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Photo posted by Lon Overacker in the Landscape gallery on 01/01/18 at 1:37 pm EST
Registered on 11/24/06, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Post last edited by Lon Overacker on 01/01/18 at 1:38 pm EST
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To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy. -Henri Cartier-Bresson
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Comment posted by Lon Overacker on 01/01/18 at 1:38 pm EST
Registered on 11/24/06, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
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To photograph is to hold one's breath, when all faculties converge to capture fleeting reality. It's at that precise moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy. -Henri Cartier-Bresson
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Comment posted by Jim Zablotny on 01/01/18 at 1:54 pm EST
Registered on 01/17/04, 705 Posts, 3594 Comments
Hi Lon,
Your first image is the one I prefer. The single vertical trunk on the right solidifies the comp...................Jim
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Comment posted by scott lanz on 01/01/18 at 2:03 pm EST
Registered on 11/14/03, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
I also prefer the original, Lon. It contains three basic elements, with the tree as a strong focal point. I wonder about a ccw rotation to straighten the gray tree? I realize that the tree is leaning right, and that the trees behind it are straight, but my inclination is to straighten the main tree so it is not leaning out of the frame.
Happy New Year to you as well, Lon. 
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scott lanz
Youngstown, Ohio
www.lanzscape.com |
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Comment posted by Harley Goldman on 01/01/18 at 2:33 pm EST
Registered on 11/19/03, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
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Second one and I would agree about the rotation. Not critical, but would be interesting to see the different. I like the second because it seems to have a bit more breathing room and the bare branches balance out the empty space bottom right. Nice
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"You were born an original. Don't die a copy."
- John Mason
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Comment posted by Igor Doncov on 01/01/18 at 2:59 pm EST
Registered on 11/22/14, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
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What a marvelous tree image. The first image is so well constructed in the color scheme, the arrangement of shapes, and the lines. The second image seems awkward due to the large space in upper left. However, awkward is sometimes good. Regarding straightening the tree: the second image needs it, the first is just fine. Don't know what to suggest. You could raise the luminosity of the dark greens on th right half a bit so that they're more noticeable.
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"If you want to make more interesting pictures, become a more interesting person" - Jay Maisel. |
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Comment posted by Bill Fach on 01/01/18 at 3:46 pm EST
Registered on 11/01/03, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Lon: I do lean  to the first but both are well seen and superbly captured. 2 thumbs up! >=))>
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Bill Fach
Soli Deo Gloria
www.sdgimages.com
Houston, Texas
Flora Gallery Moderator |
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Comment posted by Peter Richter on 01/01/18 at 4:26 pm EST
Registered on 11/10/10, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments
Lon, after taking several looks at both images, I decided to vote for the first one. It was not easy to decide, as there is also a difference in processing between the images.
The bare tree with its delicate structure is a haunting beauty to my eye. In the first image there are greens in the depth at both sides of the tree, what makes the composition especially appealing to me. In order to match them even better, I would suggest to reduce the saturation of the greens at the left a bit. This is only my personal preference of course. The darker vertical trunks in the background anchor the image aptly and therefore no rotation is necessary in my opinion.
Peter
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Peter Richter
Vienna, Austria |
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Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on 01/01/18 at 4:29 pm EST
Registered on 11/01/03, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments
The color and tonality on both images is spot-on. I do prefer the original because the vertical sticks on the lower left are distracting to me. The lean of the snag does not bother me. You might try bringing up the lights in the snag just a wee bit, but that is minor. This is very well seen, and nicely done.
Happy New RYear, Lon!
--P
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Preston Birdwell
Columbia, California, USA
NPN 429 | California Nature Photographers (CANP) Moderator | 'NPN Discussion' Moderator
“If you want nice fresh oats, you have to pay a fair price. If you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse, well, that comes a little cheaper" Author Unknown |
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Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on 01/01/18 at 7:04 pm EST
Registered on 09/17/10, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments
This selection of trees doesn't seem as strong an image as some of your earlier tree portraits. The yellow (willow? they call it a big weed our way - not sure how big a weed needs to be to become a tree ) tree and leaves seem to compete with the stark branches of the tree next to it. The luminosity of the larger view does help equalize the two though. The background doesn't compete with these trees, but doesn't add to it for me either. If the tree were leaning into the frame rather than out, might have a different reaction to it. Processing looks fine, just not resonating to me like some of your other tree shots. I might be in the minority, so keep them coming!
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Comment posted by Gary Minish on 01/01/18 at 8:59 pm EST
Registered on 02/04/06, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments
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I like the contrasts and composition of this scene, Lon! The starkness and sharply define lines of the large bare tree are quite a contrast with the leaved trees below and behind it. There are 3 separate color palettes here also. The gray of the bare tree, the green/yellow of the trees below and left plust the dark orange/brown of the background leaves. It all works nicely together for me. As to my preference between the two versions; I like the tighter crop when viewing the small sizes because of the graphical balance and less complicated composition but when I view the large sizes I prefer the wider crop despite the verticals in the lower left because it seems to have much more presence.
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Gary Minish
Valdez, Alaska, USA |
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Comment posted by Dan Kearl on 01/02/18 at 12:17 am EST
Registered on 09/02/13, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments
Not sure about this one...I prefer the OP to the repost, it has a more painterly feel.
I agree with Harry that the trees are not strong enough.
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Comment posted by Bill Chambers on 01/03/18 at 11:18 am EST
Registered on 04/10/05, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
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I definitely prefer the original post better as it's less busy. The naked branches on the far left of the report are a strong eye magnet to me. Honestly, I'm not in love with this. I love the bare branches of winter; I think they are graceful and artistic, but the addition of the leaved tree distracts for me. I know I'm a little weird in that perspective probably as most people probably enjoy trees full of greenery more than bare branches, but bare branches are just so expressive to me. Actually, I think the top part of the image is far more attractive than the bottom as the dead leaves in the BG don't pull my eyes away from the main subject.
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Bill Chambers
Gulf Breeze, Florida
Please visit Enchanted Light Photography
"You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” - Ansel Adams |
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Comment posted by Nick Bristol on 01/03/18 at 1:21 pm EST
Registered on 02/01/04, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
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Lon, I like the composition of the original post here the best. I think you did an excellent job with that and it is especially nice in the larger detailed version. Happy 2018 to you as well! Nick
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Comment posted by Jim Gavin on 01/03/18 at 2:10 pm EST
Registered on 08/14/08, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments
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#1. Prefer seeing the background tree trunks and limbs. Seems more balanced.
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Comment posted by Ed Lowe on 01/03/18 at 3:23 pm EST
Registered on 02/07/04, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments
The original post for me, Lon. I really like the subdued tones in the first one. I think the green along the RS in the second version upsets that balance a little bit. I would leave the first one as is because the star of the show for me is the dead evergreen. I would have to disagree with those that think this is not as compelling as some of your other tree images. Sometimes the less than perfect aspects of nature can stand on their own and are just as beautiful.
Ed
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