Aspens and Fog

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 9, 2010425 views38 comments

Thank you for all the great feedback on the previous post. Always extremely valuable to me.

This image is from my Alaska archives. An aspen forest in the autumn with dense fog in the Fairbanks area that I photographed a number of years ago and finally got around to scanning. I thought I would get your thoughts on this and any suggestions for improvement. One of my concerns is that it may not have enough structure to keep the viewer's interest.
4x5, 210mm, warm polarizer, Velvia. Microtek M1 scan, the always valuable TK masks.

Large image provided.

Thank you in advance for your comments and ideas on this image.

Comments

38 comments

Comment posted by Richard Wong on November 9, 2010 at 7:10 PM

Wow. This is great! Interesting looking trees and the light is as good as it gets for moody forest photos.

Registered on February 2, 2006, 79 Posts, 2629 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on November 9, 2010 at 7:42 PM

Wonderful moody scene Vance. I love the detail of the foregroundfoliage especially the little evergreen playing peek-a-boo behind some of the trunks. The mist adds wonderful atmosphere as well.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 9, 2010 at 7:44 PM

Wonderful. It sure does have my interest! This has a great feel and mood to it. That combination of Aspens, fall color, heavy fog and a beautiful comp make this a favorite of mine. I don't think it needs any changes. Seems perfect like it is to me. The feel of this is fantastic and you don't want to loose any of that.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on November 9, 2010 at 7:48 PM

This works for me, Vance. The foggy light and rich color carry the day.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by Adam Gibbs on November 9, 2010 at 7:52 PM

I think the subtle tones throughout the boles are wonderful and enough to keep my interest. The half hidden conifer is a nice touch.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 168 Posts, 870 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on November 9, 2010 at 8:03 PM

Vance,

I don't think you have anything to worry about regarding keeping the viewers interest. I personally like the small splashes of yellow, but the red and orange in the LLC competes for my attention. Its a stunning image.

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

Comment posted by Mark Zemmin on November 9, 2010 at 8:14 PM

Great mood. I like the richness of the greens on pine tree. I am left wishing there was a little more color at the bottom. This is really great!

Registered on November 4, 2010, 8 Posts, 170 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on November 9, 2010 at 8:15 PM

Hi Vance,

Gorgeous image. I can tell this is a film shot by the tilt shift lens used to make the trees look like they are bending forward. Beautifully rendered. This really works well...

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Kim on November 9, 2010 at 8:26 PM

No nits from me, the processing looks great and the composition and mood are really nice. You must have one heck of an archives.

Registered on July 1, 2006, 60 Posts, 1233 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on November 9, 2010 at 8:57 PM

Wonderful mood to this.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Tyson Fisher on November 9, 2010 at 9:01 PM

No nits here. This is a beautiful photograph. Great atmosphere, lines, some nice fall color. Looking at the thumb I wasn't sure if I'd like the partially blocked fir, but after looking at it larger I find it doesn't bother me a bit since I can still see the trunk.

Registered on September 17, 2008, 44 Posts, 623 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on November 9, 2010 at 9:22 PM

It's got my interest for sure, I love it and could stare at it all day. I love the softness of the foggy background and the way in which the aspens start to appear from the mist. The green spruce and splashes of color in the foreground are very nice as well. Comp is stellar, wouldn't change a thing.

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on November 9, 2010 at 9:35 PM

I think this keeps the viewer's interest very well. The mist and the evergreen playing hide and seek among the Aspen trunks is a great plus.
The yellows add an unexpected warmth to the image.

Ciao '^)

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on November 9, 2010 at 10:20 PM

Beautiful shot Vance, my kind of forest scene. I had some conditions like this in northern Wisconsin over the weekend, love being out in the woods under a blanket of fog. Nice work.

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

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on November 9, 2010 at 10:45 PM

I love it , Vance, although I wish for the evergreen to be out from behind the large aspen a little. Fog, color and detail is excellent.

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

Comment posted by Joseph Kayne on November 9, 2010 at 11:18 PM

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

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on November 10, 2010 at 1:11 AM

It is very beautiful Vance. The fall foliage at the bottom, the light and the fog are amazing to look at. Enough interest to be entertained for a long time!

