Rainforest Complexities

Hoh rainforest, Olympic Park.

Thanks for commenting.

This is a very complicated image, obviously, and I am not sure I can find a point of interest. I am quite sure this would change however if this was a very large print. At this size, it's hard to judge it because everything becomes so crowded, ah the limitations of the web. Love the colors and the ferns, only technical nit would be a bright, somewhat obscured line just to the left of the tree in dead center. Too bright and straight to appear natural to me, cloning party!

I actually love this image(big surprise). I don't mind there not being a focal point, I think that's the point of this image, I take pleasure in exploring the complexity of a rainforest. This reminds me of a Clyde Butcher in color, I feel like I am part of the scene.

I should note that I've spent a while reprocessing this one today with a softer feel. I hope it can be even better. Andy - there is intentionally no dominant points of interest, hence the title. I want you to just wander around the scene.

I think its terrific. It has a pre-historic feel to it. I can almost see a big veggie-saurus walking into the scene. I try these kinds of shots every once in a while but have succeeded yet. Good job dude!

This is so real looking it almost look un-real. Wish i could affort to wallpaper my room with this image! It a beauty....

Larry, depth is important to me. It's really key to much of landscape photography. There are many ways to attain it, but yet it can be very elusive. The smallest changes in light and processing technique can have a huge effect. Knowing what to look for in the composition to derrive this feeling can be difficult as well, simply because we see everything as gloriously 3D in real life. Translating this to a photograph isn't easy, and becomes more so in the enclosure of forest. This is a big part of 'real' to me. Creating that feeling that you're part of the scene, like you can reach out and touch it, like a painting.

I know all too well the way minor change lighting can make or break an image.... this is a good example of when it works. This is one of those images that look like you could walk right into the scene. Very tricky light to be able to pull that feeling off Marc!

Excellent find, Marc. Nothing to demand my attention but at the same time, nothing leading my eye to leave the photo so I want to just hang out in this world..... difficult accomplishment but I think you nailed it.

I think the ascending row of trees is the prime driver behind the illusion of depth here. And the foreground ferns are arranged in a shape that resembles the convergence of two parallel lines as they fade into the distance. I say illusion only because it is an illusion any time you can render a 3D looking image on a 2D plane as has been done here. I agree that creating this illusion is one of the most important goals in landscape photography. It's really ironic that these illusions are necessary to assembling a 2D image that closely resembles our perception of the actual scene! It's an interesting subject when you start to dig into it...

I don't mean to dissect this to death, but the subject really makes me start thinking... Really beautiful shot though, Marc.

I fully agree nature/landscape photography is all about making a 3d image using a 2d medium.

I like the this image. It has a lot of interest and it achieves what you state was your objective. The right side does bother me a bit. The branches right of center distract me. I remember hiking in the redwoods seeing many scenes which could almost fit this, but I always thought to myself if it wasn't for those distracting branches on this side... Don't get me wrong because this images works and I have learned something from it.

You'v done an outstanding job on this. It has been at least 35 years since I have been to the Hoh rainforest and your photo is just as I remember it. I knew that was where it was before I saw the notation at the bottom. All I need is elk poop on my boots.

Very Bob Ross-esque. One of the nicest rain forest images I've yet seen.

I know I should probably know this, but who is Bob Ross?

This is what a forest scene is all about. Forests, to me, are curious. They call us to explore their mystery and subtle suprises. This holds every bit of that wonderment with no apparent flaw in my book. Did you use a polarizer? I'm thinking no as the gleen on the immediate ferns. I'd almost prefer not to see it, at least in the jpeg. In print, it might actually be more represented as water/wetness which is cool...

Wow!! I LOVE trees so this hits my sweet spot dead on! Marc as you have said capturing that feeling of depth is hugely difficult and you have NAILED this one!! The highlights on the trees are perfect!!

Trees are one of my favorite subjects as many of you know from the images I've posted. Thanks Marc for sharing this one with us!!!

No nits from me and BTW congrats on landing the moderator position for ESS!!!

Thanks all. Rainforest shots are pretty special to me, because as we all know, under these conditions the good ones are very rare. The Hoh is about as thick as it gets and to take it all in you have to walk along slowly and really observe the finer points.

Rick - it had just finished pouring rain. I did use a polarizer.

The lighting and the sharpness does give it the 3d look. I would venture to guess that if it wasn't this sharp, it wouldn't have quite the impact. Pretty amazing shot IMHO.

Sharp, huh? I figured the fact that it was saved at 59 on Save for Web would be noticable. That's good. You should see the full res!

Marc - First, I love this and echo what everyone else has already said.

I'm most interested in the quality of light. It is as if there were light oozing out of the landscape itself and coming from every direction. It would be hard to create such vivid light in a studio with multiple light sources. The dominant light source appears to be side lighting from the left, but then I also see filtered light from the upper right, back lighting in some areas and amazing reflected light on the front side of the trunks (which must be reflecting off of the wet undergrowth?). I know you have a quiver of PS techniques for working with shadows, hightlights and luminance. I'd love to know more about the lighting conditions when you shot this and what, if any, PS techniques you used to get this to glow the way it does.

Just a little dodge/burn, Sean. The light levels are actually quite accurate to the in-camera capture overall though. As you know, the slightest openings in the canopy of the forest on an overcast day are the directional source for light here - in other words, there is not one consistant light source. The original file clearly depicts more light on the left side of the tree at left, and more light on the right of the tree second from left, for example. This was not modified. There was an opening behind the dark tree at right and another clearing to my left and behind me, as I recall. Also, on the original file the foreground is lighter than the mid canopy - even more so than it is here, as another example. My main adjustments included darkening the most immediate foreground a little and pulling out the dark tree at right. There were additional selective luminosity adjustments, but quite minor.

Bob Ross, you know, the gigundo afro with a body attached that painted happy little trees?
http://www.bobross.com/

Maybe its a tacky comparison, but your shot has the ethereal look that a lot of his forest painting had.

Marc - Great job finding this comp/light combo and putting it all together and thanks for the rundown on the light situation. I am familiar with the light magic that can happen on an overcast day in a deep forest, but I haven't captured anything this amazing yet. Now I know what I'm looking for. Thanks!

Sean - you might be interested in the ESS discussion on this image.

Marc, I find that the bark on your trees seem to have a slight magenta cast to them......This is a perfectly exposed image, that I cannot deny.......