post-fire

To me, this is certainly the best of the post fire images, the smoke and exposure make this special. The only thing I might condsider were it mine is either cloning or cropping to eliminate the limbs that are cut off and intruding from the left middle, Very strong evocative image!

Very striking composition.

Ah this is beautiful. In a strange kind of way. Loving the ruggedness of that poor bush and the soft smoke that sort of encapsulates it and really makes this image.

Very cool! The atmosphere here is excellent Reed. How you managed to shoot in a place that was still actively smoldering/burning scares me a little, but the result is super. I find the positioning of the distant trees a little jarring, mostly how they intersect the foreground bush, but their existence adds some nice depth.

Floris: Nomex and fireboots is the secret and the shot was handheld because my tripod feet would have melted. I was on the fire crew that day.
Mike: thanks for the cloning tip. I did clone out a few distracting branches but totally missed those floaters..

I like the composition and the mood in this Reed. Other than the suggestion about the intruding limbs, I've got no suggestions for improving it. The image has a haunting quality that I like very much.

Pat

Great shot Reed. I like shooting post-fires too, but I wait until the ground cools off .

I really like this, Reed. One of the best post-fire shots I've seen in a while.

I like it even more with a crop that takes off the bottom 1 to 2 inches to remove that patch of ground that isn't obscured by the smoke. Doing so enhances the overall graphic nature of the dark limbs against the smoke, and also prevents you from having both the foreground and background horizontally centered, thus drawing more attention to the sides of the frame.

Reed,

This is an excellent image and a great story as well. The graphic nature of the burnt, squiggly branches in the smoldering smoke tell the great story. The branches almost don't seem real - like someone drew them. the random, changing sharp angles are amazing.

I wasn't there, so only you can say, but I'm wondering if you also captured a horizontal? I'm thinking you chose vertical to include the trunks in the background, but to me, a horizontal would also allow more room to include the graphic patterns of the burnt bush.

Regardless, an amazing and very telling photograph.

Lon

I can almost smell this one, Reed. I'm certainly aware of the tragedy of fire, but seeing this image here also reminds me that it's both natural and has a beauty all its own.

Fantastic
Very artistically captured Reed

Nicely seen. Not the most obvious scene to photograph. The atmosphere is quite dramatic and the shapes in contrast to the smoke are quite attractive. This photo is the one that caught my eye first while reviewing thumbnails in EH&S.

This image is amazing! It better get EP of the Week!

excellent, graphic photo. i'd consider cloning as mike suggested but i also am left with a little regret that the twigs have merged with the background tree trunks. but like it immensely as it is.

very nice, reed. very unique view you got here. works fine for me. very nice comp.

Ghostly scene well caught Reed. Great atmosphere and igh impact. I like it.

Even knowing it's a post fire image it looks like fine art to me. I like those trees at the top.

I immediately noticed the merge of the foreground graphics with the background trees, but I am ambivalent about it. There is something important about showing the scorched earth and connecting it through the squiggley branches to the background trees. There is also something to be said for separation of graphic elements. This is a smoking hot image as is, but I'd be mighty tempted to take a giant step to the right. Perhaps you can cover your ash and free those distant trunks from the spooky clutches of that burnt bush. Maybe a little higher viewpoint? You had a step ladder with you right? (I'm kidding).

Pete D.

works for me...