Second Best

Gallery: LandscapePosted October 24, 2009481 views32 comments

Bear with me while I wallow in self pity.... this is the best I could come up with on our recent fall gathering in the Eastern Sierra. As you can see from this we missed the prime color - if there was any.

So what I'm wallowing in is that the aspens of the Eastern Sierra pale in comparison to what folks like Jimmy and Harley have been showing us recently from Colorado. It's like the Sierra aspen is second best, or maybe the unwanted stepchild of the aspen of Colorado and Utah. It's like my aspens were discarded as seconds from the aspen factory; Colorado so straight and majestic, while the Eastern Sierra, small and scraggly.

Oh well, I guess we just have to make the best out of what we have and not complain about it. Or take a trip to Colorado next year. :-) Even on this trip when I found this scene I told my wife that if this one came out, I'd be a happy camper. And to be honest, to make this one come out I had to insert a little Orton to give this some bit of life.

Hope it's not too much. And honestly folks, I'm not feeling sorry for myself, just making some light hearted complaints about the wonderful aspen images that we've been seeing here in ES&S - and I'm quite jealous.

Thanks for any comments!

4x5, V100f, 210mm
A little Orton and TK's masks and luminosity painting.

Lon

ps. the larger version was saved at 55 jpg quality, so hopefully it looks ok.

Comments

32 comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on October 24, 2009 at 5:48 PM

Love the soft presentaion Lon.
I hear you about the aspen thing. Seems aspens reach their zenith in CO. Never seen photos from anywhere else where the aspens are so tall and straight, with that perfect white, smooth bark! We do the best with what he have sometimes. I need to take a fall trip to CO as well!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Derek Sedillo on October 24, 2009 at 6:25 PM

Yeah, tell me about it after moving from CO just over a year ago. The good news is we do have 'some' Aspens along with a whole host of other trees which turn colors and flower at different times throughout the year. Right now Yosemite color is peaking based on current reports. But this year the timing was really strange and it sounds like Lee Vining/June Lake did peak later, much after our meetup. See Michael Fry's blog. It looks like he timed his later visit well.

But yes, CO Aspens are rightly in a league of there own. I may have to visit the San Juans next Fall for my fix.

Derek

Registered on May 2, 2006, 37 Posts, 232 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on October 24, 2009 at 7:04 PM

Well this isn't quite as grand as the colorado aspens, still a very nice scene. I like the highlights in the grasses and bg trees giving this some added depth, and I don't find the orton too strong. Nice capture Lon

I'm thinking about a colorado trip next fall myself...what I found in Wyoming doesn't compare to the Colorado boys...

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on October 24, 2009 at 7:07 PM

Oh quit whining when you make beautiful images like this. This really has a lot of character. I love it!

Registered on January 12, 2005, 206 Posts, 6784 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on October 24, 2009 at 8:01 PM

Beautiful soft glow to this which the Orton effect complements well.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on October 24, 2009 at 8:13 PM

The large version of this is really sweet.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Ewert on October 24, 2009 at 8:38 PM

I really like that soft filtered and scattered light--beautiful!

Registered on June 2, 2009, 103 Posts, 1500 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on October 24, 2009 at 8:41 PM

I like the composition, the light and the Orton treatment Lon. I like the image.

For what it's worth unless someone has posted some I've missed, the aspens in RMNP were withered and brown right after the start of the turn to yellow. At least that's what I saw on four separate trips up there..

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Kenn Leonhardt on October 24, 2009 at 8:47 PM

Good one, Lon. They may not be the most impressive aspens on the continent, but I am really liking the subtle variations that can be seen in the colour of the grasses. Kudos on keeping the Orton effect subtle yet effective.

Registered on March 29, 2008, 27 Posts, 1710 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on October 24, 2009 at 8:52 PM

I really like the soft, mixed light. The grasses make up for the less than ideal colors. This works quite well.

Next year, Colorado!

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on October 24, 2009 at 9:17 PM

Lon I like what you did with it. It has a really nice quality of softness and life to it. I'll have to try some of your technique. Maybe I can rejuvenate some of my own work.

Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on October 24, 2009 at 9:26 PM

I like it because its not like Colorado Aspen Photographs. Great processing and composition. Joe.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 573 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on October 24, 2009 at 10:05 PM

You and Joe need to head on out here next year. With all the problems with the health of aspen, you might want to make the trip as soon as possible. (See Guy Tal's latest post). It's a nice enough shot and the Orton does help.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on October 24, 2009 at 10:15 PM

Actually I like it ,but not because its an aspen picture. Nice, intimate arrangement of stems against some excellent backlighting.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Bruno Silva on October 24, 2009 at 10:52 PM

this is fabulous, lon. love the glow here and it adds a dreamy look to the scene. light and colors fine. works nicely for me. great comp.

Registered on May 6, 2009, 132 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on October 24, 2009 at 11:28 PM

Very beautifully composed and executed. The glow and dappled background light really make this special.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Edlund on October 25, 2009 at 12:04 AM

Beautiful scene Lon, I like the light hitting the grass in the back. Very nice.

Registered on February 9, 2009, 21 Posts, 284 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on October 25, 2009 at 1:07 AM

Stop whining... this is wonderful, Lon! Just think of how much closer the East Side is compared to CO

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on October 25, 2009 at 4:43 AM

Lon this looks just great, outstanding aspen image! It's the light and the colors on the grasses that makes it special (so it's the grass not the craggly aspens I like here...

just kidding). The orton look is sweet in the smaller version - maybe a tad too much even (I identified it, so maybe it can be made a bit less "orton" so the orton appeal is there, but it's not perceived as orton...? ) In the larger version, it's almost non existent and I prefer the softer look of the smaller version. Either way, as usual very well composed and it's an image with that extra quality!

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on October 25, 2009 at 9:18 AM

I really like the quality of light here Lon. The soft glow on the grasses is wonderful.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on October 25, 2009 at 9:26 AM

Glad your posting again, miss your work. Quite beautiful and I love the play of light intermixed with the aspens. Great shot Lon
Keep burning that film

Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on October 25, 2009 at 12:25 PM

This is beautiful Lon, love the dappled light, and you composed it beautifully. Love it.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on October 25, 2009 at 1:47 PM

Second best my rear-end! This is superb Lon. I love the soft, mottled light and the great color. Great job.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Trevor Anderson on October 25, 2009 at 1:50 PM

Forests in partial sunlight are one of my favorite subjects to explore. This helps to explain why. I would suggest creating more contrast by bringing down the shadows a hair.

Nice exploration.

Registered on April 25, 2007, 64 Posts, 483 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on October 25, 2009 at 11:47 PM

The aspens in Colorado have it easy. Plenty of everything they need to grow tall and straight, then when the days grow shorter a nice even drop in temps to initiate the color change and voila. Nice straight smooth white trunk aspens with golden leaves standing in even rows like battalions of soldiers on parade. Where's the interest? Where's the character? Perfection is often boring.
Lon,

I echo the compliments on the other comments, the filtered back light , and the grasses are a nice added touch. Second Best? Maybe, but not an image you would find in Colorado.

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on October 26, 2009 at 12:51 AM

Who needs vibrant color when you can make such a wonderful image without it? I love this one, Lon. I like that it doesn't rely on saturated colors to be successful. Print it big and hang it proudly, dude!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Bohlander on October 26, 2009 at 1:40 AM

Magic scene, Lon! I don't think the Orton effect is overdone here at all, great combo w/ the backlighting.

Registered on August 22, 2008, 14 Posts, 125 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on October 26, 2009 at 1:57 AM

Yup, I find myself wishing for nice tall, and straight aspens too. But you can always find something good, if you look. Besides, I bet all those people in colorado always say they wish they could find some scraggly, off white looking aspens to shoot. The back lighting, and dappling is really nice here. It's a nice grouping too. looks like yours!

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Rafael Rojas on October 26, 2009 at 5:46 AM

This is GORGEOUS Lon. I love it. I would like to live close to those trees! Great job...

Registered on March 1, 2009, 56 Posts, 623 Comments

Comment posted by Jose Suro on October 26, 2009 at 8:25 AM

Love the composition and light work. You're complaining? We don't even have a color change here in FL!!!! Great work as usual.

Best,

Jose

Registered on June 24, 2006, 267 Posts, 2273 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on October 26, 2009 at 12:34 PM

Lon,

You're funny...like this is not a good aspen image hah.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Sam Chrysanthou on October 26, 2009 at 1:28 PM

The striped patterns of light and shadow really bring out the colour that is there--reminds me of rainbows. Very nice, and the orton boost is just right.

Registered on December 18, 2007, 71 Posts, 1191 Comments