Storm Light

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 26, 20173,038 views8 comments

This shot was taken a few years back at a local golf course. There was a good long period of great light breaking through the clouds after a storm. Looking at this photo now, there are some things I wish I had done differently composition-wise, but I still like it anyway. I look forward to your thoughts on this.

This is six horizontal shots stitched together in PS. This was the only way I could get this wide of a view. I also did a fair bit of cloning of sticks and things beneath the tree.
5d2, 24-105L @ 24mm
6 shots @ f/8, ISO100

Comments

8 comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on June 26, 2017 at 1:36 PM

Craig, the lighting on the tree is wonderful. I also like the reflections and the warmth of the trees in the distance. The finely manicured grass of the golf course sets of the warm lighting very well. I don't know if it was possible under the conditions, but I think a view without the foreground grass clumps would be good.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on June 26, 2017 at 2:08 PM

My thoughts echo Mark's. I think the image is outstanding, full of drama and sweet light. The weakest part is the foreground. The angular shoreline sorta cuts off the visual flow. Perhaps moving right up to the edge and excluding the edge and grass would have been a better choice. That's the cool thing about photography, the learning process. The mistakes we make today, make for better images tomorrow. I like it also.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on June 26, 2017 at 5:59 PM

The light is sublime, Craig, and it's a nice image, but like Mark and Gary, I would prefer a clean look at the reflection of the tree top. This comp has nice layers, but the interest is in the form of the tree and its reflection, and I'd like to see more of it, if that was possible.

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

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on June 26, 2017 at 7:03 PM

Beautiful tree and light! I would echo the comments of the others, but I think just cropping the foreground to leave just a little grass tightens up the comp nicely.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on June 27, 2017 at 11:18 AM

I agree with everything that is already said. The grass at the bottom tends to draw my eye away from the main subject. Even cropping the grass up to the clumps on the waters edge helps to focus the eye more on the tree and the reflection.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on June 27, 2017 at 4:13 PM

The light on the bare sycamore branches is stunning when backed up by those clouds, and the reflection doubles the beauty.
Funny, I scrolled the large image to crop the mowed foreground grass before I read Richard's comment. I agree with him.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Moreau on June 28, 2017 at 10:13 AM

Thank you all for the comments. I need to go back and have a look at my files to see if I have any versions excluding the foreground grasses. If I do, I'll work something up to post.

Registered on April 21, 2015, 64 Posts, 584 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on June 28, 2017 at 6:26 PM

The light on the tree is gorgeous as are the reflections and the drama in the sky with the storm clouds finishes the scene, Craig. My only suggestion is the already mentioned crop of the FG. Great work.

Ed

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