Flash freeze

[tbob]

A warm extended fall caught a lot of leaves on the willow trees. An early snow followed by a thaw then sub zero overnight temperatures coated everything with a thin film of ice.

Critique and advice welcomed. I needed a shallow depth to isolate the leaves from the busy background. Maybe too shallow?

[Geoff F]

I see you used F8 which is probably a reasonable aperture for this sort of shot, although I would probably have also tried F11 and even F14 then ditched what didn't work well.

One possible problem might have been if you weren't completely square with the branch. The tip seems sharper than the left side.

You have certainly captured the ice and leaf texture though.

[Petracsr]

It's beautiful.
I can't believe you were able to get that background with f8. Again, it's beautiful.

[tbob]

Thanks Geoff; Good advice.

Not to be whiner, well maybe a little, and make excuses but I had to handhold for these shots. I ran over my tripod with my one ton diesel truck (GVW about 2000kg) about four weeks ago. Surprisingly; the tripod didn't fare well. Shoddy workmanship obviously. I was limited to speeds I could be stable at and a smaller aperture was just not on. But it is a good idea to bear in mind for future attempts. As is the trying to be more square to the twig

[tbob]

It's beautiful.
I can't believe you were able to get that background with f8. Again, it's beautiful.

Fortunately the trees and other willows where about 10 to twenty metres (30 to 60 feet) away across a clearing so I had some leeway to use f8. the usual situation with willows is they are cheek by jowl and it is nearly impossible to get an uncluttered background.