Bouquet of Oaks

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 13, 2010403 views35 comments

Shot this back in 2005 at the Naval Live Oaks area of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and reprocessed using CS4 and hopefully better skills on my part. The way the trees were splayed out it kind of looked like a bouquet of oaks. Please view the larger version for better detail. B&W conversion in CS4.

D2X w/ 18-35 @ 35mm
1/40 @ f/16 - MLU and mc-30 remote release
100 ISO
Singh Ray Circ. Polarizer
Capture One 4, CS4, Marc's web sharpening

Critiques, suggestions, and comments always welcomed and greatly appreciated. Thanks for looking.

Comments

35 comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on April 13, 2010 at 10:11 PM

This is just classically good. As in like the masters good!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Jeremy Kessler on April 13, 2010 at 10:16 PM

yeah what floris said. This is Awesome!

Registered on September 13, 2007, 36 Posts, 1283 Comments

Comment posted by Rudy Ruberti on April 13, 2010 at 10:51 PM

This works great as b&w. The tones are really nice and those trees are awesome.

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

Comment posted by Daniel Ewert on April 13, 2010 at 10:53 PM

Great find, Bill. This is wonderful. Your incorporation of the trees, gulf and grass into the frame into your comp was superbly done.

Registered on June 2, 2009, 103 Posts, 1500 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on April 13, 2010 at 11:09 PM

This is great! Like a fairy tale. Finding a nice grouping of oaks like this is real hard, and together with that light and your wonderful conversion this is just awesome! Guess Jeremy managed to read my mind

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on April 13, 2010 at 11:12 PM

I just love the light here Bill! Fantastic B&W conversion.............. Nothing else to say......

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

Comment posted by Jeremy Kessler on April 14, 2010 at 12:44 AM

woops, I meant Morris, but had just looked at your photo so I must have gotten Floris and Morris mixed up. I'd agree with Floris' comment as well though

Registered on September 13, 2007, 36 Posts, 1283 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on April 14, 2010 at 12:59 AM

Awesome! It's so cool that these oaks go right up to the beach. It's a very nice arrangement. To be honest, before I saw anything but the thumnail image, I thought this was Floris' image.
I like seeing the diversity from you lately. Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy your seascapes too.

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Glatt on April 14, 2010 at 1:29 AM

Very cool image, Bill! Reminds me of Floris' burn images. Great processing and light.

Registered on July 15, 2007, 171 Posts, 3566 Comments

Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on April 14, 2010 at 2:21 AM

Such a beautiful composition and light, Bill! I love how the branches extend towards the corners of the frame, giving elegance. The horizon line on the left is quite intriguing and gives a nice sense of the place.

Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on April 14, 2010 at 2:29 AM

Those crooked trees are pretty cool. Nice job Bill.

Registered on September 29, 2009, 137 Posts, 2659 Comments

Comment posted by Danny Laureys on April 14, 2010 at 2:30 AM

This is great. Comp is excellent, B&W Connversion and light is excellent.The larger version really does it for me

Registered on January 5, 2008, 590 Posts, 1261 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on April 14, 2010 at 3:35 AM

love this bill. great composition and b&w conversion works wonders. well done.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on April 14, 2010 at 4:07 AM

Right up my alley Bill! This is wonderful. What I like most about this is that you filled up the entire frame with the oaks, yet this still feels "open" and I'm able to explore all the details of the oaks. Great to see some of your archives lately.

Lon

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

Comment posted by Andreas Resch on April 14, 2010 at 5:02 AM

Awesome capture, Bill. Chaos and order - one can find both in here.

Registered on November 14, 2007, 322 Posts, 6101 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on April 14, 2010 at 8:23 AM

Beautiful.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on April 14, 2010 at 8:45 AM

I remember this from before; outstanding image. Just enough ocean to locate the stand of trees.

Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments

Comment posted by Arnab Banerjee on April 14, 2010 at 9:39 AM

lovely image, Bill. I like b/w treatment

Registered on January 3, 2007, 313 Posts, 2270 Comments

Comment posted by Gabi Lach on April 14, 2010 at 9:56 AM

Very nice, Bill. Great composition and presentation. Tree patterns look just great and I love your B&W teatment here.

Registered on May 1, 2007, 101 Posts, 3187 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on April 14, 2010 at 10:23 AM

Nice encapsulating image.
Lovely contrasts.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments

Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on April 14, 2010 at 10:27 AM

wonderfulm Bill. this really breathes.
georg

Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on April 14, 2010 at 10:29 AM

I love the shadow pay here Bill; very nice.

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

Comment posted by Ian Plant on April 14, 2010 at 11:07 AM

very elegant comp! great shot

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on April 14, 2010 at 11:26 AM

Beautifully composed scene Bill, along with some very nice light. Very nice indeed.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Horn on April 14, 2010 at 11:48 AM

Very well done Bill, a nice set of oaks like this are hard to come by. Well composed and seen. Details is great and love the tonal range.

Registered on March 6, 2006, 82 Posts, 918 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Rossbach on April 14, 2010 at 11:58 AM

Awesome Bill! Love it

Registered on November 25, 2005, 484 Posts, 1377 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on April 14, 2010 at 12:27 PM

A very powerful image Bill. Personally, it is a bit unsettling for my tastes as it kind of makes me feel trapped. Like I can see the ocean but I can't get to it. That's just personal though. I would suggest a small crop down from the top or at least some edge burning or vignetting as things get a little busy up there. I really appreciate you taking the time to include all the technical aspects of the image - it is very helpful.

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on April 14, 2010 at 2:58 PM

Sweet! This really works well for me, Bill.

Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on April 14, 2010 at 6:53 PM

Very cool image, Bill!!! Looks great in B&W, too.

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

Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on April 14, 2010 at 8:12 PM

Good job on this one Bill. Never saw it before so everything looks great all the way around.

Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments

Comment posted by David Edwards on April 15, 2010 at 4:20 AM

I love the high contrast light giving strong form to the trees. I like the way they pop out from the rest of the scene. Very nicely arranged comp, and an excellent conversion.

Registered on December 6, 2008, 142 Posts, 2623 Comments

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on April 15, 2010 at 3:31 PM

I'll agree with Morris . . . classically good! It works perfectly. I have to give you some credit for just spotting this in the field as well.

Registered on August 24, 2009, 123 Posts, 3099 Comments

Comment posted by David Cobb on April 16, 2010 at 11:25 AM

What a great patch of oak, and composed so nicely. Love your B & W treatment of this too Bill.

Registered on December 14, 2007, 312 Posts, 3243 Comments

Comment posted by Helio Cristovao on April 22, 2010 at 5:01 PM

Great find! A fine comp. and I like your processing here, a bright b/w feel, very elegant as said before. Lots of detail throughout, eye-catching and leading to explore front to end! Well done Bill, and nice title too...

Registered on September 15, 2009, 83 Posts, 434 Comments

Comment posted by Carsten Ranke on July 13, 2010 at 2:56 PM

Really exquisite B&W work. The fan-like forms make this special, very well suited for monochrome. Great tonal quality, as well. Hats off !

Registered on May 31, 2007, 20 Posts, 411 Comments