The Sound of Nature + repost

I am enjoying the composition and colors, but the contrast looks a touch high on my monitor. It is quite the nice spot to take refuge from the city.

I agree this is a very nice scene. I also agree the contrast is a bit high. Sometimes exposure blends do this. I would try to make a contrast layer and adjust to make the image just a tad less contrasty.

I could see why you'd want to hang out there. You make it look very nice.

- Dan

This does look like a wonderful place, David. If I was in the city I would head for here as well. The scene looks great with it's nice comp and colors, but I do agree that the contrast seems a little to high. A little less and I think this would look wonderful. I like the quiet and almost lonely feel of this place!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

I remember another of your shots from this location. It does look like a wonderful spot. Aside from the contrast issue already noted by others, this looks very good to me.

David,

Most certainly a beautiful and peaceful location. I could see getting lost in thought here.

To me, I think the processing gives this a somewhat surreal look to it. I think consistent with your processing style. Maybe it's the contrast everyone is talking about or the saturation and color balance. One thing I notice is that I think the sky is too dark for the scene as if a 3-stop hard gnd was used. It's most notable in the main tree trunk as the brightness level changes going from bottom to top.

I do like the composition as it's one where I feel like I can walk right in to the scene.

Lon

Great suggestions about the high contrast. Nice range of colors and textures in the scene though. I like the fg tree and moss.

Thanks guys for your great feedback. I've had another look and tried to address the contrast issue and lower the sat as well. The blend on this one was very difficult. The land exposure rendered the sky completely blown out white, so creating a natural transition was a very hard task.

I looked back at the raw file and it looks like I've either used an nd solid grad or the singh ray color combo polarizer, both of which create some unusual color casts. Anyhow, you live and learn and certainly next time I visit here I'll be hoping for some better light and won't be using those nasty filters. Cheers.

Dave.

It looks like a very peaceful place, David. Personally, the black look a little too black to me. Could see trying to hold a bit more texture in them. Still the strong contrast and colors here make for and interesting combination.

Edit: I like the repost even better.

David,

Thanks for taking the time. The repost looks much improved. I know blending those skies with trees and things in them is pretty impossible. Thats why I don't try. ;-)

Lon

Interesting scene David and the re-post is good improvement on the original.