Posted by David Page on August 22, 2009 at 4:47 PM
Hello all,
New to this forum stuff. Photography has been a growing passion for me the last 3 to 4 years. I shot film for the first two years and just when I was getting a handle on the nuances of film I switched to digital. Now I am trying and stressing to get a handle on post production of my RAW digital shots. In addition, my composition and filter use could always use improving. It is hoped by participating in this online "camera club" I can further myself towards my goal of producing some wonderful photographs of the natural world.
I have two non-stop young boys which keeps my wife and I very busy, so I shoot when I can. Unable to travel to exotic places at the drop of a hat I spend a lot of my limited photographic time searching for the beauty that is just out my door. San Diego has a pretty nice backyard from the ocean to the mountains and to the desert so, I can usually find many interesting subjects to photograph within minutes of my home. However, capturing my experiences in picture is a work in progress. I've posted a photo from a recent family camping trip in Palomar Mountain State Park where I was able be up and ready before the family and rising sun. It wasn't hard since I didn't bring enough warm blankets/sleeping bags and the night time temp dropped into the 40's. Whoops. I sacrificed for my wife and kids leaving me awake and chilled to the bone most of the night. Oh well, at least I didn't need an alarm clock to wake up and catch Doane Valley Pond as the sun rose and it's light gently touched the tree tops. Plus, while I was setting up in the dark, unbeknownst to me I was sharing this experience with a family of Mule Deer just behind me grazing in the meadow. I later realized this as the sun light crepted over the meadow and what I thought where stationary objects in the dimmer light turned out to be the deer with their heads down in the tall grass. I love this hobby. Enjoy and let me know what you think. I will try to be as active as possible - time permitting. Thank you all.
Canon 50D
Canon 10-22mm Lens
LB Warming Polarizer
A 2 & 3 stop ND Grad (I think I used both)
ISO 400, f16, Shutter 0.6s
I use Apeture for my post production and am learning it is quite different than the industry standard Photoshop. Any suggestions and/or comments welcome - color, composition, mood, additional edits? (sharpening?).
Hello David, welcome to NPN and CANP the California Regional Forum. You are correct in stating San Diego has some wonderful areas and very diverse terrain to work in, from the beautiful beaches clear out to Anza Borrego and everywhere in-between.
Your story regarding your recent outing to Palomar Mountain State Park brought back a few memories of "roughing it" that I too have gone through in distant years back now. I know it can get plenty cold up at that elevation, even in the summer time.
Your image is an excellent first post here at CANP. It sounds like you have been experimenting with a lot of variables in a somewhat short period of time. Upon a general review here the one item I would say that might be up for change is the amount of GND's in this scene. It has made the FG area really quite visible, but has really darkened the upper trees and sky.
As I'm not sure how Aperture works overall, I know how I would work the darker areas and lighter areas more toward a balanced look in PS. With that said, I would recommend that processing to see how the image would adjust overall.
Needles to say, just being out at a wonderful place as seen here was more then worth the trip. Thank you for posting here at CANP.
Posted by Robert Dayton on August 23, 2009 at 8:57 AM
Welcome, David. I'm looking forward to seeing many more of your posts. '
When I get to Southern California, I enjoy photographing in Joshua Tree NP
and in a good spring photographing wildflowers in Anza Borrego Desert SP.
Posted by David Page on August 23, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Hey Robert and Paul, thanks. Paul, I tend to over-grad a bit. Will start experimenting with less next time I find myself putting in one too many filters. I was able to do some dodging to lighten the trees and sky. Some noise problems in the upper part of the sky (from too much GNDs). Take a look - probably will work on it a little more. See ya.
Yes David, this is the general idea here on your second post. I was not too sure what tools you have to work with in Aperture, but this looks better to me. As time goes by you might research the use of Tony Kuyper's luminosity masks as well as his luminosity painting too. Both are a real big help in working with excessive contrast spreads.
Upon further review, I can see why you upped the GND's on the original capture. The center tree group was no doubt in extreme light over all the rest of that area. Whether shooting digital or film, these type of scenes are a real challenge and we usually find ourselves "splitting the difference" in some cases in hopes of bringing it all together in post processing.
Posted by Lon Overacker on August 24, 2009 at 12:24 AM
David,
Welcome to NPN and our little corner of CANP. You've posted a very nice and peaceful first image. I really like the grasses and the lead-in log makes for a great anchor to the scene. as someone already pointed out, the grad is a little heavy. The repost looks good, although maybe a compromise between the two would be the ticket. Of course that's a personal preference. IMHO though, I think this would be a strong scene without the sky anyway. It's not that the sky is distracting or anything, but I think the composition is much stronger just concentrating on the grasses and log.
