Posted by Toni Lankerd on February 12, 2009 at 6:54 PM
I had all but forgotten about this image until I found it in my files today. Just curious as to what everyone thinks of it...
Posted by Bruce Palla on February 12, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Awesome!! Very warm colors and a beautiful transition from purple to orange. Maybe a little cropped from the right. Personally, I like silhouettes in sunset shots as they provide a sense of space and perspective. That's my opinion & well, you know what they say about opinions.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on February 12, 2009 at 8:25 PM
The colors and silhouette are beautiful, Toni. I'm having trouble distinguishing what's happening in the FG. My mind says "body of water," but the reflection doesn't seem right (no trees). Is there more than meets my eye?
Posted by Toni Lankerd on February 12, 2009 at 9:09 PM
There is a pond there, Chuck...your eyes are not playing tricks on you and there are a few strips of reflections of tree trunks in the water, in between the larger trunks...along with the second "shrub on the left side of the pond. The one right on the water's edge is actually a reflection (again), of the top of a small tree on the opposite bank.
I've probably confused you even more now! This second image may give you a better idea of what's really there...one of my first attempts at trying to capture a foggy morning at the same place, but about one and a half years earlier. (This one should go into the round file! )
Interesting shot, I like the color also and the reflection. I sorta have a soft spot for reflections though. I find myself looking longer at the second shot and everything going on there.
Toni, maybe it's my (uncalibrated, cheap, laptop) monitor that I'm using to view this, but as presented there's a little too much detail-free black in the frame for my taste.
I'm wondering about a substantial crop off both the left and right, to kind of reorient this as a vertical. From the left, I'm thinking about all the way to the edge of the pond and from the right where the tallest tree on the right is entirely eliminated. I think if this was presented as a vertical you'd still have the graphic appeal of the silhouettes and the sky/reflection colors in a somewhat less "heavy" package.
Just my two cents, so file these comments deep in the "for what it's worth" folder.
Posted by Chuck Beatty on February 13, 2009 at 7:56 AM
It's all clear to me now. Thanks.
Posted by Mitch Erwin on February 13, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Nice image Toni, but I am having the same difficulties with it that others have mentioned. It just needs more detail or something, maybe more gaps showing the sky or reflection in the dark areas. I feel the purple in the sky needs adjusting too - a little too unnatural for my tastes.
Posted by Toni Lankerd on February 14, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Thanks for the feedback!
Kerry...I do have a vertical version similar to what you suggested, but it really didn't do much for me. I felt this composition needed to be horizontal for some reason.
Mitch...No color manipulation here.....only normal editing and minor saturation. The sky color really was very close to what you're seeing on the screen.
The first works pretty well for me. The pond adds a very nice graphical touch. Bringing up the white point slightly (just before things clip) might be beneficial. Otherwise, no real suggestions. Nice scene Toni.
Posted by Philip Schwarz on February 16, 2009 at 11:47 PM
I like the shot. The pond really adds something a little different from the standard silhouette shot. You could crop it on the left side to about where your name ends but either way it makes a nice shot. The color of the sky doesn’t bother me.
Discussion
10 repliesI've probably confused you even more now! This second image may give you a better idea of what's really there...one of my first attempts at trying to capture a foggy morning at the same place, but about one and a half years earlier. (This one should go into the round file! )
I'm wondering about a substantial crop off both the left and right, to kind of reorient this as a vertical. From the left, I'm thinking about all the way to the edge of the pond and from the right where the tallest tree on the right is entirely eliminated. I think if this was presented as a vertical you'd still have the graphic appeal of the silhouettes and the sky/reflection colors in a somewhat less "heavy" package.
Just my two cents, so file these comments deep in the "for what it's worth" folder.
Kerry...I do have a vertical version similar to what you suggested, but it really didn't do much for me. I felt this composition needed to be horizontal for some reason.
Mitch...No color manipulation here.....only normal editing and minor saturation. The sky color really was very close to what you're seeing on the screen.