Smattering of Color

Nice shot Mitch. I really like the tree shadows in the foreground. The green leaves are also very nice since they provide a nice contrast to the reds.

Yes, the foreground shadows are nice, especially with the colored leaves. Works well with the top, though, too, so it's a coherent scene. My only thought would be to crop a bit off the left to remove the light dots along the edge.

Killer foreground! The diagonal log is perfect. I may take just a bit off the top to emphasize the FG more. I also completely agree with Tony's crop idea.

I can just about feel the warmth of the sun on my face here, Mitch. Did you get any comps without the log in the foreground? It acts as a barrier to me, preventing my eyes from smoothly moving from the foreground into the woods.

Quite successful in creating order from a chaotic scene. I have a small preference for a crop from the bottom. You've handled the lighting really well. I like this.

Mitch,

Excellent job in handling the light, exposure and processing. This came out great considering shooting directly in to the sun. I really like the combination of all the elements from the autumn forest floor, the diagonal presence of the log, the forest and the sun star.

The only suggestion I have is as a result of seeing two different scenes combine in this one presentation. You've got the stand of trees, their vertical presence, spacing and the sun star. then you have the forest floor, the leaves and autumn colors. I see to alternative options. One would be to crop slightly from the top still leaving breathing room for the sun, but pushing a little more emphasis on the foreground and colors of the forest floor. The second option is the reverse, cropping up from the bottom giving back the emphasis on the trees and sun star. I think both are viable options. BUT, this works very well as captured! I like this very much.

Lon

Bell Smith - one of my favorite places on earth

Great shot considering the tough lighting