Mountain Ghosts

Wait...you take photos?

I like it alot, you are right about a ghost feel. Reminds me of the maze at the end of the movie "The Shining".

Great to see a post from you Floris. I really enjoy your images. This one is no exception since it is full of atmosphere. Love the ghostly forms of the trees in the mist.

Exactly my very British cup of tea, splash of milk and half a t spoon of sugar. Gorgeous I adore low contrast high key almost invisible images. I would commit atrocious crimes to see some snow like this in Scotland sometime in the next two decades.

This is wonderful! I'm really enjoying this Floris.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

The thickly coated trees are amazing. We don't get that much snow at a time usually here in Colorado. I like your unique approach with the low contrast-high key appearance. Just enough detail to keep interest, and enough fog to add mystery.

Nice , the name of the photograph is perfect for the feel. I like these high key winter scenes. Larger is indeed a MUST

I like the process. As simple as can be. Causes you to look a little more closely. Love to see some pics from you Floris. Hope you can get out more.

Gotta be honest here--I love the idea, and i think your comp is solid, and its a worthy subject. I just think something is 'off' here with the processeing, it makes it look washed out and not 'ghostly' which was what you were looking for. Hard to say really without playing with the original.
OK, ive looked at this real long and hard, and IMHO its just too declarified (a new word ) If you look at the edges of the tree on the right, theyre totally blurred, but they look only a couple feet away, they should be visible. Im guessing i would really like this with default contrast/clarity, cause i love foggy scenes like this.

Thanks folks!

Ian - maybe you'll just have to make a visit to the PNW someday!

Stan - in the raw conversion clarity was +93 (default is 0) and contrast +55 (default +25). I even added some additional lowpass sharpening. All that is to say is I actually increased clarity and contrast a lot compared to the original raw file (but kept it low enough to maintain a nice balance of detail and authentic ghostlyness). Honestly, it really was that misty and white everywhere. I spent about 5 minutes on the processing and didn't do anything fancy (aside from the +93 clarity, which is a slider I otherwise never touch). No artificial "glow" or blurring if that's what you're implying. The tree on the right was about 15 feet from me - plenty far away to naturally reduce the clarity given the amount of mist in the air. I had never seen anything like it, and I doubt there's anywhere in the US aside from the coast mountains that gets quite this kind of atmosphere (freezing marine mist)...

Maybe not everyone´s, but certainly my cup of tea, Floris! The subtlety of your image is inimitable, and the almost abstract character puts emphasis on the fine balanced composition. Great work in my opinion.

Peter

Not something you see everyday, that's for sure! I like it. It's amazing to me that tres can survive that. processing/presentation looks good/natural to me.

Chris

Those are really neat "ghost" trees and I like how they're disappearing into the fog. Looks like a really interesting time to be out and about. I"m also amazed at how much snow and ice is clinging to the trees.

I really enjoy this for the mood and life it gives to the scene. Having walked through so many similar places I always feel an airy, almost surreal environment which is difficult to capture. The high-key approach works quite evocatively here towards describing the way these places feel. This is a great example of how to fuse your artistic vision with the essence of the place.

I'm sure you had a special time there. Very cool image. I like it a lot.

Beautifully captured !

Beautiful indeed, i like the idea so much

Great eye

Hi Floris - Have you ever thought about visiting the lowly right coast mountains in New Hampshire? Worst weather in the world even in summer, Mt Washington that is. I bet you would have a field day photo wise especially in winter.

Maybe one has to have been places like that to appreciate it. When I've seen such scenes I've thought how interesting it would be to try to capture but am too whimpy to do it myself. You did a good job of capturing the experience.

I like the high-key effect here, Floris, glad you were able to make the best of a not so good situation.

Definitely my cup of tea. Fantastic high key image Floris!

Works for me! Ghostly for sure. This really grows on me the more and more I look at it. Coolness.