Last of the Autumn 'Bling'

[Halite]

Didn't go too far afield for this one--took it in my backyard Thanksgiving morning. Then the rain and wind came tearing in last night and fall is now all but gone.

 

[Grumpy]

Very, very nice. I like the color contrasts, and especially like the foreground, which relates so well to the remainder of the scene.

Now … the inevitable question. Have you tried cropping a little bit off te top of the frame, to see how it looks that way?

G.

 

[Halite]

I'll admit I hadn't looked at a crop at the top until you suggested it. I can see where a crop at the top would bring more focus to the rock and the foreground leaves.

But I really like two things about the image as it is: 1) the vertical bars of the trees make a nice counterpoint to the oval mass of the rock, 2) the top of the tree trunks are broken up by a bit of yellow leaves which help to slow the eye from exiting out the top of the frame.

Thanks for the criticism.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Very nice image. Water rushing past foliage scenes is always a good subject.

I agree with Grumpy on cropping the top. When there are only small bits of blue or white sky showing (as there are here), I usually try to eliminate most if not all of the blue/white bits. That would leave the whole rock and a comfortable amount of tree foliage and trunks above. I would also crop off a very narrow strip at the bottom to eliminate that small yellow fragment in the center on the edge of the bottom frame, and also most of the stringy stems just to its left. None of these elements distract much, but neither to they add much to the image. Perhaps this is picking at nits, but nits often separate a good from a great photo.

 

[skiguy]

I really like this shot especially your depth of field. I would go with the vertical crop but not too much! nice job capturing one of those special windows of Autum.

 

[Halite]

Thanks for the critiques. I appreciate your willingness to pick at nits--helps me to see the image through other eyes.

 

[skiguy]

What impresses me about this image more than depth of field is how well the foregrond is lit in relation to the background. Again nice capture. It seems as tho you have not Digitaly manipulated this shot which says something for getting a great negative to begin with. In other words this is a very good example of True Capture. Other than Cropping leave this alone.

 

[Halite]

What impresses me about this image more than depth of field is how well the foregrond is lit in relation to the background. Again nice capture. It seems as tho you have not Digitaly manipulated this shot which says something for getting a great negative to begin with. In other words this is a very good example of True Capture. Other than Cropping leave this alone.

It is great when the elements come together so well for a shot. I was in my backyard for 2 1/2 hours that morning working a variety of shots. I saw the leaves on this rock when I first started shooting, but it was in shadow. The light finally started playing through the trees onto the rock and water after a couple hours. Fortunately, it was diffuse enough to not blow the dynamic range beyond what the camera could handle. When I saw the foreground leaves in the river, I dropped my tripod to its lowest height, stood in the river with the water pouring over the top of my boots and snapped away. This image reinforced the importance of taking my time and working a place for what it has to offer.

 

[Grumpy]

What impresses me about this image more than depth of field is how well the foregrond is lit in relation to the background. Again nice capture. It seems as tho you have not Digitaly manipulated this shot which says something for getting a great negative to begin with. In other words this is a very good example of True Capture. Other than Cropping leave this alone.

I second that comment.

One of the things that immediately appeals to me is the authentic, natural look of the photo. It is not "overdone" in any respect -- no exaggerated (or distorted) colors or sharpening. Even the moving water is not blurred to excess. I thought from the outset that the picture is a testimonial to careful seeing and shooting. Your remarks about waiting for the light provide confirmation.

G.

 

[Mongoose]

I think a little more of the surroundings around the rock would help with the image. It would set the rock in some kind of environment. Unless of course your focus is just the rock.

 

[Grumpy]

I think a little more of the surroundings around the rock would help with the image. It would set the rock in some kind of environment. Unless of course your focus is just the rock.

I would like to see another photo made that way, for comparison, but it would be a different photo. To me, part of the charm in this picture is the contrast of festive autumn colors against the subdued gray of the rock and water. That, I believe, is the story line here, spun quite well.

G.

 

[Halite]

I think a little more of the surroundings around the rock would help with the image. It would set the rock in some kind of environment. Unless of course your focus is just the rock.

I shot plenty of horizontal images with more space around the rock. But these didn't allow including the lit leaves in the foreground, which really helped to balance the image. I would've liked a bit more space around the rock as well, but the 24mm is as wide as I have right now. On a small sensor digital, it isn't all that wide angle.

Grumpy's correct about the intended story--the ever-so-brief adornment of this solid, grey cold, unmoving rock by falling leaves and the play of light through the trees.

 

[forestgnome]

Beautiful image! Informative thread. Thanks

 

[darren]

I'm a little late here. Very nice shot, great DOF and color and isolation of the subject. My only additional pick is that I think the crop is a little too tight on the sides of the boulder - it splits the image for me and doesn't allow my eyes to drift around the frame. Well done though.

- darren

 

[Halite]

I'm a little late here. Very nice shot, great DOF and color and isolation of the subject. My only additional pick is that I think the crop is a little too tight on the sides of the boulder - it splits the image for me and doesn't allow my eyes to drift around the frame. Well done though.

- darren

Thanks for the critique (and Mongoose's similar point of view.) I was working the angles pretty hard with my 24mm lens to include all I wanted in the shot. A bit more breathing room would've been nice. I try not to blame my gear or have a gear fetish, but I can see a Sigma 10-20mm in my future. Or, if I win the lottery, the full frame sensor size of the Nikon D3 would get the job done nicely.