Dogwood Decadence

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 10, 2010546 views34 comments

Thank you so much for your comments on my previous image. I know I'm really behind on my commenting and I will catch up for this weekend.

Can't believe it's been a month already since our long weekend in Yosemite. I mentioned there was still more Dogwood coming, so here's one more. Trying to space them out so you don't get bored with these images!

Captured from the same area by Yosemite lodge. What a gold mine of color. Actually at the very bottom of the frame is one of the buildings of Yosemite lodge - not in frame of course.... and I cloned out a light.

Some comments have been made in many of the previous images about the background. Some refered to it as sky or the blue/gray background, etc. Well, just wanted to clarify since the blue/gray background is present here as well, that the background is not sky or clouds, but the granite walls of Yosemite Valley.

Anyway, the diversity of colors in the dogwoods that weekend were just amazing. This one shows more oranges than reds.

As always, your honest comments and critiques are welcomed!

4x5, NIkkor 450mm, V100, F/45 @17s (yes it was dead still)
Tony Kuyper's magic

Have a great weekend,

Lon

Comments

34 comments

Comment posted by Matt Anderson on December 10, 2010 at 3:48 PM

Lon, I never tire of these kinds of images. Another beauty.
So well done, and once again, I admit, I'm jealous I don't have the tx for this on a light table with a loop. For those who have never worked with LF, it's almost a religious experience seeing the color and detail pass through a tangible medium like film. To be able to hold a tx with a scene like this is something I miss. I also miss drum scanning.
Nice work my friend.

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

Comment posted by Robert Stough on December 10, 2010 at 4:10 PM

This is just wonderful and reminds me so much of the appalachians. The brilliance of the dogwoods is amazing in its own right but the way you've layered those reds and yellows with the background greens and bluish grays gives this a depth that really draws you into it.

Registered on November 20, 2010, 26 Posts, 273 Comments

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on December 10, 2010 at 4:16 PM

Never tire of looking at your wonderful tree images Lon. Beautiful color show and I like that nice blue back there. It seems Yosemite has some great backgrounds and you have used them wisely. Nice job as always.

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

Comment posted by Dean Sauskojus on December 10, 2010 at 4:30 PM

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

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on December 10, 2010 at 4:54 PM

Gosh, what a beauty! Very entrancing shot. Well done, as always, and I'd have to put this near the top of your Yosemite images (so far) from this fall.

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

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on December 10, 2010 at 4:59 PM

Wow... that is a LOT of color! Beyond the color, though, it doesn't move me the way your other images from the trip do.

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

Comment posted by Richard Teller on December 10, 2010 at 5:23 PM

Very pleasing autumn scene. No nits here.

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

Comment posted by Morris McClung on December 10, 2010 at 5:35 PM

Oh mommy! Almost sensory overload. Such order from so much detail.

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

Comment posted by Gino Cortez on December 10, 2010 at 5:50 PM

Oh Yea! The interplay of red and yellow/orange is hypnotizing...the airy blue separation just above the green. Personally, this could be my favorite of your recent posts. I love these tree portraits anyway, but this one immediately grabbed me.

Registered on November 23, 2010, 57 Posts, 396 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Gomez on December 10, 2010 at 6:00 PM

Lovin' it!

Registered on March 3, 2007, 206 Posts, 1853 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on December 10, 2010 at 6:26 PM

Drive by is certainly very impressive. But I almost think this is my favorite so far from that trip.
More so for it's diversity in color, as well as the intensity. It is just a whole lot of eye candy, and I love sweets!

Chris

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

Comment posted by Jason Kim on December 10, 2010 at 6:39 PM

To be honest... this is another wonderful image! I'm loving all these shots from your trip, the colors and your compositions are just spectacular.

Registered on July 1, 2006, 60 Posts, 1233 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on December 10, 2010 at 7:40 PM

Lon,

Look like you had great conditions for really getting saturated colors that weekend and no stray highlights in the background. Not as moving as the others you have already posted, but still very nice.

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

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on December 10, 2010 at 7:49 PM

Well, you certainly didn't bark up the wrong tree with this one, Lon. It's beautiful.

