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Autumn Glow
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Autumn Glow

by Harry Lichtman

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 20, 20174,024 views13 comments
Large Image with Expansion Button

This was the first real sign of autumn that I saw in NH this year that caught my eye.  The marsh maples were on fire when back-lit, but the bands of green shrubs and ferns hadn't turned at all.  The contrasting colors and dappled light worked for me.  The red light filtered down to the trunks, as if a filter was over the sun.  Not sure if that comes through in the image, but was a lucky find.  I thought this would be a good, highly detailed image to try out some web sharpening adjustments to see if folks notice any difference.  For this one using TK's web sharpening, I used 40% for the general opacity in the Web Sharpening Box, then reduced Sharpening 1 to 60% and Sharpening 2 to 50% within the Layer Actions.  End result should be a bit less sharpened.

D810, 24-120 @ 78mm, f16, 1/15 sec., polarizing filter

I did experiment with the Orton Filter that was near the Sharpen button in TK's action, just to see what it did.  I haven't tried it on any images thus far, though I realize it is quite popular in landscape images these days.  Not sure if a trend or here to stay.  I thought the lighting might suite the use of the filter.  I posted the Image http://www.naturephotographers.net/imagecritique/ic.cgi?a=vp&pr=247145&CGISESSID=85c8719b0a46c42dff3072a574ad4a19&u=7889&title_action= in the Photo Art gallery if you want to compare.

Comments

13 comments
Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on November 20, 2017 at 8:40 AM
Harry, I am drawn to the lichen splotches on the trunks.  I wonder about a tighter crop, possibly a vertical, to place attention on those larger trunks.  Or maybe a crop from the bottom to eliminate the brighter yellow ferns along the bottom which splits my eyes away from the reds (just my preferences and thoughts).
Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on November 20, 2017 at 9:00 AM
Beautiful, Harry. Great light, color and scene. No suggestions, here. 
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Lowe on November 20, 2017 at 11:43 AM
This works well with the two horizontal bands of color and the vertical lines of the tree trunks. I also have to reduce the opacity with TK's sharpening actions. They way oversharpen if I don't. I use the "smart glow" action sometimes on Jpegs for NPN. Adds a nice subtle effect. Haven't tried it on a full size image.
Registered on February 11, 2004, 777 Posts, 5252 Comments
Comment posted by Allen Brooks on November 20, 2017 at 12:11 PM
In comparing this to the one you posted in photo art, I find I like the glow of the foliage in the photo art presentation, but seem to prefer the more natural look of the trees in this photo.  Both are quite nice compositions.  
Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on November 20, 2017 at 2:53 PM
I like both versions, Harry, but prefer this one as presenting the play of light and shade, on the shrubs especially, just that bit more effectively.  The complementary colours work exceptionally well in this image.
Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments
Comment posted by Floyd Hopper on November 20, 2017 at 7:23 PM
Beautiful color and exposure. Great detail of the lichens on  the trees.
Registered on May 1, 2009, 652 Posts, 762 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on November 20, 2017 at 9:29 PM
Harry,

I gotta say this was a banner year for you and fall color!  This beautiful!  Impressed that this came out do well with the dappled sunlight - you did well to tame the highlights throughout - although one my suggestions would be to burn down the brighter ferns at the bottom.  I do like Dan's suggestion of a bottom crop; the resulting pano format seems like it would work well with this scene.
I also like the bands of color, and being tied together with all the tree trunks.  Wonderful image.

Also, thought I would let you know that I think the sharpening looks great!  Leaf scenes are the worst and often we tend to compensate with sharpening when many leaves are soft due to wind, dof, etc. (I'm totally guilty of this..)  So I think you've found a nice sharpening balance here.

Oh, and the PA Orton version is certainly artsy and looks good.  Have you tried the Orton(or TK Glow) effects at a low opacity?  I've used in the past to give an image a little bump.  Even a low opacity on the Orton layer of like 10% (give or take to taste) can add a nice touch to an image.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on November 21, 2017 at 6:31 AM
Thanks Lon - I haven't tried the Make it Glow - It's different than Orton I guess, will give it a try an see what it does.

Doug - I think the crop idea would work - my only concern wa that it might leave the image as 1/2 greens, 1/2 reds - a little too static?  Though a balance might be fine for this type of shot.  Thanks.
Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments
Comment posted by Ed Lowe on November 21, 2017 at 10:53 AM
This is a flat out gorgeous scene, Harry. I particularly like the horizontal layers of red and green and the intersection of those bands with the vertical lines of the tree trunks. You definitely found some beautiful autumn color this year in your travels.

Ed
Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on November 22, 2017 at 2:25 AM
The striking contrasts in colours between top and bottom works very well. Lovely how the way light falls, giving depth to the elements.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 22, 2017 at 11:05 AM
Harry, I think your processing has done a great job of presenting this as a view where glowing colors are what the image is all about.  In this version, there's a subtlety in that presentation while your PA version makes the glow highly dominant.  I do like how the PA version adds wom emphasis to the tree trunks and the lichen growing on them.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on November 22, 2017 at 9:01 PM
Gorgeous! I love this comp and color. This works beautifully for me just as presented. The Otonized version is beautiful and dreamy as well for a PA image. Too much Orton for me for a natural presentation. Although it might work fine at a lower opacity.

I have been using a version of of glow effects on virtually all of my images over the last year or so.  I learned it from Mark Metternich. Although I think it is some alternate method of the one Marc Adamus uses or used. I apply it at a very low opacity of between 10 and 20 percent depending on the image.
Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Henke on November 24, 2017 at 1:15 PM
Sweet layering on this beauty!
Registered on February 20, 2012, 117 Posts, 285 Comments