It would also help if you posted a larger size so we can enjoy more of the scene. And it's a very pretty scene, nicely composed and captured.
We look forward to more images and for your participation.
Nice use of that piece of fg wood as a leading line. I like overall composition and the lightening you did to the upper part in the repost. I'd favor a slight gradient burn to the lower half just to balance things out a little more. I also see Lon's crop suggestion, but this works well as presented too. Nice work!
Posted by David Page on August 24, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Thanks all. I am sure to play around with this one some more.
- DMP
Posted by Steve Sieren on August 25, 2009 at 10:54 PM
Glad to have a new CANPer. Welcome to NPN and the CANP forum David. Keeping some dark areas does give some good tension. Hope to see more of your work here.
Discussion
9 repliesNew to this forum stuff. Photography has been a growing passion for me the last 3 to 4 years. I shot film for the first two years and just when I was getting a handle on the nuances of film I switched to digital. Now I am trying and stressing to get a handle on post production of my RAW digital shots. In addition, my composition and filter use could always use improving. It is hoped by participating in this online "camera club" I can further myself towards my goal of producing some wonderful photographs of the natural world.
I have two non-stop young boys which keeps my wife and I very busy, so I shoot when I can. Unable to travel to exotic places at the drop of a hat I spend a lot of my limited photographic time searching for the beauty that is just out my door. San Diego has a pretty nice backyard from the ocean to the mountains and to the desert so, I can usually find many interesting subjects to photograph within minutes of my home. However, capturing my experiences in picture is a work in progress. I've posted a photo from a recent family camping trip in Palomar Mountain State Park where I was able be up and ready before the family and rising sun. It wasn't hard since I didn't bring enough warm blankets/sleeping bags and the night time temp dropped into the 40's. Whoops. I sacrificed for my wife and kids leaving me awake and chilled to the bone most of the night. Oh well, at least I didn't need an alarm clock to wake up and catch Doane Valley Pond as the sun rose and it's light gently touched the tree tops. Plus, while I was setting up in the dark, unbeknownst to me I was sharing this experience with a family of Mule Deer just behind me grazing in the meadow. I later realized this as the sun light crepted over the meadow and what I thought where stationary objects in the dimmer light turned out to be the deer with their heads down in the tall grass. I love this hobby. Enjoy and let me know what you think. I will try to be as active as possible - time permitting. Thank you all.
Canon 50D
Canon 10-22mm Lens
LB Warming Polarizer
A 2 & 3 stop ND Grad (I think I used both)
ISO 400, f16, Shutter 0.6s
I use Apeture for my post production and am learning it is quite different than the industry standard Photoshop. Any suggestions and/or comments welcome - color, composition, mood, additional edits? (sharpening?).
Kind Regards,
David M. Page
Your story regarding your recent outing to Palomar Mountain State Park brought back a few memories of "roughing it" that I too have gone through in distant years back now. I know it can get plenty cold up at that elevation, even in the summer time.
Your image is an excellent first post here at CANP. It sounds like you have been experimenting with a lot of variables in a somewhat short period of time. Upon a general review here the one item I would say that might be up for change is the amount of GND's in this scene. It has made the FG area really quite visible, but has really darkened the upper trees and sky.
As I'm not sure how Aperture works overall, I know how I would work the darker areas and lighter areas more toward a balanced look in PS. With that said, I would recommend that processing to see how the image would adjust overall.
Needles to say, just being out at a wonderful place as seen here was more then worth the trip. Thank you for posting here at CANP.
When I get to Southern California, I enjoy photographing in Joshua Tree NP
and in a good spring photographing wildflowers in Anza Borrego Desert SP.
- DMP
Welcome to CANP and NPN!
I see you added your info to the Roll Call thread. Thank you!
Hopefully, we'll see you in the field! We appreciate your participation at NPN/CANP!
-P
Upon further review, I can see why you upped the GND's on the original capture. The center tree group was no doubt in extreme light over all the rest of that area. Whether shooting digital or film, these type of scenes are a real challenge and we usually find ourselves "splitting the difference" in some cases in hopes of bringing it all together in post processing.
Welcome to NPN and our little corner of CANP. You've posted a very nice and peaceful first image. I really like the grasses and the lead-in log makes for a great anchor to the scene. as someone already pointed out, the grad is a little heavy. The repost looks good, although maybe a compromise between the two would be the ticket. Of course that's a personal preference. IMHO though, I think this would be a strong scene without the sky anyway. It's not that the sky is distracting or anything, but I think the composition is much stronger just concentrating on the grasses and log.
It would also help if you posted a larger size so we can enjoy more of the scene. And it's a very pretty scene, nicely composed and captured.
We look forward to more images and for your participation.
Lon
- DMP