The Walking Tree B&W

[Stagecoach]

Sometimes I have an idea when looking at a scene, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Not sure about this one but I considered it may be worthwhile having a go at B&W so here it is. Legend has it that these trees move through the rainforest.

f11, 1/4s, ISO200, 29mm


Comments and suggestions welcome as always

Grahame

[Donald]

I think there is potential there Grahame, but I feel you need to make the main subject 'pop' out from everything else around it. At the moment, it's a bit lost in all the other foliage around and behind it.

I'm not sure what you use top convert to B & W and post process. I think there are two main options:

1. You could introduce an artificial blur to everything other than the Walking Tree. I don't like that approach as, I feel, it never looks right.
2. A two-part approach could be to a) darken everything else (burning) and lightening (dodging the Walking Tree. You could then add a good dose of Local Contrast Enhancement only on the tree, via use of a layer mask (or with control points, if using NIK Silver Efex Pro).

I think the latter option would work.

[Mike Buckley]

I agree with Donald. However, I think you have a better chance of making the tree come alive if you can return to it in better light. Also consider getting very close and low and shooting upward to create the sense of being enveloped by the tree's "legs."

[kdoc856]

Hi, Grahame. Getting trees to look as impressive in a composed image as it is to the eye is truly a challenge, and I've failed far more often than I've succeeded. As Mike and Donald have suggested, an essential key is to somehow isolate the tree from its background, whether it be via focus, composition/crop, colour, texture, or relative luminance.

Wondering if you are able to go wider than 29mm, 12-16, if you have access to it, (and I just noticed you have a Sigma 10-20) and get really tight and low to exclude the similar BG, and throw it into a natural bokeh blur. Good luck. It's a worthy endeavor.

[chauncey]

Grahame, your facing an untenable situation in trying to pull one tree out of a forest.
Your eye can do it but, your camera cannot. In this case, it you feel it's worth the effort
would be to "paint the tree with light".
You would be, in effect using Donald's suggestion, of leaving everything dark except for the tree.

[Brownbear]

I like the image and the idea...

[Stagecoach]

Donald,

I have to agree about it being lost, this was the most isolated one I could find around the location I was at.

The conversion was undertaken in Elements and to be honest I did so many things without really knowing what I was doing. B&W is an area where I need to undertake some study which I will progress.

I'll have an attempt at trying to pull this out from the background simply for the purpose of learning and post the result later.

Thank you for your advice.

Grahame

[Mike Buckley]

Grahame,

If you get the entire image as good as possible including the subject isolated as much as posible when it is still the color version, your monochrome will be far better and will require far less burning, dodging and other touch-up stuff.

[Stagecoach]

Mike & Kevin,

I could have very easily got lower and I could have gone wider although I only had the 18-200 with me and I should have done that, a lesson learnt and it will be what I do on my next attempt.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Hi Chauncey,

You are right and the lesson here is that whilst you are considering the image to also consider how the camera is going to portray it.

I suppose there's also another way of looking at it in that this specific tree is enveloped within other growth and trees and is in fact not isolated, but that does not make an interesting picture as we expect to see our subject stand out?

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

Thanks. I also like the 'idea' and hopefully from the great help and advice I get here I can pursue it.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Grahame,

If you get the entire image as good as possible including the subject isolated as much as posible when it is still the color version, your monochrome will be far better and will require far less burning, dodging and other touch-up stuff.

Thanks Mike, I'll try that approach

[Hui Song]

Just read all great comments. can't wait to see your new version. Good luck, Grahame!