Sierra Foothill Equinox

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 20, 20188,447 views14 comments

Thank you for your comments on my recent oak tree images!

I raced the incoming rain this morning and was able to get a few exposures before me and my camera got too wet. Lon and I made some images at this location last year under very different light-sunny and backlit. Today, the light was very flat under heavy clouds, but there was still some luminosity in the grass and oaks.

Nikon D-7100
Nikkor 70-200 @ 170mm
F-16 @ 1/10, ISO 400
TK's masks, Warming filter layer.

Please see the large version. Thanks!

Your thoughts are always appreciated!

Happy Spring, everyone! cool

--P

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on March 20, 2018 at 5:41 PM

I like this one very much. It captures the best of the best time of year in your area: the green rolling hills with fresh new leaves on the oaks. The bluish green backdrop works well with the lime green foreground. There should be good opportunities after those trees fill out some more.

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

Comment posted by David Schoen on March 20, 2018 at 6:06 PM

Yes, the best time for the California Hills before everything turns brown. The colors in textures of the trees contrasting with the grassy hillside is quite pleasing. This is a nice distribution of trees from the standpoint of composition. The darker hills in the background do a good job of making the image pop.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Ed McGuirk on March 21, 2018 at 7:42 AM

Very nice use of the telephoto lens here Preston, it allowed you to extract an interesting scene. I really like all the various tones of green and yellow in this scene, your processing of the color here is perfect. This type of foliage color doesn't last long, I'm glad you were able to take advantage of it. As David said, the dark hill in the background creates a really nice frame. My only suggestion would be to burn down the bright yellow/green area on the right that is near the bare tree, this would help bring the viewers eye back to the more interesting trees.

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

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 21, 2018 at 9:11 AM

Oooohhh, some lovely greens, Preston. I like how the first hill with it's grass and trees stands out so well from the more distant hill. The luminosity of that first hill is what makes this great.

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

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on March 21, 2018 at 12:10 PM

This is real nice, Preston. I might do some cloning of the tree lower right edge and the bush mid right edge to give the image some space to match the left side. I like this a lot.

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

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 22, 2018 at 12:36 AM

Hey Preston,

I recognized this right away! what a difference a year makes - at least what a difference the light makes. the diffused light from the incoming storm really helps accentuate the spring vibrance. I really like how you've zoomed in to the far hill; the composition of the spring oaks works wonderfully.

I'm really enjoying this - brings back fond memories of our trip a year ago.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on March 22, 2018 at 12:57 AM

Beautiful composition Preston. I love how the trees tail off the to the bottom right of the frame.

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

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on March 23, 2018 at 10:42 AM

What's not to like about those lush spring greens, Preston. This has such an inviting mood to it that is very soothing. You did a masterful job of isolating this lovely scene with the telephoto and the darker hillside on the top makes for an additional layer in the image. My only suggestion; and this is being super picky; would be to clone out the bush along the middle right side. Either way this is a winner.

Ed

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

Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on March 23, 2018 at 12:05 PM

I like the telephoto comp and the softer shadows to overcast yields. Perhaps try a little more grassy foreground (about the width of the white frame) if you have it?

Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 23, 2018 at 12:40 PM

Preston, This is a great view and I like the comp you came up with. The brighter green of the new oak leaves and curve of the grassy hillside makes for a very inviting look and feel. Nice contrast against the duller blue green of the distant hill. Very nice!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on March 24, 2018 at 9:39 PM

I like this a lot, Preston. The spring greens are radiant and the composition works very well with the diagonal line formed by the trees.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Jeffrey Sipress on March 26, 2018 at 8:23 PM

So nice! This defines the beauty of Central California, and much of the coastal hills, in springtime. This is the light I prefer. So soft, even and saturating. Thanks for taking me there.

Registered on February 17, 2004, 236 Posts, 1197 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 30, 2018 at 12:38 PM

Wonderful luminosity and contrast Preston. I like the various shades of green and the cooler blue tone in the background.

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

Comment posted by John Williams on April 1, 2018 at 8:07 PM

A nice green showcase Preston; oaks are wonderful trees. The plant growing in the trees must really like it there (mistletoe?).

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments