Damp Woodland +rp

Gallery: LandscapePosted October 3, 201713,441 views9 comments

This is the first image I shot during a month long trip to Alaska. Then I lost all desire and didn't shoot for the next 2 weeks after which there was an intense period of photography.
Alex took the day to fish for dolly vardens at Quartz Creek and I decided to spend the time shooting images. I pulled off the Kenai highway to descend to the lake and came upon this scene near the head of the trail. I had an immediate gut reaction to it which I didn't understand but went with it. As I composed the image I thought I had something good. However, a few days later I downloaded it to the laptop and the reaction was totally different. "What was I thinking". And that feeling stayed with me for a year. Every time I popped it open there was dismay and the question of what did I see in it. Well, several days ago I opened it and understood the early sensation. And that's how I see this image now. It's common and yet it's not. It depends on your frame of mind or anything else those goes on within us when we look.

I have my opinion of it but am interested in yours.

Canon 6D, 24-105@32mm, f/19, 1.0sec, ISO 400, CPL, tripod, TK sharpening

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Ronald Murphy on October 3, 2017 at 8:21 AM

This type of vignette, carved out of the totality of the scene in front of the camera, is the kind of composition I look for in the world to photograph but so rarely find. This looks great to me. Having said that, I might reduce the overall green tint a bit. And a larger large version would have made me even happier.

Registered on March 13, 2012, 279 Posts, 975 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on October 3, 2017 at 3:02 PM

I am drawn to the image because of its strong geometry with the shape of the foreground rocks and the trees at entirely different angles. I like it a lot. But I would agree with Ronald about the overall green tint. I am guessing the green cast muddies up the image to some extent.

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

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on October 3, 2017 at 3:29 PM

Harley and Ronald, the green cast is a natural color below a forest canopy. This image was shot with a WB setting 'shade' resulting in light temperature of 5950. If adjust to sunlight WB it becomes still greener. Personally I like the above version of the color pallete more appealing than the cooler one. Other than the graphic element of the image what appealed too me the most was the greens vs deep brown color complements.

I did raise the lights just a bit to have the branches pop just a tad more. It was the bright lichens on the branches on the deep browns that was the first attraction. I'm not sure you will the difference.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lowe on October 3, 2017 at 4:58 PM

I love this, Igor. The geometric angles really grab my attention. I really like the vertical tree with the opposing angled tree all propped up by the outreaching branches. I go through the same process with my images. Something will really catch my eye and then when I get home and look at it on the computer, I'll think " what the h*ll did I see in that"

Registered on February 11, 2004, 777 Posts, 5252 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on October 3, 2017 at 7:08 PM

I think you did a good job of getting a focus in what could have been a chaotic image. I could just be my screen, but the tree branches look a little soft. I agree with the thought about the color cast.

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

Comment posted by Rudy Ruberti on October 3, 2017 at 11:07 PM

This works for me. The angle of the tree on the right and fg rock create a strong and interesting composition. The lichen and moss stand out nicely against the darker forest floor. There is an overall softness to the image that I like and think works well with the colors. Very nice. I can also relate to story. I often look forward to processing certain images, but become disappointed when I first view them on the screen. This usually goes away during processing and when they come to life, but not always.

Registered on October 28, 2008, 179 Posts, 1875 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on October 3, 2017 at 11:24 PM

I can imagine your dilemma with this image. When I first opened it, my reaction was "meh". I have that same reaction to images that strike me at conception, but fail to thrill me at the computer. However, I rarely delete them unless there are technical flaws. I've been pleasantly surprised a few times when I remembered the emotion that prompted me to take the image in the first place. This is one of those images. Nothing groundbreaking, nothing screaming, just a solid image extracted from a chaotic environ. I like it.

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

Comment posted by Stephen Stanton on October 4, 2017 at 2:40 AM

I have the same "what was I thinking" feelings on many close up shots where I am trying to capture an intimate feel or a miniature landscape for a specific environ... especially one where I believe I know the area pretty well and think I should be able to extract an essence, photographically. My conclusion is that very few are going to be keepers, and those that are will have depth, light and an anchor or hook that locks the viewer to the picture. It is such a difficult medium. When I saw the image nothing really held me and overall it looked rather flat. The elements of rock, moss, lichens, saplings, forest floor are usually strong visual elements for me so I lingered (and also because I learn from and enjoy your images quite a lot). But with this one I never got the message. The parts seem less than the whole for me. And the "for me" is a big part, others have seen it differently, we all are subjective and inspired by different parts of the natural world and moved by different photographic perspectives of it...ah the challenges.

Registered on March 1, 2015, 54 Posts, 453 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on October 4, 2017 at 4:47 PM

Igor, I like this but it is not a favorite of your work for me. I think you did a nice job with the composition and I like the processing of the first one best. The green tint looks natural to my eye.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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