You did a nice job taming the blues, and the color and cotrast are right on. No nits from me.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Justin Reznick on December 10, 2010 at 8:44 PM

Beautiful display of color Lon, your recent posts from Yosemite are giving me a whole new outlook of fall colors in the valley!

Registered on November 24, 2009, 79 Posts, 515 Comments

Comment posted by Anne K. Rusk on December 10, 2010 at 9:53 PM

This is a real feast of color! So well seen and captured!

Registered on October 10, 2010, 65 Posts, 904 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on December 10, 2010 at 10:35 PM

Gold mine, indeed. The reds and oranges here are peak fall. The two "columns" of trunks provide a nice structural element to the frame.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 10, 2010 at 10:57 PM

Another sweet image from this "secret" spot that you keep telling everyone about. The drizzle really snapped the colors beautifully and very nicely composed. My image of this tree turned out to be a double exposure.

Your turned out very well!

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

Comment posted by Bruce Omori on December 10, 2010 at 10:59 PM

Hi Lon,

Beautiful shot!!! I love those fall colors, as that's something we don't get to experience here in the islands. One of my must do's! Stunning!!!

Registered on December 6, 2010, 6 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Pelton on December 10, 2010 at 11:07 PM

I like the overall balance and color of this one the best of your dogwood shots so far. Love the peach color.

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

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on December 11, 2010 at 4:13 AM

nice colors Lon

you have a great collection of this kind

always enjoying your art works

Hamed

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on December 11, 2010 at 5:47 AM

Awesome color superbly captured.

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Guy Tal on December 11, 2010 at 7:32 AM

It's amazing how even the little hints of the granite cliffs help set off the scene so well. A gold mine of color indeed and a beautiful intimate composition. This is a real winner.

Guy

Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments

Comment posted by Raymond D Smith on December 11, 2010 at 8:38 AM

That is one hell of a colour display Lon. Once again the large photo reveals all the nice details. It sure would be nice to see your photo's in a gallery setting. I really like that nice red glow on the trunks of the tree's. Cheers

Registered on January 22, 2009, 12 Posts, 479 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on December 11, 2010 at 12:21 PM

Beautiful, Lon. Amazing color with a great comp. I like seeing a little of the cliff through all the color. Wonderful work.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on December 11, 2010 at 12:31 PM

Lon, I have really enjoyed your fall color images. Can't believe you captured a 17 sec exposure of tree leaves! The scene has really nice depth since you can see a hint of the cliffs in the background. Another great image. I hope to see more.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Gabi Lach on December 11, 2010 at 1:31 PM

Beautiful, Lon! Top of the photographs!

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

Comment posted by Sarah Marino on December 11, 2010 at 1:40 PM

So much to enjoy! The specks of granite add a lot of depth and help the trees pop. Another stunning image from you.

Registered on November 10, 2008, 23 Posts, 393 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on December 11, 2010 at 1:49 PM

Strong composition work again Lon! Again there is some double layering in the composition created by the dogwood's branch structure and the background. It's that kind of compositional elegance that I always appreciate in your images of that kind. This one has a strong ornamental character and high symmetry for good immediate impact. The colors, particularly the reds look great.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Kyle L. Krause on December 11, 2010 at 2:38 PM

Hey Lon, I think this is so far one of your best from are trip. Colors, compostion and lighting just a gorgeous scene. Hope you have it hanging on the wall next time I'm there. Great work my friend.

Registered on June 15, 2010, 29 Posts, 605 Comments

Comment posted by Jason Blankenship on December 11, 2010 at 3:10 PM

Lon, This is really beautiful. Seeing all your images from this trip makes me really wish I was able to make it.

Registered on May 20, 2008, 15 Posts, 94 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on December 11, 2010 at 3:13 PM

My first reaction was simply, wow. This is drop dead gorgeous, Lon. The lines of the tree trunks and branches are perfect in that canvas of autumn color. An astounding, stunning image. I can almost imagine how this had to take your breath away at the time you made this image, just keeping your fingers crossed that no breeze would kick up during those long 17 seconds, and again when you placed that newly processing 4x5 on the light table.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on December 11, 2010 at 9:27 PM

Wow! What an explosion of color! I love this.

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

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on December 13, 2010 at 4:55 AM

Stunning. Good grief, Lon... boring? How could that happen when you do things like this?

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments