main subject. I think the composition is a little bit tight all the way around and would prefer this if it had more breathing room along the top and bottom OR, turn it into a pano and add to both sides showing more of the awesome conifers in the midground. I’m not too bothered by the centering of the main subject though. Beautiful scene. I can see why you keep coming back to this.
I was thinking of something in between your original and the RP. The difference in the trees may be too subtle to see without layering the two and toggling. The crop I was thinking is a little tighter than your RP. The thing about a good image is often that there are several interpretations.
Thank you so much - there are many of these remnant oak tree clusters here in farm country and all of them are so compelling. I try to shoot as many as I can and do so in places that respect the local farmers.
Thanks
Amy
Thank you so much for your thoughts. I think you are right the foggy conditions really helped the composition. This stand is right next to a busy highway but with these conditions you don’t sense it is in the middle of town. There are several of these photogenic oak tree clusters here in Washington County. This one happens to be very convenient to shoot. I will keep at it thanks to the lovely feedback from the NPN team!
Amy, this is a great, wintery look at this cluster of trees. I think that centering them works well and cropping a bit lets them fill the frame nicely. The distand trees add a good sense of distance. Limiting the contrast adds to the stormy feeling.
