Posted by Marc Adamus on January 25, 2009 at 1:20 PM
From this past spring. Thanks to Gary Crabbe for pressing my shutter here while I manuvered tediously to hold back some branches after I set the camera in position to take the shot. Wish there had been some better light, but the clearing mist and Rhody blooms were a nice compliment.
1Ds III, 185mm, polarizer, 10 seconds at f/16.
Posted by Cliff Dodge on January 25, 2009 at 1:50 PM
The hope for spring and it is close isnt it. I noticed pussy willows popping out in the Chimacum valley road yesterday. Nice mood shot with light, shadows and color and fog.
Posted by Paul DeCesare on January 25, 2009 at 1:57 PM
I've really come to like the way you do the PP on these images (like #2 in the previous big post). This one is no exception! The luminance and tones are just great. What I so admire also is that your images always feel right, like this one.
Getting the Redwoods trifecta of a solid comp, blooming rhodies, and good light is not an easy thing to do. You are right about needing better light, but nailed it in all other areas. The composition is as solid as you can get, and the rhodies add a nice color splash to bounce my eye through the frame.
I was just down in NorCal yesterday scouting some redwoods for spring, and came away feeling frustrated and defeated. I grabbed a few decent compositions, but they were few and far between.
One critique, or more of an observation, really - is that I don't really get the sense of the dominating scale of the redwoods in this shot. Probably because of the somewhat downhill view. Not a big deal, or even a necessity for a good shot, but thought I'd mention it.
Posted by Erik Lundh on January 25, 2009 at 2:27 PM
No nit's from me. I think you nailed this one.
Posted by Steve Cole on January 25, 2009 at 2:29 PM
Based on your description on how this photo was taken, I won't mention how I wished you were just 2 or 3 feet to your right so that the Rhody in the BG was nicely framed between the two redwoods.
Posted by John Williams on January 25, 2009 at 3:01 PM
I must admit to a real soft spot for rhodys and redwoods. One of these days I will head down and play in that area.
I agree with your comment about the lighting, but feel it is a minor nit. The depth of the forest and the amount of blooms you captured make this one work well for me. Perfect processing (a bit redundant to add to an Adamus photo).
Beautiful and evocative, Marc. Almost looks like you used your breath on the lens trick. The luminosity is wonderful.
I like your softer images, looks like your perspective is changing a bit as you grow in your craft. Nothing wrong with bold, dramatic in your face epics, but these types of images have a subtler, quite power about them that really evokes a sense of place. That's why I like Charles Cramer's work so much, I think.
I might be driving down to LA in April to visit friends, I'll have to make some time to stop in NoCal!
Posted by Richard Sogn on January 25, 2009 at 3:22 PM
The luminance of the rhodys makes this one for me. Wonderful moody image and exceptional processing.
Posted by Jack Graham on January 25, 2009 at 3:29 PM
Marc,
I agree with Paul. This is like #2 the other day. This is one of your best shots.
JG
Posted by Craig Strand on January 25, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Really nice Marc, very "dreamy" and I like the mist and depth captured! Well done
Posted by Bryan Swan on January 25, 2009 at 4:34 PM
Love every bit of this shot, maybe my favorite Redwood shot to date. The LRC looks a little softer than the rest.
Posted by Matt Anderson on January 25, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Marc, if Gary Crabbe pulled the trigger, seems to me it's technically his picture.
Posted by Geoff Shapiro on January 25, 2009 at 7:05 PM
Matt - Gary was just Marc's remote shutter control, I'm sure...
Marc - a very nice image that evokes in me the 30 years ago memories of what I thought the Pacific coast forests were all about. Having grown up in the Bronx, this is some of what pulled me to the PNW. I think the light is good enough for the type of image that it is.
Posted by Paul Ries on January 25, 2009 at 7:25 PM
nice job getting a shot in low light. Forest floor compositions aren't that easy for me.
Posted by Marc Dilley on January 25, 2009 at 7:55 PM
Very pleasing, peaceful image with a sense of the grandeur of the Redwoods. Nobody else has mentioned this, but to my eye the magenta of the Rhodies is too strong.
Posted by David Taylor on January 26, 2009 at 12:11 AM
Another real beauty Marc. The only thing that stands out is the middle tree of the front three, it appears slightly more contrasty than the other two foreground trees bordering it. It appears less enveloped in fog than it's neighbors, even though it is actually behind them. I know this is nitpicking, and it's hard for me to describe. It just seems like it (the center tree in the foreground) should be a little "less detailed", to match with it's neighbors, if that makes any sense:)
Posted by jeremy moore on January 26, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Hey Marc, off topic but do you and Annie have a baby yet?
Out of curiousity, is the visual luminance and softness more the product of a long exposure through mist and soft light or the result of your post-processing workflow?
I ask as I sometimes use a technique of merging two frames, one sharp and one very slightly out of focus, using multiply blending mode to achieve a soft glow. It's a technique that I picked up from Mark Johnson a while back.
OT: You're going to love being a dad!
Posted by Darren White on January 31, 2009 at 3:46 AM
a beautiful shot Marc, this would make a great inspirational poster........the softness is just amazing!!!!
Discussion
19 replies1Ds III, 185mm, polarizer, 10 seconds at f/16.
I was just down in NorCal yesterday scouting some redwoods for spring, and came away feeling frustrated and defeated. I grabbed a few decent compositions, but they were few and far between.
One critique, or more of an observation, really - is that I don't really get the sense of the dominating scale of the redwoods in this shot. Probably because of the somewhat downhill view. Not a big deal, or even a necessity for a good shot, but thought I'd mention it.
I agree with your comment about the lighting, but feel it is a minor nit. The depth of the forest and the amount of blooms you captured make this one work well for me. Perfect processing (a bit redundant to add to an Adamus photo).
I like your softer images, looks like your perspective is changing a bit as you grow in your craft. Nothing wrong with bold, dramatic in your face epics, but these types of images have a subtler, quite power about them that really evokes a sense of place. That's why I like Charles Cramer's work so much, I think.
I might be driving down to LA in April to visit friends, I'll have to make some time to stop in NoCal!
I agree with Paul. This is like #2 the other day. This is one of your best shots.
JG
Marc - a very nice image that evokes in me the 30 years ago memories of what I thought the Pacific coast forests were all about. Having grown up in the Bronx, this is some of what pulled me to the PNW. I think the light is good enough for the type of image that it is.
I ask as I sometimes use a technique of merging two frames, one sharp and one very slightly out of focus, using multiply blending mode to achieve a soft glow. It's a technique that I picked up from Mark Johnson a while back.
OT: You're going to love being a dad!