Hot air balloon and tree on the serengeti plain, tanzania

[Gerry F]

DSC03776 by gerald fraser, on Flickr

[Wavelength]

A rare scene.... a gap between the two would have been better; here the viewer gets a feeling that the tree is pressing down on the balloon. Again this will work well in its original colors, ifeel.... Do you have that?

[Gerry F]

Thanks.
#1. I also looked for the opportunity to have a gap between the tree branches and balloon. Because I was in the confines of a jeep and unable to get out because of security issues in the Serengeti Park there was no way that I could position myself appropriately to get that. This was the best I could do.
#2. I debated whether the colour version or black and white was the most effective. Since minimalism as a feature I thought the b/w worked better. I will post the colour version shortly

[Gerry F]

DSC03776 1 by gerald fraser, on Flickr

[Wavelength]

Beautiful

[Gerry F]

Thanks

[billtils]

I prefer the colour version and don't mind the lack of separation between tree and balloon - it almost looks like a giant fruit!

[selig1656]

the color version allows a better sense depth and separation, well done.

[rpcrowe]

I like the color version best because of the reasons explained by Raymond above...

I can't get the EXIF data and wonder about the focal length you used for this shot...

[Gerry F]

I was using a Sony a7r2, Sony Lens Fe 200-600 G OSS, f6.3, 394 mm, 1/1600, ISO 500

[Manfred M]

Gerry - Like the others, the colour image works best for me.

What works less well is the out of focus foreground, which is a bit distracting, the overlapping balloon and tree and the large amount of featureless sky. I suspect that either a 2:1 or 16:9 crop might end up giving you a stronger composition.

[Geoff F]

Exactly what I was thinking, Manfred.

I rather like having just the tree in monochrome but once you include that balloon then it has to be colour for me.

[Gerry F]

I have tried a couple of changes:

#1 Changing the aspect ratio and cropping to remove the out of focus foreground

DSC03776 1 1 by gerald fraser, on Flickr

#2 Retained the original aspect ratio and masked the the out of focus foreground and cropped slightly:

DSC03776 1 2 by gerald fraser, on Flickr

[Jim A]

Well, Wavelength certainly nailed it, Gerry, the colour version is streets ahead. If, it were me, who cannot help but alter, then I would move the balloon, up to the right and higher, but then I cannot help but fiddle. As it is, it is very challenging to the senses, so that is a great result!

[Gerry F]

Well, Wavelength certainly nailed it, Gerry, the colour version is streets ahead. If, it were me, who cannot help but alter, then I would move the balloon, up to the right and higher, but then I cannot help but fiddle. As it is, it is very challenging to the senses, so that is a great result!

Thanks Jim

[Geoff F]

The first of the alternative edits looks best to me.

[Manfred M]

I agree with Geoff that the first one is better.

What this really needs now is a sky replacement...