A walk in the woods..

[FeatherMonkey]

A couple from the woods yesterday.. Forced myself into 18mm just to see.

1) Not sure if I got this, I know the feeling I was trying to convey I'm conflicted I think it does it then I think it doesn't nearly didn't post it.
IMG_6306

2)Coudn't get the colour to work, seems to work better in b&w
IMG_6283

3)I like the shallow dof am I alone?(1 of a few shot on 105mm)
IMG_6252

4)This damn bridge, I've tried this so many times. Think I've nearly got it. Too heavy on pp?
IMG_6238

Always interested in C&C how's my B&W conversion? did a couple of techniques.

[xpatUSA]

A couple from the woods yesterday.. Forced myself into 18mm just to see.

1) Not sure if I got this, I know the feeling I was trying to convey I'm conflicted I think it does it then I think it doesn't nearly didn't post it.

Is the foliage really that green? How about less saturation with a tad more contrast?

2)Coudn't get the colour to work, seems to work better in b&w

Nice one but slightly cluttered background.

3)I like the shallow dof am I alone?(1 of a few shot on 105mm)

Sorry, didn't like the shallow DOF.

4)This damn bridge, I've tried this so many times. Think I've nearly got it. Too heavy on pp?

Looks a bit over-sharpened but the DOF is just right for giving an impression of depth, IMHO. Did you also try in landscape format to include more of the bridge?

I read a tutorial yesterday where dramatic appearances can be gotten by raising or lowering the camera and I'm thinking that this bridge with it's interesting wall detail might be shot with the cam much closer to the ground making the walls look, like, 20 ft tall, coming in from almost the top of the frame sides (or even the actual top of the frame) with a viewpoint down in the lower 1/3 of the frame. A dog's-eye view, so to speak.

Always interested in C&C how's my B&W conversion? did a couple of techniques.

Not a B&W expert, so no comment there.

[FeatherMonkey]

Thanks Ted

Is the foliage really that green? How about less saturation with a tad more contrast?

This one I've played with so much. The original is in so much shade but I liked the way the broken stump was highlighted tried to accentuate it. There seems to be something else, just can't put my finger on it. I can certainly dial back the saturation. Think it was a plugin that boosted it.

Nice one but slightly cluttered background.

I'll have to get back to shoot this again. Think I was struggling with pp due to this. The little sky above was fighting me.

Sorry, didn't like the shallow DOF.

Going to have to teach myself to get sharper.

Looks a bit over-sharpened but the DOF is just right for giving an impression of depth, IMHO. Did you also try in landscape format to include more of the bridge?

I read a tutorial yesterday where dramatic appearances can be gotten by raising or lowering the camera and I'm thinking that this bridge with it's interesting wall detail might be shot with the cam much closer to the ground making the walls look, like, 20 ft tall, coming in from almost the top of the frame sides (or even the actual top of the frame) with a viewpoint down in the lower 1/3 of the frame. A dog's-eye view, so to speak.

Lower you say crikey going to have to lay down for this one. Makes a lot of sense, is probably what I'm missing. The wall isn't even 2ft high, was crouching but certainly see what you mean. Now I've taken a 2nd look see what you mean. If I remember correctly, sharpening and B&W conversion came due to a high pass filter I'll dial it back.

Not a B&W expert, so no comment there.

Once again thank you Ted, that makes 2 of us. Have to admit these weren't going to intentionally be B&W they just worked better IMO.

[Shadowman]

Nice series, looks like you used miniature effect in some of them.

[IzzieK]

Stef...only my opinion...here:
#1 needs a bit of cropping at the left side. Click on the image and move it around Lightbox and look at the different angle of crop. It will help.
#2 Maybe, just maybe, select those two dark branch from the shot at the back, not the first on the left, but the second and third, and lose them...clone them out or something...but just lose them and give the shot a breathing space. I think it is too cramp. Then look at the result again...select just the background and blur them some more...
#3...???
I like #4...it is my favourite of all four of them..again, I will ask you to click on Lightbox and see if you like this with a lesser foregrond.

I am no fan of some Black and White and I know nothing about it ... yet. My camera has a monochrome version to shoot just that but I haven't tried it yet...just like Manfred's comment some posts ago, I also did not spend so much for a camera body so I just shoot in black and white...once in a while it is good though but I have to learn how to convert it from coloured so I have both choices apart from plug-ins.

Good series...

[wilgk]

I love how you have set yourself on a journey to learn & improve.
The final image of the series is my favourite.

[pnodrog]

#1 Izzie suggests a left hand crop and I tend to agree. Not much and maybe even a little off the bottom. Having shot for years using Valvia slide film which tends to have strong greens I am not particularly worried about the saturation but I find the vignetting a bit strong - you are going to have a hard job pleasing everyone so do what I do and just please yourself....

#2 The light area in the background just need toning down and I think it will work well.

#3 A pleasant image possibly be a little stronger if the fern was more on the diagonal.

#4 I like it but I feel it does not need so much lead in path. If it was mine I would be tempted to crop a little off the bottom.

Woodland scenes can be difficult (can't see the photo for the trees) and you have done well.

[FeatherMonkey]

Thanks John, had to look up what you meant now see it, was using a graduated soften. Can see how 2 would be part of the pp workflow to get it.

Izzie that 1st one gets me so a crop and a shifting of the vignette for Paul. Also one for Ted the plugin was velvia so think it was trying to replicate the film Paul mentioned. Seems it did ok.IMG_6306 Still undecided going there just not quite.

The busy stump, just a quick additional edit I could get it but finished now too much pp needed. Learning curve be aware of bg. Now that hot highlight needs muting.IMG_6283

I agree Paul can't twist the leaf, they say fill the frame, fill the frame. I did no room to rotate it crops the leaf.

Now the damn bridge... Long lead in was the 3rds, not sure why I didn't see it first but here's a square crop. IMG_6238 also turned down the sharpness. There's more in this bridge I do have a few landscape ones I'll do a pp on 1. This bridge is what keeps drawing me back getting closer.

Thanks everyone for c&c so far need to get a better shot in the camera and watch my bg.