I caught this at the end of the day in low light and high winds. The ISO was up to freeze the motion and I feel like it looks like the leaves are blowing through on the wind (they are not).
Specific Feedback Requested
All comments welcome. I wondered if the balance between top and bottom was right, I tried a tighter crop and vertical, but liked this wider framing to (hopefully) give a sense of motion. Very little in way of colour saturation, just on the greens.
Technical Details
ISO 6400 1/400sec (it was breezy!) 23mm (aps-c) f8.0
Nice composition here Charles. I just got back from Eastern Sierra, where I tried to capture autumn color in ways than the average tourist can’t. Shot a lot in shade, a good idea. And like you, I discovered that some Aspen trees cohabit along streams with these red plants. I am trying to identify them via the California Native Plant Society. I did find a nice glade loaded with red, shot a lot, but wish I had zoomed out to get a wider background for context. This one works as a tight, intimate landscape because of the sparse but bright Aspen leaves, in my view.
Thanks @james7 for the feedback. I think the red plants are Willow - at least here in Ontario, not sure in your neck of the woods. Would love to see some of your aspens in the shade. Since posting I lightened up this shot on the bottom to balance the light a bit more. But I find I am not getting consistent results between screens. Thanks again for the feedback!
Hi Charles – Attaching a couple of small files to show you what I was up to in mid October. I have been using a Nikon Z6II, purchased recently, and am impressed with the dynamic range of the sensor (very forgiving in mixed light). After shooting most of my Aspen shots in sunlight, I found a deep canyon shaded by a mountain until around 9 a.m. The light bouncing off the mountain opposite gave a lovely glow to the Aspens in the attached. As for the red plant, I’ll share a shot as well – I was so excited tromping around in the bushes, surrounded by color, that I kind of forgot to compose my shots better. Next year!
Nice I can see the potential in those aspens! I hear ya on how the moment is often too fleeting. I very much get the idea of returning to a place many times before getting a picture you like.
