The Gnome's Lair

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 18, 20072,352 views30 comments

I have been pretty swamped lately with a few art shows and moving on top of that..but I finally got out into the woods this morning. I explored an area of old growth forest that I had never been to. It was an amazing area and I plan to return soon.

Initially I was shooting this log from the other side but then I found these growths (fungus?) on the other side and felt that the shot worked much better with them there. Besides that I really liked how thick the undergrowth feels.

Comments and critiques appreciated.

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Brian Hudspeth on July 18, 2007 at 5:16 PM

Very nice, what a great contrast in color.

Registered on September 28, 2006, 21 Posts, 334 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Rasmussen on July 18, 2007 at 5:19 PM

Something here makes the camera feel a little tilted. I do love the feel of this! I think the fungus could be a bit to the left of the center of the frame, but overall I can get into this shot.

Registered on July 26, 2005, 121 Posts, 1884 Comments

Comment posted by Bret Edge on July 18, 2007 at 5:19 PM

What a primal looking area, Matt. The splash of color added by the fungus is really nice, as is the fog. This is wildly beautiful.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 711 Posts, 6363 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on July 18, 2007 at 5:28 PM

Matt, the red against the green works very well for points of interest in an otherwise very dense green foliage area. I also like the light BG fog, it adds to the mystique IMO.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Mary Dennis on July 18, 2007 at 5:36 PM

What a nice mix of stuff in this Matt! The red fungus stands out beautifully. That mossy log looks like world unto itself.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 290 Posts, 2897 Comments

Comment posted by Joel Truckenbrod on July 18, 2007 at 5:55 PM

Beautiful forest scene Matt. The composition works well IMO, and the fog really adds to the mood.

Registered on January 27, 2006, 17 Posts, 751 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Rossbach on July 18, 2007 at 6:02 PM

I love it Matt. Were in PA was this taken.

Registered on November 25, 2005, 484 Posts, 1377 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Bernabe on July 18, 2007 at 6:10 PM

Oh man, I love this! There is a lot to see, but it all comes together so beautifully!

Registered on November 24, 2004, 180 Posts, 1545 Comments

Comment posted by Benjamin Glatt on July 18, 2007 at 6:53 PM

Nice image. I like the crop.. I think that fungi and fog is what makes the photo...

Registered on July 15, 2007, 171 Posts, 3566 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on July 18, 2007 at 6:56 PM

This is really nice. Nice colors and lots of detail for the eye to explore.

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

Comment posted by Mike Dawson on July 18, 2007 at 7:02 PM

Very nice Matt, the mist makes the image for me . I like the log center leading me to trees disapearing into the fog

Registered on February 4, 2006, 364 Posts, 8872 Comments

Comment posted by Ashutosh Rajekar on July 18, 2007 at 8:01 PM

This is fabulous, Matt. Those mushrooms look great, and so does the fog! The sharpness is also very good. There seems to be a magenta cast in the fog, though.

Registered on June 8, 2006, 51 Posts, 910 Comments

Comment posted by John Zinn on July 18, 2007 at 9:59 PM

Matt, another nice addition to your foggy woods series. The fungii add some great color and the leading line of the tree trunk is great.

Did you happen to do the State College Arts Festival? If so how did it go? Best of luck on your move and future shows.

John

Registered on November 1, 2003, 41 Posts, 1743 Comments

Comment posted by Gabi Lach on July 18, 2007 at 10:07 PM

Nice shot, Matt. I love the mist and the red fungus is giving a great flavor to the photograph. Love the composition! Good work!

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

Comment posted by Scott Fricke on July 18, 2007 at 10:52 PM

Great image and a great title

. I really like the red accents, nice exposure and so much to look at throughout the image.

Registered on January 19, 2007, 133 Posts, 1448 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Good on July 19, 2007 at 2:11 AM

Glad you opted for this other perspective, because that smattering of red really makes this image for me. Combine that with that diffused light and fog and you get a well crafted image like this. Nice work.

Registered on March 17, 2007, 116 Posts, 4764 Comments

Comment posted by Julian Barkway on July 19, 2007 at 2:14 AM

Wonderfully atmospheric shot. Those little stabs of red make all the difference in lifting this shot.

Registered on January 18, 2007, 344 Posts, 1961 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on July 19, 2007 at 8:42 AM

You do a masterful job of capturing the lushness of the forests in your images, Matt. I love the splash of color of the fungas on the fallen tree.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Adamus on July 19, 2007 at 9:39 AM

Another stunning forest image in fog, Matt. How do you control that stuff at will?

Great compositional features throughout. Varied and interesting subjects.

Registered on September 17, 2005, 780 Posts, 8091 Comments

Comment posted by Alice Scoggins on July 19, 2007 at 9:57 AM

I love the red fungi! Great colors and the fog tops it off. It's fine as is, but maybe a small crop from the left and the bottom to balance the comp?

Registered on February 21, 2005, 430 Posts, 5959 Comments

Comment posted by Matt Dallos on July 19, 2007 at 10:24 AM

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Joe..It is in central PA along a stream that isn't even shown on most maps...so I'm really not sure how to even say where it is.

John..I did do the State College show and it went pretty well..the weather was perfect so there were lots of people.

Marc..I wish I could control it! It was moving up the mountainside in waves when I was taking this and it took some timing to catch the fog in the background before the next gust of wind came through.

Ashutosh..There might be a slight cast to it but this was as the sky was clearing after a rainstorm and the spots of blue sky were throwing some funky color back into the scene.

Alice..I tried a few different crops from this but to my eye when I take away the log at the bottom and the trunks on the left everything gets thrown out of whack. I'll see what it looks like in a print though.

Registered on October 11, 2005, 91 Posts, 1590 Comments

Comment posted by Michel Lemaire on July 19, 2007 at 11:07 AM

Beautiful picture for me! I love the greens and the greys in the background, with the touch of contrast in front.

Michel.

Registered on April 14, 2007, 44 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Carsten Ranke on July 19, 2007 at 1:21 PM

Stunning colors and color contrast ! The mushrooms make the shot, and the light of course. Artfully composed - a difficult motif well captured

Registered on May 31, 2007, 20 Posts, 411 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on July 19, 2007 at 4:10 PM

I love the palpable feel of the wilderness here. Outstanding in every aspect.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on July 21, 2007 at 11:55 AM

The red colored fungii really makes this image for me Matt. A very mysterious feel to it, looks almost like you would think the amazonian rainforest would look. Very nice.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by INGOMA on July 21, 2007 at 12:22 PM

A lovely scene and excellent composition, Matt. What really makes this scene for me are the red fungi. Great image and I would love to see it larger.

Registered on July 2, 2004, 231 Posts, 3110 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on July 23, 2007 at 11:47 AM

Congratulations Matt on the EP selection for this week with this fine image.

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on July 23, 2007 at 4:53 PM

Matt: Wonderful scene superbly rendered. Congrats on the MP. >=))>

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

Comment posted by Doug Benner on July 24, 2007 at 5:21 PM

Beautiful feel to this. Congratulations.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Derrald Farnsworth on August 27, 2007 at 5:02 PM

I love the moodiness that this photo invokes. The branch leading your eye into the mist is excellently placed in the composition.

Registered on August 27, 2007, 56 Posts, 548 Comments