Looking Thru +alt

Here's an alternate square crop.

Hi, Lon! Up here in the great PNW, we're always looking through trees at something else. So I agree that it's a good idea to embrace the scene. Your struggle with comps and processing indicates just how difficult it is to choose what to include of the trees. Even though you're looking through them or past them, the design they make is integral to the scene. Having said that, I choose the un-cropped, processed original (larger version) as the one with the most pleasing "looking through" feel. The look of the water in its range of gold and silver tones and the flow is great, but imho, not enough to make this a Lon Overacker WOW photo.
As to the processing, this looks very natural. It's warm and refreshing at the same time. One thought I have is to silhouette the trees and "pop" the light a little more and see how that looks to you. Add to that: take the original, crop off the left to just a *smidge* past the fork in the first tree and scrub out the fir bough in the lower right.
Then I'd quickly go back and shoot some more of these!!

I definitely prefer the original version (the one above your text). I think the open area in the larger version throws the balance off a bit. The colour/light reflecting in the water is nice and I like the framing. Perfect amount of flow in the river.

Gary.

I am very much enjoying this one, Lon. I am favoring the square crop. The first feels a bit tight to me and the full has a lot of distraction on the right. Beautiful color in the water and the branches hold it together quite nicely. I like this a lot.

Nice! I definitely prefer the first post, because the crop removes the overall flow the thick branch provides. Anyways, I want more of that vibrant orange color on the bottom. The large version was a treat...

Great, 3 comments and 3 different picks. This really helps! JK, I do appreciate the honest opinions. My original preference and original attraction to the scene was the reflected color in the water, which is emphasized in the first 2 versions. I'm with Harley on the too many busy distractions on the right - however, I see what Catherine is seeing too. So here's yet another version taking in to account some of her feedback, including a curves adj to increase highlights, darken shadows - your basic slim s-curve. That fuzzy pine bow in the LR is too much of a cloning challenge, so I opted to crop more from the bottom, minimizing the cloning. This was just a quick crop and workup from the larger view file, and so the quality drops off since it's a re-save of the jpg. Anyway, the redeeming feature here is that the flow of the water is emphasized and less so the reflected color.

just to add to the confusion...

I still prefer the square crop. But then I always have to be contentious.

Hi Lon, This is very nice! I prefer your most recent version with the corrections. The copper color of the water is the big draw, with the cool abstract patterns of the branches as a nice foreground. I really love the colors here. In the most recent revision, the branches are less dominant and the color of the water is emphasized more- that is my overall preference. I'm slightly torn about the one hanging dead leaf. Part of me likes it as a singular focus for me eye in the otherwise uniform composition, but I can't say if it is a distraction or not. I need to come back and look again in a bit...

Cheers,
Mike

I like the original, no, I mean the second repost, no, make that the first repost... My opinions have definitely changed. The fuzzy branch in the LRC is an issue in the uncropped "larger" view. It does not appear to be an issue in the cropped repost of the same view, but that's had to say for sure at the smaller size. I suspect it might still be an issue in a large print. I do like the balance in that view. I also like the LLC color in the original, and the very bottom got cropped in the "square" comp, so my final vote is for the original. The bg color and texture is sweet, Lon. Well seen and captured.

This is really a wonderful image, Lon. Although I enjoy all 3 version I think I like the square format best...

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

I like your last repost Lon. The wider view makes the water motion more prominent and more pleasing to my eye.

Hi Lon,

Wow,...I love them all. but since we are spoiled with 3 diffrent choices I will go with this order:
1- The last small post
2- The original post
3- Second one (I think because the warm ray of BG color is at the edge of the frame).

As I say we are spoiled.

Thanks Lon for sharing them with us.

Mo

Lon,

I am amazed you managed to give us 4 different photos to look at in one post

Of all the version posted, I like the very last repost. Here is what I think. On seeing the original post, I thought it was unbalanced with that big open reflected light area on the left. I think the tree branches make this work. Alone the trees are chaotic, with out the trees its just color on water. Together the dark branches set off the water and the light on it, and provide a veil of sorts that prevents you from getting to it, and we know how much we want what we can't have and this makes it all that much more appealing. So the original was unbalanced. The larger uncropped version still had the empty area on the left and in addition the blurred branches on the right. The square version did not help either as there was still that bare area which made it feel unbalanced again. Your final post, even though that great light has been heavily cropped, now is balanced across the frame and teases me with that light by preventing me access to it with the branches. I think I might agree with Catherine and add a little more contrast sending the branches into silhouette a little more and popping the light on the water.

The last version is my pick Lon. The water patterns really grab me in that version. It feels like there is more depth in that version too. Beautiful shot.

for me the last version is better, wonderfully presented

well done Lon

Beautiful light and reflected color. I would have shot through hell itself for those colors. I like the original version a bit better as the water dominates more in it. Nice job

The first post here allow me to explore more of that great light on the moving water than the square one, so my vote goes for it. I like the almost graphic quality of the tree against the great light and water textures. Lovely image.

Beautiful - I love this! I've studied both several times now and have to say I prefer the alternate version very slightly, but enough so that I definitely prefer it. Overall, I just like the format better and it appears better balanced to my eye. Love the reflected color, water movement, and overall grace.

I vote for the square crop. The uncropped version is very nice, but the cropped one is even better.

- Dan

Lon, this is a very refreshing image. It is moving beautifully. The third crop is perhaps my favorite. The colors are great here. Nice!!

Love that soft golden color! My preference is for the last version that emphasizes the gentle curves in the water.

Top one Lon, definitely the top one. This is beautiful work. Every time I see a LF image there's an amazing quality that stands out, and you know it's LF. You framed this just right, big keeper. If I could afford a nice apartment and prints I'd be calling you about this one, seriously.

Gee, you just have to go and make it tough to pick a favorite. I think they all work on different levels, but my pick is the square crop because it just seems to a bit more balanced. The limbs seem to fill the frame better, if that makes any sense. I could also see this working with just a bit more contrast or sat to the water. Anyway you go you can't go wrong, Lon.

Ed