Salvaging Vermont

[Kyle]

I was going through my photo collection when I came across some photos from my Vermont trip. That was my first real chance to really get out and try my new camera so not many of the photos are that good. I found these two which I tried to salvage.

1.
I'm not sold on the crop of this one. I find I want to make it much shorter on the height but I like the sun in it. Cropping it to cut out the foreground takes away from the mountains. They aren't big enough to stand on their own without the perspective of the stuff in front. Again, it's not a great shot but it is one of the few I could get something decent out of.

2.
This is the one and only covered bridge in Pittsfield, Vermont. It was my first time playing with long exposures and light trails. I really like how the light around the bridge sets the focus there. I think the light trail also really worked out. It goes across the entire image and is quite steady/uniform. It's only f/5.0 which I should have had at 8 but I did focus on the bridge before changing composition. The image is quite noisy so I upped the clarity (Haven't learned how to do luminance/noise reduction properly yet so I stay away from it or I make the photo worse) which I think created a neat look.

3.
This one I liked the concept of but I kept the aperture too open so the house isn't really in focus. I did want to put emphasis on the sign and the road. Overall not great but I think it's decent and I think I had a good concept. Maybe I needed a better angle or something to really make it work.

All c&c welcome.

[deetheturk]

Nice set Kyle,i love #2

[IzzieK]

#2 is the best Kyle and #3 for the concept as you said...They are all nice actually but with #1 -- I would say: Da Flare! Da Flare!

[Shadowman]

I like the lighting in #2.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Kyle,nice shots I especially like #2 with composition and lighting.I want to try long exposures with car lights this summer too.

[Paniaa]

Hi Kyle,

although I like the wide angle of number 2, I find the heaviness of the trees on either side distract me from the subject. How would it be to leave 2 tree trunks on either side & crop the rest out? For me, that would bring most attention back to the bridge which is what you were aiming at.

[Kyle]

Thanks for the comments David and John. I do agree, 2 is the better photo.

#2 is the best Kyle and #3 for the concept as you said...They are all nice actually but with #1 -- I would say: Da Flare! Da Flare!

At first I though I liked the sun in the sky but I'm thinking I might try to crop the sun out to see if the mountains and the foreground make for a decent photo on their own. I find I really had trouble capturing the mountains.

Hi Kyle,nice shots I especially like #2 with composition and lighting.I want to try long exposures with car lights this summer too.

It was actually a ton of fun to do and I ended up catching a few different cars in a few shots. You really end up with a variety of different light trails.

Hi Kyle,

although I like the wide angle of number 2, I find the heaviness of the trees on either side distract me from the subject. How would it be to leave 2 tree trunks on either side & crop the rest out? For me, that would bring most attention back to the bridge which is what you were aiming at.

That's an interesting idea. I'll give that a try when I get home and see how it works out.

[Downrigger]

Very nice set - incredible lighting in the second, mysterious to me how you obtained light on and within your subject. The noise is a sort of enhancement, I agree. In Lightroom, zoomed in, it seems to me not that hard to nudge the slider to the point before significant edge effects set in... then you can add grain if you wish, in the effects panel. But this works nicely as is. I think the soft house in the third is not a problem for the overall story - perhaps better that way.

[Kyle]

Thanks for the comments Mark! The bridge actually had a light or two in it which stayed on all night. You can't see the one light on the closer side because the tree branch is in the way.
Which slider are you talking about moving? I know of the grain in the effects but I assume you're talking about changing a different setting.
I'll give the grain effect a try and see how that looks. I haven't used the grain much so I'm a little unsure on the type of shot it would look good in.

[Downrigger]

OK on the light - it sure worked well for you. I'm no expert in LR. Others my be more edifying on your question regarding noise reduction. I save the detail panel for after all the other maneuvers are completed as these may create or reduce issues for you to deal with in sharpening and noise reduction. Use of the detail panel adjustments is best done under zoom. First I sharpen to taste and clean that up with some masking. Then I take down the residual noise with the noise reduction/luminance slider to the point where the edge effects work best. I tend to leave the detail/color/contrast sliders in noise reduction at their defaults and have yet to learn how to change them to advantage. Usually I only consider adding grain with B&W but that may be lack of imagination.

[IzzieK]

Kyle -- I am sorry, but please...please...do not remove the trees at either side. The whole shot is what it is that makes it beautiful and nice. It is what frames your shot. If you remove any of the trees on the sides, you might as well cut off the tree that is hiding the structure on the bridge. Look at it like as if you have not seen it before...consider the possibility of removing any tree...errrccchjhhh!! Sorry Paniaa...

[Kyle]

I was thinking the same thing, Izzie. I find that the trees help frame the shot. It will still be interesting to see what it looks like without them so it won't hurt to try. If I don't like it, I don't have to keep it that way.

[FrankMi]

I agree with Izzie. The impact of this shot is what we see through the trees as much as it is the subject itself. The panoramic also provides strong leading lines for the bridge, an excellent composition, Kyle!

Also, if you took one of these without the car lights, the setting might benefit from the 'horse and buggy days' appearance. A different kind of look to be sure, but perhaps a more nostalgic one that would be just as intriguing as the modern one to some viewers.

[Kyle]

Thanks Frank!
I agree, the tress really so help balance the shot and keep the focus on the bridge. I'll see what other shots I took of it and see if there are any with no cars. I think it might work with a bit of grain and maybe b&w.

[Stagecoach]

Nice series Kyle. I will not add to the crop or not to crop debate but one of the things I am learning at present is that when the scene presents the options of tighter or looser framing make sure you have a looser one as well just in case.

The main thing here is that you are learning from your experimentation and personal critiquing.

Grahame