After purchasing the Helicon Focus software, I’ve been going back to some previous images and reworking. I don’t believe I ever posted these, but after revisiting, thought I would post.
We often can’t escape all the preconceived comps and ideas when it comes to fall color and photographing in autumn. But I always try to be ready and open to whatever I come across and whatever strikes me. Actually very few opportunities for grand autumn landscapes in the Eastern Sierra, so we’re often forced to look for the more intimate, which is where I gravitate towards anyway.
I came across these aspen trunks while walking around Rush Creek. I was actually drawn to the secondary trunk and how is had a subtle s-curve juxtaposed behind the more classic and straight aspen trunk. The second, alternate image below was actually the first image I captured. I shot fairly wide open to obscure the bg a bit. After capturing that, I changed my angle slightly and discovered many more trees lining up. I knew then I wanted to compress these and so captured multiple images with focus points on different trees; I would combine later in a focus stack.
The original posted here is cropped a bit top and bottom and a little on the sides to make sure nothing but aspen trunks were included. In full disclosure though, there are two gaps on both sides of the main trunk near center where the bg could be seen. I filled those small slivers in with more trunk. (And I still struggle with this as now it’s no different than pasting in a moon that never existed in to the sky… I supposed “artistic license” is what helps the feeling of guilt and hypocrisy…) But above all, there should be honesty.
I’m posting this as well more as a point of reference and to show how the same subject can be photographed and presented in many different ways. These two images are completely different, yet it’s the same primary tree up front. Also in full disclosure, this second alternate was shot at f/5.6 and even in the RAW, the bg had a sense of radial blur. so I went with that and added a radial blur layer at very low opacity (10%) and also masked out the main trunk. I kinda like the effect on this one. Not sure if it will resonate with others.
What technical feedback would you like if any?
Comments, critiques and suggestions always welcome. Color ok? Oh, also, I added a Nik B&W layer to improve tonality, but dropped the opacity way down on the layer to bring back some presence of color. Also used a low opacity b&w layer on #2.
The 2nd image makes me think of a ballerina’s legs crossed one in front of the other. It’s a far more interesting image to me and I’m not sure how much the DOF has to do with it and how much is due to light fading from foreground to background. It’s more intriguing in that it gives the imagination greater freedom.
I like the first image. To me, the numerous trees in the frame gives the image depth. The different angles of the individual trees and the subtle differences makes me want to look around the whole frame. Lighting is good too. Thanks for sharing.
While I really like both, no question I prefer the second. The blurred background provides a sense of place and the DOF rivets my attention to the front bole. That said, I still like the first a lot. Same tree, but two very different images. Nice work!
I much prefer the first post for the way the frame is filled up with the different aspen trunks, Lon. When opening the large version it has a wonderful sense of textures and details along with being a bit of a mind bender. This reminds me of the white birch in the northeast forests. Processing looks great BTW.
Ed, both are very nice, and as you stated great examples of presenting a scene in very different ways. I prefer the first and for it’s depth and Interest created by the various aspen trunks.
Lon, I like the first image better, I think it is a much more unique image than the second one. It’s very rare to see such a tight intimate scene of a forest, especially with the hyper DOF provided by Helicon. This unusual perspective and approach is refreshing to see, kudo’s to you for thinking outside the box. We often discuss simplifying woodland scenes to reduce complexity, the old “Less is More” approach. I think the first image is one that successfully breaks that rule, and in this case “More is More”.
Lon, both are very nice images and processed perfectly. For me it’s hands down the first one. It mentally provides a bit of bobbing and weaving through the image looking for each bit of trunk in the scene. Additionally, in trying to determine which one is the very last one in the lineup…
Nice to see a clean group of what look to be very healthy aspens too…
Hi Lon,
I definitely prefer the first. I find it much more engaging. This is a somewhat unique take on aspen and I think the first has a wonderful abstract quality. As usual your processing is flawless.
This is a neat study in different techiniques on the same scene, thanks for showing us! I personally like the first image better because the same textures fill up the whole frame. The background of the second doesn’t really support the main subject of the image for me, though I found myself liking it a lot more after reading @Igor_Doncov’s ballerina legs idea.
