Burnbridge Path

[Mike Shimwell]

I shot a couple of family groups today, that became difficult for reasons beyond my control... I've just been compositing smiles between frames to get something suitable (no sniggering at the back there!).

Anyway, on the way home I shot this using a simple HDR approach. I converted from 32 to 16 bit in photoshop, and accepting a little bit of meovement in the trees, which looks more like negative clarity than a double image in print, came up with this.

I would appreciate any comments, as I was looking to hold the delicate misty feel of the path. Also, not sure about the intruding braches upper right?

Thanks

Mike.

 

[Mike Shimwell]

And before a moment has passed, a slightly more saturated version iwth more open shadows

What you can't see on the web jpg are the lovely little stars where the sun peers through the tree.

Mike

 

[Asher Kelman]

Tranquility

Hi Mike,

After the massive anchoring tree on the left, there's a broad welcoming open grassy meadow reaching clear up to the sky. Then we're led to the right to the light sparkling through the trees and the intimate shadowed place below.

May I suggest two crops, a larger one from above and a tad from below.

Issue: To me, the green below the trees on the right is so interesting and far more important than the equal space above consisting of blank sky and adjacent tree top. This even spacing above and below the stand of leafy trees is confusing to the composition.

Solution: I'd sacrifice the top 2.5 cm portion to include all the intruding branches from the edge.

Result: With this bold crop, the picture is panoramic and the area below the trees a gem to find. Also, as a result of removing some of the bright sky, the light piecing though the trees becomes more important.

The tad below: Just to complete this setting, I'd crop just 4-5 mm from the bottom so that the lower right edge is secured with the little hill already formed. currently that hill has to form before the eye moves in and up.

However, there are numerous ways to look at your picture, mine is just one.

Thanks for sharing,

Asher

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Asher

Thanks for your comment -I'm still playing with the colour version. Whilst there I also shot a couple with B&W film, using my old M-Rokkor 90/4. Here is one ofthem for a slightly different perspective.

Mike

Burnbridge Path 2 - Mike Shimwell

 

[Cedric MASSOULIER]

Hi Mike,

I like your two versions (digital and analog).

Digital one : misty atmosphere is well restitued but there's still something lacking... I think you could more contrast trunks of trees and dark shapes to reinforce cotton effect of sky and grass.

Analog one : i really like this one, composition is very good : there's a small cow in the background which gives an incredible presence, illuminated by the light which goes from right to left. More, shadows on the left form an arrowhead in the same direction, very good ! Maybe rendering is quite hard and could be more sweet and gradual...

Cedric.

 

[Edward Bussa]

The animal presence ( I thought it was a deer ), the natural vignetting, the specular reflections in the grass (was it wet?). I saw this on your blog post and immediately liked it.

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Cedric, Ed

Thanks for your comments. Cedric, I have spent a little bit of time now on the analogue image and softened it a little - particularly the shadows. Having said that, there is not much there as it was very contrasty shooting into the light. However, this is a jpeg of the vrsion I printed, and I do like the print.

Ed, it is a cow - particularly bucolic

I've also been at work on another frame from the same set - this is digital and just one frame - there is nothing left in the sky. Dxo conversion and quite a contrast! In this one, the jpeg loses the sharp leaves in the centre frame that are well defined in a mid size print.

Mike

 

[Cedric MASSOULIER]

I've also been at work on another frame from the same set - this is digital and just one frame - there is nothing left in the sky. Dxo conversion and quite a contrast! In this one, the jpeg loses the sharp leaves in the centre frame that are well defined in a mid size print.

Mike

Hi,

There's nothing left in the sky but is it a problem ? I don't think so and i find that this last pic has a good graphical rendering. As if you were playing with figures from a child's box of toys.

Cedric.