Spring Cypress

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 22, 2012364 views21 comments

This image was made yesterday at Heron Pond, part of the Cache River wetlands in Illinois and the northernmost cypress swamps in the US. What appealed to me was the geometry of the angled cypress branches with their tender green foliage juxtaposed against the two large cypress trunks on the left. This location is incredibly peaceful in the early morning, save for the birds. In the span of a couple of hours we saw swans, ducks, geese, herons, turkey vultures, cardinals, woodpeckers, deer and a beaver. I also find it very challenging to create compositions here that are not too chaotic. Very interested in your feedback on this one. Large image also included.

Comments

21 comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on April 22, 2012 at 6:17 PM

More and more I am liking these types of shots and the subtle. That is that!

Nice shot Matthew.

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on April 22, 2012 at 6:19 PM

Nice image! I love the angle of the branches!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 22, 2012 at 6:59 PM

Very nice Matthew. I really enjoy these kind of shots too. I especially like your large version here.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

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

Comment posted by Matthew Goldsmith on April 22, 2012 at 6:59 PM

Mark and Jenaya. Thank you for your comments.

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

Comment posted by Tom Haxby on April 22, 2012 at 7:45 PM

I am going to have to put this on my list of places to visit. Wonderful texture in the trunks and the green is appealing too. I used to grow cypress from seed so there is another reason to visit this place.

Registered on July 6, 2006, 126 Posts, 647 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on April 22, 2012 at 7:48 PM

I really like the sense of floating here with no ground to serve as a foundation. This would be difficult to pull off in most circumstances, I'd think, but it works well with this comp.

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

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on April 22, 2012 at 8:52 PM

Beautiful composition Matthew. The muted colors are so inviting and a welcome change to the over saturated photos as of late.

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

Comment posted by Jude Haase on April 22, 2012 at 9:39 PM

Matthew, I know ole so well how hard compositions can be in the swamp. I really like the way you have framed this one though. And I love the swamp so keep them coming!!

Registered on April 3, 2006, 236 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on April 22, 2012 at 10:48 PM

Beautiful work Mattew. Love the luminosity of the greens and detail in the trunks.

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

Comment posted by Verdon on April 22, 2012 at 10:51 PM

great shot in large version very cool, great vibrant green......

Registered on June 10, 2011, 147 Posts, 1444 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on April 22, 2012 at 11:09 PM

I too like the juxtaposition of the green foliage against the massive cypress trunks. A minor nit but I'd like to see just a bit more contrast between the young tree whence the foliage springs and the cypress tree immediately behind it.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laureys on April 23, 2012 at 3:26 AM

Beautiful, the larger version really does it for me, excellent

Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on April 23, 2012 at 5:10 PM

Good graphic isolation of the green branches vs the trunks. Well done.

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

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on April 23, 2012 at 7:35 PM

This is fantastic, Matthew. I really like the sense of solitude and serenity this image evokes. Also love those lush greens.

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

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on April 24, 2012 at 2:12 AM

well composed. the light isn't fabulous but you might bring some glow to the leaves - and further sharpness may enhance our viewing pleasure!!

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

Comment posted by Ned Fenimore on April 24, 2012 at 12:13 PM

Awesome shot! Love the mood..

Registered on November 1, 2003, 467 Posts, 2803 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on April 24, 2012 at 1:09 PM

nice, like the colors

Hamed

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on April 24, 2012 at 1:29 PM

So lovely!

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

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 24, 2012 at 2:38 PM

Very pretty Matthew. These types of images can indeed to troublesome to compose, and you've done nicely here. There's a certain freshness to this that I really like.

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

Comment posted by Robert Dayton on April 24, 2012 at 5:43 PM

Well done, Matthew. I believe that angled cyperss branches make this work. The image has 3D
effect to it for me. Good control of DOF.

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

Comment posted by Matthew Goldsmith on April 24, 2012 at 9:51 PM

Tom - I hope you get a chance to go. If you like quircky, try staying at the Davie School Inn, in Anna, IL (I have no financial relationship with them).
Tony - I'm glad you think that the leaves "floating" works here. I tried many other compositions (of different branches) that included the pond, but worked less well. I even bought and used waders for the first time to try and get to better vantage points. I think there was just too much duckweed this time. This image was taken from a boardwalk.
Youssef - I reworked this image several times at desaturated it a little more at every stage. I'm glad you like it.
Stuart - Thank you for the feedback. I will try your suggestions.
Robert - Thank you for the feedback re DOF. This was aided by stacking 4 images for DOF.

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