Impervious

Gallery: LandscapePosted January 10, 20189,015 views14 comments

Thank you for the comments on my previous image.

We finally moved on from El Cap meadow and we're heading back to camp for some lunch. We often stop at either the Swinging Bridge or Sentinel Meadow pullout to check any photo options. I've always been drawn to this stretch of forest and have posted a few images of this area in the past. I find it quite fascinating how compressed frame like this can really transform these trees to what seems like an impenetrable wall - impervious to any intruder. B&W was a clear choice for this.

As always, I welcome your honest thoughts, critiques and suggestions.

Single frame at 120mm f/16. In processing I did use the skew and warp feature to straighten the left hand tree and also to work the right hand tree. The two "leaners" are leaning naturally and part of my original intent here, but by tweaking the surrounding trees, these two seem to make more of an impact. Not sure I needed to disclose that or not. This is also slightly cropped from original.

Thanks!

Lon

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 10, 2018 at 5:16 PM

Love this one! It needs to be viewed large, as NPN is hammering the small version. You are channeling your John Sexton beautifully. Great tones and beautifully composed chaos of all the branches that totally works for me. The tiniest of nits might be to burn the slanting kinda horizontal branches right side but really minor.

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

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on January 10, 2018 at 8:58 PM

Like the pen and ink feel to the image. These type of BW of yours are among my favorites. Longer lenses to have a magical effect on these kinds of scenes. The vertical and horizontal lines create some nice tension. Does look impenetrable. The tree disclosure point is interesting to know, but not necessary in my assessment of the image. Not like you removed trees or cloned trees into the scene. I have no problem with this kind artistic license considering the subject matter.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Ed McGuirk on January 11, 2018 at 9:11 AM

Lon, I am amazed how much variety you can come away with by shooting these tree abstracts, you have a great talent for these type of scenes. As your eye moves from left to right, the progression of leaning trees almost gives the impression of a series of dominos falling over. and you've really nailed the tonality of the shadows here, they are just perfect.

This is a nitpick, but for the straight tree on the far right, I would slightly dodge the bottom 1/3 of the trunk, as presented it is so dark that it recedes, but I think a little dodging would place more emphasis on it.

Registered on November 29, 2017, 19 Posts, 260 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Moreau on January 11, 2018 at 10:33 AM

Lon, this is very nice. I like the rigidity of all the straight trees offset by the two leaners, as well as the structure of the trees against the chaos of the branches. It takes a great eye to isolate a scene like this from what, I'm sure, is chaos of the surroundings.

I think Ed's recommendation to burn that rightmost tree a little bit is a good one. It is quite a bit darker than the rest of the trees.

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

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on January 11, 2018 at 7:20 PM

The large version is totally mesmerizing, Lon. All kinds of lines and a beautiful range of tones in this beauty. What really elevates this another notch for me is those two diagonal trees crossing all those vertical trunks behind them. Amazing image and a great find.

Ed

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

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 11, 2018 at 8:45 PM

As Harley said, “Sextonesque” for sure. I love the darkness of the background and the glow of the trunks. Very artistic presentation, Lon. I love it.

Ps. I don’t think tweaking things that are already in the image even worth the mention. I tend to think of the finished product and not the process. Sure I’d want to know if things were added, the rest not so much.

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on January 12, 2018 at 2:04 PM

Lon, an interesting view into this "impenetrable" forest. the two diagonal trees add some important tension.

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

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on January 12, 2018 at 4:42 PM

Lon, It is pretty amazing the difference it makes when one looks at the detailed view. I like this a lot just as it is when I look at that version. I think this composition really works and the detail and textures are impressive. Excellent!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on January 12, 2018 at 11:34 PM

This is extraordinary, Lon. The large image is one of those you just like to sit back and explore all the fine details one moment and then in the next moment you just want to take in the entire image as a whole. I have absolutely no nits. Beautiful composition and perfect post processing. Well done!

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

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on January 13, 2018 at 7:40 AM

I have come back to this one a few times and it worth a second comment. It really is a beauty. It is absolutely up there at the top of my favorite Lon images and that is quite a high standard.

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

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 13, 2018 at 11:48 AM

Lon: Really good vision to extract this comp from the scene. There is a lot to explore and the overall texture is exceptionally nice. Most excellent.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on January 13, 2018 at 1:27 PM

Thanks for the kind words and suggestions folks! Really appreciate them.

Ed McGuirk - thanks for the idea of dodging the tree on the right. I think I will - thanks for the suggestion.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on January 14, 2018 at 12:13 AM

I really like the way you made a pleasing composition out of a place that is very chaotic. The B&W works very well for this image.

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

Comment posted by Mattia Oliviero on January 15, 2018 at 3:03 AM

I really like this type of image, Lon. Very intimate scene, the image reveals its spirit the more you looking at it. Well done IMO.

Registered on August 24, 2016, 43 Posts, 254 Comments