Nestled + Repost

Gallery: FloraPosted January 22, 2011184 views15 comments

Sony A700
Tokina 828 AT-X Pro @ 120mm, CPL
ISO 200, 1/4 @ f11

Found this small settlement at Humpback Rocks just south of Waynesboro, VA on the Blue Ridge Parkway this past October. This is pretty aggressively processed for me with a contrast and saturation boost and a light Orton effect with a significantly warmed up overlay layer. All comments welcome. >=))>

Edit: Gigi noted the apparent tilt to the right. The lay of the land is such and the wind currents blowing down this valley (left to right from this perspective) create the illusion of the world being tilted. Note the tilt of the trees especially. I use a level when shooting landscapes as I have an eye condition that makes me tilt the camera in such a way that a scene will look level to me in the viewfinder but when I open the image it will be tilted 2-3 degrees. My question is; faced with the same situation would you go ahead and "level" the scene to make it look right or leave it as it really is?"

Edit 2: Posted a corrected tilted version below for your consideration. Also, a number of folks have commented on the superiority of the larger version. With it the detail in the branches comes out much better than in the regular version and I think works as a nice counterpoint to the Orton effect.

Comments

15 comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on January 22, 2011 at 10:33 PM

So lovely, wonderful processing. love the softness of this image!

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Graham on January 22, 2011 at 11:47 PM

The softness is really, really nice.

Registered on July 27, 2010, 1310 Posts, 5035 Comments

Comment posted by Giuseppe Guadagno on January 23, 2011 at 6:20 AM

I love this photo, Bill. A slightly pictorial, dreamy effect and a fairy atmosphere. I would hang the enlargement on a wall of my studio.
A bit leaning to the right?
Cheers.

Registered on February 3, 2007, 827 Posts, 5052 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on January 23, 2011 at 10:29 AM

Like a window into the past Bill. I wasn't sure it was working for me until I opened the larger image. As soon as I do that, I like the image very much. The softness needs the counterbalance of the detail that's present in the large version. Beautiful landscape work and composition, as usual.

pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on January 23, 2011 at 11:43 AM

Cool Bill. If Norman Rockwell was a photographer this might be in his portfolio..Very nice.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Sammons on January 23, 2011 at 1:43 PM

Bill, the tilt works fine for me. It's nature at its best. I wasn't sure if the image was a bit too soft, but then I viewed the larger image and it really touched my heart. Great job, it's just beautiful. I live in Asheville and have traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway many times, but never as far as into Virginia. This makes me anxious for a road trip this fall. Thanks for sharing.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 109 Posts, 323 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on January 23, 2011 at 4:46 PM

Oh pretty cool Bill, neat soft effect and muted color.

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

Comment posted by beth summer on January 23, 2011 at 5:15 PM

This image has a nostalgic mood to it. Lovely, especially the large version. As to the tilt, that was the first thing I noticed and it bothered me a touch. I can see trees tilting quite a bit so at least the entire image is such. I'm wondering if you could do a straightening and repost just for comparison. The large version seems to be better for some reason

Registered on November 1, 2003, 437 Posts, 5220 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 23, 2011 at 5:47 PM

OK, here is the version with a 2 degree CCW rotation. Of course I had to crop a bit and I did not apply any Orton effects here.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on January 23, 2011 at 7:54 PM

Like the straightening and the lack of the orton effect in the second post. Cabin has much character and a story to be told. Like the composition very much.

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by beth summer on January 23, 2011 at 9:24 PM

I think I like the straightening, Bill. Thanks for sharing

Registered on November 1, 2003, 437 Posts, 5220 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on January 24, 2011 at 5:39 AM

I have had much the same experience as Pat regarding the image size, Bill - it works that much better for me at the larger scale, I think because the marvellous detail comes through more strongly. I thought the hut was built on a slope ! The extra room for it in the untilted version looks best to me.

Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on January 24, 2011 at 2:46 PM

Man oh man, is that large version excellent! Love the Orton effect as it makes it so painterly. This needs to be hanging on one of your walls!

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

Comment posted by Phil Pogledich on January 24, 2011 at 3:16 PM

The larger version really does help convey this more effectively. I prefer the untilted version but I do like the Orton effect as well. Very interesting scene.

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

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on January 24, 2011 at 7:34 PM

Bill:
Picture perfect. Prefer rotated vertical version but like the orton on the original. Apply the orton on the second version and print it big!

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments