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I really like the way you have composed this, with the log balancing the angle of the path. The light was obviously flat, which means that there are no highlights and shadows to convey textures. So everything looks a bit flat. That's the problem in an English autumn!
A couple of points: I wish you had allowed just a bit more space at the bottom of the frame. And I wish you had used a smaller aperture, to give greater depth of field. It's nice that the more distant view is soft and hazy, but I would like the leaves in front of me to be sharper, crisper.
You used shutter priority which is very often my choice when I am out and about in poor light, it means that you do not suddenly find yourself using a ridiculous shutter speed when the light drops without you noticing. But you need to watch the aperture it is giving you! (Just as with aperture priority you need to watch shutter speed). F5.6 would have given that bit more depth, still at a hand-holdable shutter speed.
I have uploaded a very quick modification based on your original - I made a Levels adjustment moving the outer sliders inward to increase tonal range, and the middle slider a bit to the right to boost midtones. Then I used the dodge tool (set to highlights, a large brush size, opacity 3%) and the burn tool (set to shadows, a large brush size, opacity 3%) over the log and the foreground leaves. This gives a more tactile feel, more sense of texture.
Moira
A couple of points: I wish you had allowed just a bit more space at the bottom of the frame. And I wish you had used a smaller aperture, to give greater depth of field. It's nice that the more distant view is soft and hazy, but I would like the leaves in front of me to be sharper, crisper.
You used shutter priority which is very often my choice when I am out and about in poor light, it means that you do not suddenly find yourself using a ridiculous shutter speed when the light drops without you noticing. But you need to watch the aperture it is giving you! (Just as with aperture priority you need to watch shutter speed). F5.6 would have given that bit more depth, still at a hand-holdable shutter speed.
I have uploaded a very quick modification based on your original - I made a Levels adjustment moving the outer sliders inward to increase tonal range, and the middle slider a bit to the right to boost midtones. Then I used the dodge tool (set to highlights, a large brush size, opacity 3%) and the burn tool (set to shadows, a large brush size, opacity 3%) over the log and the foreground leaves. This gives a more tactile feel, more sense of texture.
Moira
Good Morning Moira (love the name!)
The differences between mine and your mods are very subtle but what a tactile difference they make!
I have recently found an on-line free version of photoshop (my lap top's processor is to slow for me to load the program) that has the adjustments you mentioned, thanks for explaining how you moved the sliders,
The sharpening really does bring out the texture on the log, almost seems that if you touched it, you would get a splinter.
The differences between mine and your mods are very subtle but what a tactile difference they make!
I have recently found an on-line free version of photoshop (my lap top's processor is to slow for me to load the program) that has the adjustments you mentioned, thanks for explaining how you moved the sliders,
The sharpening really does bring out the texture on the log, almost seems that if you touched it, you would get a splinter.
Youve put this together well Mike., composed as Moira points out.
With scenes like this, always try Aperture mode, take a shot and see what speed the camera has chosen. Then either open the aperture more, of choose Shutter.
using say f/5.6 would have provided better depth of apparent sharpness, and only changed the shutter to around 1/80 - 1/100, perfectly fine for your focal length and image stabilization.
Uploaded a mod not unlike Moiras, the same principle but a different method.
Have fun with Photoshop.
Regards
Willie
With scenes like this, always try Aperture mode, take a shot and see what speed the camera has chosen. Then either open the aperture more, of choose Shutter.
using say f/5.6 would have provided better depth of apparent sharpness, and only changed the shutter to around 1/80 - 1/100, perfectly fine for your focal length and image stabilization.
Uploaded a mod not unlike Moiras, the same principle but a different method.
Have fun with Photoshop.
Regards
Willie
Thanks Mike, glad you liked the mods. And I had forgotten that you are Canada not UK.
Regarding tactile, I do think this is important when there are textures immediately in front of the viewer's eye. We need to feel that we could reach out and touch them.
Which free software have you downloaded? I used to keep an eye on such things, back years ago Paint.NET was quite good but I haven't kept up with what is out there now.
Regarding tactile, I do think this is important when there are textures immediately in front of the viewer's eye. We need to feel that we could reach out and touch them.
Which free software have you downloaded? I used to keep an eye on such things, back years ago Paint.NET was quite good but I haven't kept up with what is out there now.
The pathway and carpet of autumn leaves are the important aspects imho, Mike, and the part of the log that is showing commands my attention. I feel that, if you had stepped back more, and included more of it, so that it isn't so "in your face", it would become a feature, a focal point, for your scene. Sometimes less is more, but I don't think that applies here.
You have a lovely pathway through the scene, drawing the viewer through and along it. As always, in a scene such as this, it would be ideal to have a focal point about two thirds along the path, someone walking their dog, a cyclist, or the like. But they hardly ever turn up when you want them to.
I lived in the New Forest for several years and walked the dogs there every day, so this type of scene is close to my heart, especially at this time of year.
I think yoiu have included just enough of the trees in order to avoid having too much bright sky inside your frame.
I wonder if you did any vertical format shots of this. This tends to give a longer path and more depth.
Pamela.
You have a lovely pathway through the scene, drawing the viewer through and along it. As always, in a scene such as this, it would be ideal to have a focal point about two thirds along the path, someone walking their dog, a cyclist, or the like. But they hardly ever turn up when you want them to.
I lived in the New Forest for several years and walked the dogs there every day, so this type of scene is close to my heart, especially at this time of year.
I think yoiu have included just enough of the trees in order to avoid having too much bright sky inside your frame.
I wonder if you did any vertical format shots of this. This tends to give a longer path and more depth.
Pamela.
This is quite arresting - the log is very in-your-face!
Depth of field matters for a shot like this - and I am with others in wanting a little more (but not much).
Obviously, there are a lot of compositional options for this - i hope you tried a few, both portrait-format, as Pamela suggests, and other landscape versions...
Depth of field matters for a shot like this - and I am with others in wanting a little more (but not much).
Obviously, there are a lot of compositional options for this - i hope you tried a few, both portrait-format, as Pamela suggests, and other landscape versions...
The log does dominate the foreground. It does add depth, though it's worth experimenting with angles and composition as john and Pamela mention. i really like woodland images and can spend ages taking (too many!) shots.
My first thought was a small crop on the left so there's less log and you remove the white sky area top left. Not as effective as being able to tweak the camera position, I reckon.
I can so understand Moira mistaking this for an English scene. There is something similar but a couple of miles from me. Soft light allows you to retain the subtle tones and details. boosting contrast a little is easier and looks better than if you were trying to reduce contrast of a high contrast scene.
My first thought was a small crop on the left so there's less log and you remove the white sky area top left. Not as effective as being able to tweak the camera position, I reckon.
I can so understand Moira mistaking this for an English scene. There is something similar but a couple of miles from me. Soft light allows you to retain the subtle tones and details. boosting contrast a little is easier and looks better than if you were trying to reduce contrast of a high contrast scene.
