2016 Project 52, second quarter by Lindsay (CormacD)

[CormacD]

Both of them look lovely Lindsay

Much appreciated, thanks Binnur

[CormacD]

The first image looks a lot better in the lightbox mode where the detail shows up better. Is it a fraction on the yellow side or would going a little more to the blue side spoil the leaves? I'm thinking about getting a little more impact to the sky?

The second one is on the dark side but it still works for me. I wonder about a very small crop from the top and right side but I don't suppose it would make that much difference because you still need to see all the trees.

I've noted your suggestion, thanks Geoff, and have had a go at brightening up the sky...below

[IzzieK]

In its own way, this looks nice too -- at first glance it looks plasticky, but looking at it more in depth, it is a good image, the colours are nicely blended, the tree is half/half silhouetted and have more detail, there is a sort of a flare in one house there at the left and in the water there seems to be a forced brightening of some areas. There is so much to look at and I think I prefer the original image here, simple and straightforward.

Thanks Joe, tried to lighten shadows and think this merging of two exposures turned out OK. A light and a dark.

[joebranko]

Thanks Joe, tried to lighten shadows and think this merging of two exposures turned out OK. A light and a dark.

That looks very nice Lindsay, and although the edit brings out more detail, it looses something in the 'translation', so I must agree with Izzie that of the two, I think the original looks better. Sorry for the 'wild goose chase '. 🙄

[bnnrcn]

The edit looks like a poster and I like it. But I prefer the original as a sunset image

Thanks Joe, tried to lighten shadows and think this merging of two exposures turned out OK. A light and a dark.

[CormacD]

This week I took my camera out on my weekly bush walking club walk. It was the Kitty’s Gorge Trail from Jarrahdale and return, about 16 km. I did not get any worthwhile shots of the actual Gorge as there was a lot of vegetation along the walk track obstructing the view. Anyway I did get some interesting photos and here is a selection. The challenge was getting time to stop and take a shot as my fellow walkers don’t fiddle around. Also the light conditions in the forest change rapidly.

# 1 Some of the walkers on the track.
#2 Rock and Moss. Taken at morning tea break.
#3 Fungi thriving on a recent cut stump.
#4 Old Road Bridge on disused forest roadway.

#1 Walkers 9 June 16, 11.31 am, ISO 160. 18.5mm, f/10, 1/60 s



#2 Rock and Moss 9 June 16, 10.37 am, ISO 160, 18.5 mm, f/9, 1/125 s



#3 Fungi on Stump, 9 June 16, 9.28 am, ISO 100, 18.5mm, f/1.8, 1/800 s



#4 Old Road Bridge, 9 June 16, 11.18am, ISO 110, 18.5mm, f/9, 1/60 s.

[Shadowman]

Walk appears to be a good opportunity to do some experimenting, nice series.

[Wavelength]

Very many beautiful images; very nice series.....

[IzzieK]

Was there another bridge you can pass on to go to the other side. I would crawl on my hands and knees in that last one. LOL I can just see me...

[Geoff F]

Good sense of perspective in #1.

#2 appears as though there is a lot more depth to those 'valleys' where the moss almost looks like distant trees. I might consider cropping a little from the top and having a different size ratio to concentrate more on the interesting lower stone formations.

The last one obviously had difficult lighting but it still works OK.

I always avoid organised events like this and much prefer to dawdle along at my own pace where I can keep stopping to spend more time on all those interesting scenes which appear along any walk.

[joebranko]

All very nice shots. I really like 1 a nd 4. #1 is probably my fave of the series

[CormacD]

In its own way, this looks nice too -- at first glance it looks plasticky, but looking at it more in depth, it is a good image, the colours are nicely blended, the tree is half/half silhouetted and have more detail, there is a sort of a flare in one house there at the left and in the water there seems to be a forced brightening of some areas. There is so much to look at and I think I prefer the original image here, simple and straightforward.

Yes I agree there is a lot of detail here that is a little distracting. The flare is a street light and the white in the foreground water does spoil the scene, not sure what's happening there.

[CormacD]

Was there another bridge you can pass on to go to the other side. I would crawl on my hands and knees in that last one. LOL I can just see me...

Yes fortunately there is a quite good foot bridge nearby. Not too hard to cross at this old bridge, depends on how deep the water is.

[CormacD]

Good sense of perspective in #1.

#2 appears as though there is a lot more depth to those 'valleys' where the moss almost looks like distant trees. I might consider cropping a little from the top and having a different size ratio to concentrate more on the interesting lower stone formations.

The last one obviously had difficult lighting but it still works OK.

I always avoid organised events like this and much prefer to dawdle along at my own pace where I can keep stopping to spend more time on all those interesting scenes which appear along any walk.

Thanks Geoff, I'll have a look at your crop suggestion. This is a weekly club outing that I do for the exercise. They can be a good opportunity to check out some trails that can be revisited with my camera (when I get time that is).

[CormacD]

My weekly hike in the bush set out to visit Oakely Dam on the edge of the Marrinup State Forest and also the Marrinup Falls. Unfortunately, the walking group got a bit bushed and we could not find the track into the dam and then ran out of time to check out the falls. Nevertheless it was a good walk, some 17 km up and down the Darling Scarp (the escarpment that runs down the south west of Australia separating the coastal plane from the plateau on the next level up.)
I took a few photos and have picked out a few for your eyes and comment and critique.

# 1 Balga Tree (Xanthhorrhoea or Grass Tree), endemic to Australia and alleged to grow about 1 inch a year. The photo is a bit flat I think and lacks the depth that I would have liked but give you an idea of a fairly typical Australian forest undergrowth.

#2 Coastal Plane. The view looking west towards the coast (where I live) from the top of the escarpment. Taken at the wrong time of the day, but beggars can’t be choosers I guess.

#3 Heading home.

#1 Balga Tree 16/6/16, 11.18 am, ISO 400, 18.5 mm, f/13, 1/160 s.



#2 Coastal Plane 16/6/16, 11.55 am, ISO 320, 18.5 mm, f/13, 1/500s



#3 Heading Home 16/6/16, 12.06 pm, ISO 400, 18.5 mm, f/13, 1/160 s.

[joebranko]

Beautiful shots all. I particularly like #3 with the tree trunk leading the eye to the hikers. #2 is very nice too but I find the large boulder to be somewhat imposing on the shot. Great work all the same.

[Geoff F]

Nice bit of fungi as well in #3.

With #2, I wonder if a slight crop from the left and bottom would 'move' the boulder just a little off centre so it wouldn't appear quite so dominant?

[IzzieK]

Good shots all...I particularly favoured #3 for the reasons already mentioned.

[CormacD]

My weekly bush walk did not reveal any very interesting landscapes so I have selected a couple of get down low and close type shots.

#1 Down low in the grass in a water course with the sun shining on the grass.
# 2 Sitting on a log and looked to the left to see this little vegetation with the sun and some water on it. Is that a dead body lying there as well?

#1 Grass, 23/6/16, 11.12 am, ISO 200, 18.5 mm, f/10, 1/25s.



#2 Body?, 23/6/16, 10.14 am, ISO 140, 18.5 mm, f/6.3, 1/30 s

[joebranko]

I liked your down low grass shot. The colours are very bright and the sharpness well done!