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

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on November 10, 2010 at 3:04 AM

mystical, moody, and marvelous!

Sandy

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

Comment posted by Arild Heitmann on November 10, 2010 at 5:06 AM

I love the tones and the atmosphere. A top-notch forestscene!

Registered on October 13, 2010, 27 Posts, 378 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Sieren on November 10, 2010 at 8:47 AM

You've got the perfect atmosphere for this scene.

Registered on January 2, 2008, 360 Posts, 5321 Comments

Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on November 10, 2010 at 8:57 AM

The way you do these intimate, moody shots is an inspiration for me, Vance! There is a lot of interest, don't worry. This is outstanding!

Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Gomez on November 10, 2010 at 10:08 AM

Very Nice! Love it!

Registered on March 3, 2007, 206 Posts, 1853 Comments

Comment posted by Yan Zhang on November 10, 2010 at 11:06 AM

I love this picture, it presents a real feeling for viewers to be in the forest.

Registered on April 10, 2010, 28 Posts, 292 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on November 10, 2010 at 11:27 AM

A beauty Vance. It's composed well enough to keep my interest, definitely. Nice mix of tones and the exposure is spot on as is typical from you.
I wish we had more Aspens around here, I have always thought they made great subjects.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 10, 2010 at 12:19 PM

I love fog...AWESOME!

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

Comment posted by Brian Gallagher on November 10, 2010 at 3:10 PM

If you have other unscanned images of this quality, I hope you get to them soon and share with us! The fog and tree combination is fantastic, especially in the larger photo!

Registered on April 21, 2007, 7 Posts, 54 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on November 10, 2010 at 3:52 PM

Beautiful Vance! The fog of course really makes this image. No critique, other than I'm wishing for more, or perhaps none, of the autumn foliage at the bottom. I really like the autumn color it brings to the scene, I guess I'm just undecided if I want more of it... no biggie.

Great work as always. I always enjoy your images.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Ant on November 10, 2010 at 5:40 PM

Astonishing, splendid image! The fog and the aspen made a perfect combination, which is superbly rendered in this picture. Excellent!

Registered on April 13, 2009, 27 Posts, 474 Comments

Comment posted by Mel Ladewig on November 10, 2010 at 10:41 PM

Vance,

You're getting scary good with your scanning and post processing control. Beautiful image all around.

The repeating verticals, the hints of cool and warm and the depth provided by the fog all make this work. No problem.

Registered on July 24, 2005, 114 Posts, 1205 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on November 10, 2010 at 11:15 PM

Beautiful liquid light. Nice bit of color in the LHC. Plenty of structure to look at and hold interest. Exceptional image Vance!

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

Comment posted by Vance Gese on November 11, 2010 at 12:05 AM

Thank you very, very much for all the great feedback folks. Guess my concerns about structure are unfounded. I actually have one image of this scene with a bit more of the autumn color in the foreground, but that color seemed to take away from the aspens. Thanks again.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on November 11, 2010 at 1:28 AM

No nits from me at all Vance. This is spectacular, wonderfully moody.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on November 11, 2010 at 10:36 AM

This is the type of image that you "feel" more than you see. One that spurs the senses to action to heighten your awareness when in this scene. Superb conveyance of mood for me. The only nit would be the little yellow shrub in the lrc is a small eye grabber being on the edge and in a corner. Maybe clone it, or burn it.

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

Comment posted by Laurent Baig on November 11, 2010 at 1:30 PM

Beautiful!

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

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on November 12, 2010 at 12:15 PM

Gorgeous!!!!

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

Comment posted by Eric Good on November 12, 2010 at 9:52 PM

This reeks of mood and mystery! That lone little conifer is a nice addition to break things up a bit. I might prefer a little more of that fg color, but this certainly works as presented. Really nice work!

Registered on March 17, 2007, 116 Posts, 4764 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on January 7, 2011 at 1:40 PM

This is one of my dream shots, I live for the day I find a Aspen or birch grove it is one of my must have photos. Beautifully seen.

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Dreese on February 28, 2011 at 5:53 AM

This defintely holds my interest, nice warm tones in the bg and love the glimpse of the evergreen in the foreground. Wonderfully tranquil!

Registered on June 1, 2010, 18 Posts, 51 Comments