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Deep Woods + rp
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Deep Woods + rp

by Nick Bristol

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 26, 201811,283 views13 comments
This will probably be my last winter post for this season. I have a couple more but will probably save them for now. 
I took a very early morning hike through the pine forest not far from my home just kind of hoping I might find something that I could make a picture of. This spot was actually quite hard to get to but when I stop and looked around for awhile I decided this was the picture I wanted to make. It was still kind of dark but thought I might be able to make it work. I know lots going on here but hope it works for you like it did for me. Just being there sometimes makes one a little more connected to the scene when others may not get that. Let me know what you think and thanks so much for all of your comments on my last few post. Nick
5DMK4, 35mm, ISO 800, F/5.6 at 1/10 sec.

Comments

13 comments
Comment posted by Ed McGuirk on March 26, 2018 at 4:01 PM
Nick this is an interesting idea to crop this into a panoramic. I very much like the cool white balance you used, it creates some real mood in the image. I think the shapes of the trees are pretty interesting and work well together. My only nitpick is the very dark tree on the far right. It is so much darker in tonality than the other trees that it tends to draw my eye away from the rest of the scene. I would recommend dodging it to bring its tonality more in line with the other trees. I do like that tree as a framing element, so I wouldn't crop it away.
Registered on November 29, 2017, 19 Posts, 260 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 26, 2018 at 5:01 PM
Thanks Ed! I appreciate your comment. I agree that tree on the right edge seems quite dark. I just did a bit of dodging on it and the tonality is probably a little closer in this version. Thanks for the suggestion! Nick
Click the image for larger view.
Edit: ​Maybe still a bit dark but I can work on that if need be.
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on March 26, 2018 at 11:59 PM
Well thats pretty fun.   Nice shot!

aF
Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 27, 2018 at 10:16 AM
Nick, this does a good job of capturing the almost dawn quietness of a snowy forest.  I especially like how the two twisted trunks contrast with all of the straightness.  For me, subtle views like this appear only when I've spent some quiet time in one area and this captures that sense well.  I could possible see cropping this on the right to put those two dark trunks at the edge of the frame.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on March 28, 2018 at 11:03 AM
Real nice scene, Nick. I like the change in the repost.  It is a nice, moody image that works for me. 
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by John Williams on March 28, 2018 at 1:08 PM
I hear you on being connected to the scene!

This has a lovely darkness Nick. I think I would like a crop down to use those to sinuous as edge framing. (Hopefully that made sense.)
Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments
Comment posted by Peter Richter on March 29, 2018 at 11:27 AM
Nick, your handling of the panorama format is again excellent to my eye! I enjoy to explore all the details, while the the repetitive pattern of the trunks makes for a firm structure in the composition to me.

I just think of brightening the prominent trunk at the right bit - even in the repost - as it makes for a rather heavy weighting of the image in my opinion. Anyway, I like your presentation of the scene a lot!

Peter
Registered on November 10, 2010, 218 Posts, 2723 Comments
Comment posted by Genny K. on March 29, 2018 at 3:19 PM
This is cool.  You don't see many panos of trees like this, and it is nice to focus on the tangle of branches and trunks.  You are really good at finding incredible comps, like this.  Having that dark tree on the right did not bother me, although I like the new version, too.  I like the almost soft light back there in the trees.  Excellent comp and processing.
I actually prefer the last image you had, I think just because there was more room, and it invited me into the image more....kinda hard to describe what I mean.  I like images that make me feel as though I am right there, and that's what those last several images did.  It's just harder to get that feeling with a pano, I think.  This was a super series of images you had.  Well done. 
(Our snow looks horrible now.  I took some pictures yesterday.  The snow is hard and crusty and dirty from all the wind.  I doubt I will get any more good images, even though we still have a foot or more of snow on the ground.)
Registered on June 5, 2006, 132 Posts, 2001 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 29, 2018 at 7:09 PM
Thanks so much to all of you for taking time to comment on this one. I always look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions, and what a good way to keep improving. 
I think I will try and lighten the darker trees on the right a little more yet and then maybe crop so they are at the edge of the frame.
Genny, Thanks, and I agree! Our snow is all gone now and we didn't get that much this year anyway. Guess I'm ready to shoot Spring now..cool Cheers, Nick
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on March 29, 2018 at 10:07 PM
This seems to convey a somber mood.  I find these kind of scenes to be difficult to photograph because I struggle to find a cohesive composition.  Your composition here works well.  You have nice separation between the foreground and background trees which helps to give a sense of depth and it also alleviates some of the complexity of the scene. 
Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 31, 2018 at 12:03 PM
Thanks Brian! Appreciate getting your thoughts on this. Cheers, Nick
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on March 31, 2018 at 6:16 PM
Nick,

Better late than never....  This has quite the mood.  I would say almost creepy - in a good way, like something from a movie - Blair Witch Project, etc.  Like, I wouldn't want to be there after the sun went down... enlightened

I too like the color balance and even exposure which really enhances the mood.

Ed, maybe others mentioned the dark trunks on the right.  I agree, but am of the opinion to crop them. And to match that, crop off the evergreen on the left.  You've got plenty of width and the forest is still hauntingly captured.  but of course it's all on how you feel about representing your image.  Repost certainly improves over the original.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Nick Bristol on April 1, 2018 at 8:35 AM
Thanks Lon! I appreciate your comment. I really hadn't thought about that crop but I tried it and it works! ...cool Thank you, Nick
Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments