Soft Forest

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 7, 2010369 views23 comments

Off the road that goes past my parents house near Sequim, WA; this rhododendron filled forest is just outside the boundaries of Olympic NP. The heavy mist was crucial to recording the delicate beauty of the place, and I was lucky enough to get two visit with the right conditions. On the second day, the mist (practically clouds at this elevation) was especially thick around this scene I had discovered on the earlier visit.
There are two things going on here that I really like. The first is the way everything seems to be reaching up to the light at the top of the photo. I had originally applied a vignette but removed it, in the end, to keep from hiding that aspect. The other thing I really like is the variety of plants visible in the image (rhododendron, cedar, spruce, and alder). I feel like the three types of trees all play important roles in support of the flowering rhodies.
Achieving sufficient sharpness in the important parts of the photo was no small task. A slight breeze, low light, the necessity of a polarizing filter, and a relatively long focal length contributed to the issue. I felt lucky at the advancement in high ISO capabilities in modern sensors as well as noise reduction capabilities of modern software.

70mm - f/13 - .6 sec - ISO 800

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Jeff Loomis on July 7, 2010 at 8:44 PM

I like it! Very moody. I love the misty forest setting. It sets off those Rhodies beautifully. Thanks too for the explanation. I love gaining insight into other folks thought process - it's very instructional for us newbies.

Registered on January 26, 2010, 68 Posts, 719 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on July 7, 2010 at 8:48 PM

Kent, this is really beautiful. I like following your thought process, as it is useful even for non-newbies!
I wasn't there. of course, to see what you captured - but i wonder if slightly daarkening the image would still be true to the scene? seems a little bright to me, given your descripion of the place.
Sandy r

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on July 7, 2010 at 9:04 PM

I have never experienced a rhododendron forest in the NW (though we have rhododendrons here in the NE around our homes),. I like this though because it is rhododendrons in their more natural setting. Upper potion maybe a little bright but it still works for me. The brightness accentuates the young leaves.

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

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on July 7, 2010 at 9:36 PM

Very pretty scene Kent, love the colors and atmosphere. I wouldn't mind seeing the highlights turned down slightly, just my opinion. Very nice capture.

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

Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 7, 2010 at 9:39 PM

Great conditions and very nice color. The comp is very well done, with my only tiny nit would be for just a touch more room for the rhodies at the bottom. The lighter area in the ul does make it feel a little unbalanced, but this is really being picky now.

It also adds more depth to the scene, so all in all I wouldn't have changed it either. I'm a sucker for these misty rhodie shots anyway, and this one is grabbing me big time.

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

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 7, 2010 at 9:41 PM

Looks great, Kent. I do like the sense of directional light (from the top) that is subtly part of the scene. The center tree does a great job of pulling my eye deeper into the scene.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Mitch Moraski on July 7, 2010 at 9:46 PM

Very interesting image Kent. I like it a lot in many ways but for me...there are to many intruding elements on the left and right side of the frame. Limbs dangling in space. I'd crop it square for the rodies and the tree and get rid of the outlying limbs. I think thats the main element of the photo. Just a thought.

Registered on August 3, 2008, 105 Posts, 590 Comments

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on July 7, 2010 at 10:42 PM

Beautiful, Kent.

Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on July 8, 2010 at 1:22 AM

I think the idea of cropping or cloning the intruding elements at the edges has merit but they don't really distract me to any significant degree. The image is too beautiful and packs enough mood for any such issues to spoil it.

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

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on July 8, 2010 at 1:22 AM

Thanks for the comments and ideas everyone. I like misty light more than misty dark in general, but I suppose this might be just a little on the bright side. The highlights are accentuated by the web sharpening too when compared to the full version.

With regards to the objects on the edge of the frame, they're pretty sporadic, but in the end, I prefer the image with them rather than without them. They provide some feeling of being in the forest, as opposed to just looking at rhododendrons and trees.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on July 8, 2010 at 5:53 AM

Wonderfully atmospheric shot Kent,

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on July 8, 2010 at 8:26 AM

The pale pink Rhodies go so well with the foggy conditions - just beautiful. A wonderful forest scene. My only nit is that I wish more of the Rhodies were visible - they seem a little cut-off at the bottom.

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

Comment posted by Matthew Goldsmith on July 8, 2010 at 9:06 AM

Really beautiful Kent. I agree that a bit more room on the bottom would help. The larger version is especially nice. Some thing about the smaller file just doesn't look right to me, but I can't put my finger on exactly what it is.

Registered on June 29, 2010, 37 Posts, 286 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on July 8, 2010 at 12:06 PM

this is very nice kent. i particularly like the soft colours and flowers. the twigs and leaves that intrude from both sides do distract me a little.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on July 8, 2010 at 12:15 PM

The bottom of the image definitely isn't going to work for everyone, but more distant/muted clusters of rhododendron blossoms help anchor the corners of this composition. I liked that, and I was also hoping the central blossoms could be a base rather than having a base below them. While more blossoms are available below the bottom of the current framing, the structure breaks down, and other intruding elements become overwhelming. Thanks everyone for your continued insights.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by David Cobb on July 8, 2010 at 5:11 PM

Love the fog filled forest, and those rhodies add some nice color to the gray day.

Registered on December 14, 2007, 312 Posts, 3243 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on July 8, 2010 at 8:04 PM

I love this forest scene, Kent. The fog creates a wonderful mood; makes me feel the lush dampness of this image.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on July 8, 2010 at 8:09 PM

Lovely scenic with a great mood. Soothing and pleasing to view. In the thumbnail all the centered tree seemed to be dominant, but in each larger post the flowers in the foreground and the fog along with the lighting took over. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful image.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Bruno Silva on July 8, 2010 at 9:40 PM

love these mystical scenes and presented so elegantly as is, well, there´s no need to write much more. fabulous!!!!

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

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on July 8, 2010 at 9:49 PM

Kent,

I expect there are many photogs like me who continue to dream of Rhodie images in the forest mist... like this one. I really like your perspective here and you were quite successful in capturing that "reaching up to the light" perspective. I don't feel this is too bright, in fact enhances that atmosphere of light in the image.

I'm a little torn as to whether the extraneous limbs and branches around the edge of the frame are a distraction, or actually work well to frame the scene. I'm leaning towards the latter, but still I felt worth mentioning.

You've captured a lovely experience and feeling of the forest.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Jack Graham on July 9, 2010 at 2:17 AM

Kent.... I looked at this image for about 5 minutes and don't feel that the limbs on the sides are distracting at all. Initially I thought they were, but this is one of those images you need to look at for a while and "get into".

This is a 5 star shot in my book!
JG

Registered on November 26, 2003, 158 Posts, 574 Comments

Comment posted by Jack Graham on July 9, 2010 at 2:17 AM

Registered on November 26, 2003, 158 Posts, 574 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on July 9, 2010 at 3:03 AM

You cant beat the subject and conditions, thats for sure! And the presentation is great. Im a bit undecided on the comp, like others above. The centering of the main flower group is a bit odd, and the branches on the sides a tad distracting. Minor nits tho

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments