Forest Lights

Here's a shot I rescued from an outing along Lake Michigan. I shot this using 'available light' and have been working it up in CS2 for a while now... I plan on printing this on canvas and hanging it on my wall... It has a spooky yet screne feel.

D70, tripod, Sigma 18-70

Thanks for looking!!

Stay in Focus,

Dave

www.flaigphoto.com

This is an image that on first look I 'feel' then study more. The more I study, the more I like. Excellent work! I agree with you that canvas would be the first paper option.

This is a great shot. I agree this would make a great wall hanging.

This will be really nice as a canvas wall piece Dave, I love the mystical feel to it, nice work.

Thanks Guys! The 'moment' was striking. I underexposed the original a little and am close now, to what it was.. TG4CS2.

Dave www.flaigphoto.com

Enchanted forest.. Lots to look at.. Wonderful depth.. I'm sure you'll never get tired of looking..

Thats really nice ....looks like an illustration in a book that you would want to step into....very cool

Beautiful image, Dave. It looks very "painterly." Feels like the kind of place where faeries or hobbits might dwell.

I'd be interested in learning your process in getting from your original capture to the final product.

Thanks Chuck,

I'm by no means an expert, but here's what this shot is all about....

These are the details from the Nef file..., as shot. (EXIF)
Nikon D70
Sigma 55-200 f/4.0-5.6
56mm of zoom.
Shutter Speed 1/60
Shot at f/7.1
ISO 320
No flash or auxiliary lighting
Metering was center weighted
manual focused the shot because it was dark and there were way too many things for the autofocus to pick up on. As it was, I took around 30-40 shots varying my camera settings before I got something close enough to what I was actually seeing.
I did slow the shutter speed to get a brighter photo and got some washed out areas so I stopped down a little in order to maintain the cool blue light... I figured I could brighten up the dark areas a little in PS. I wanted the light to be as I saw it.

In PS I used the exposure adjust tool to brighten the Nef file up a little and saved it as a Tiff. I went through the levels and curves, and made some small adjustments, and then zoomed in close and did quite a bit of dodging & burning to get the look and colors I wanted. At the time I was working on this, I was just learning how to dodge and burn, and to use the selective sharpening tool.... Yup! Still learning the basics...

About the only other thing I did after using Fred Miranda's Intellesharpen II, was add a border picking a dominating color from the photo. Charcoal/brown in this case...

That's about it...

I've been working up a set of photos for a Gallery exhibition in May, and hopefully, I'll get them posted on my website in the next three weeks. I'm leaving for China in the morning, so
my editing is on hold for a couple weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to find some time over there to shoot a card or two. Human nature is about all I'll be seeing on this trip.

Stay Focused,

Dave www.flaigphoto.com

Beautifully done, Dave...all the work was worth it!

Thanks for all of the info, Dave. I appreciate you sharing your process. I don't know if you're familiar with the work of artist Robert Bateman, but the light in your image reminds me of his paintings a great deal.

Safe travels. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

oustanding photo!

This is wonderful...an enchanted forest, mystical, alien-like, surreal...love details. It really brings me into the image and "feel" the mood. Excellent...happy trails in China.

I'd like to thank everyone for all the kind words about this photo. I have to admit, I was in the right spot at the right time, for this one. Come to think about it, that's how most all Nature Photos happen!! Isn't it. Duh???
Anyway, I'm going to have to go back again to see what's there now...
Someone bought the property since I was there last, so if it's anything like the rest of Door County Wisconsin, There's a good chance there's a Condo sitting there now.

I'll be adding a "What's New Gallery" to my website after Ireturn from China.

Stay Focused and look for the light,

Dave
www.flaigphoto.com

Dave - late to the party but this has a wonderful feel and look. I think this is a great example of excellent light making a photo (as well as what looks to be a very intelligent crop). Nice work....

CJ

Thanks CJ, Toni,Beth, Chuck, Susie, Cary, Bernie, Tony, Philip, and Jeff for all the praise.
Being relatively new to landscape and Secnic photography, you've all given me a desire to
excel in this relm. With the help of NPN and a few other sites I frequent, I've begun to enjoy my photography more, while learning from the "Best".

Thanks, sooo much!!


Please feel free to comment on any of the photos on my website. I welcome any constructive suggestions on any of my photos, as it will help me learn new ideas and techniques, and maybe get rid of some bad habits.

Stay Focused and look for the light,

Dave
www.flaigphoto.com

Excellent atmosphere and use of light (as mentioned a couple of times). Really nice image Dave.