Autumn Cottonwoods, Fog

[LenR]

A change of pace from abandoned structures.
These Plains Cottonwoods are on a large island in the Bow River.
Taken with a 200mm lens since the island is an " off limits" nature preserve establish to protect wide ranging fauna and flora....
C&C welcome.

Cottonwoods, Fog (4) by Len Reeves, on Flickr

[The amateur]

Hey Len,
I was immediately drawn to this image by its subtle colours and the misty atmosphere.

If I were to make any adjustments, I would consider expanding the framing slightly. This would provide more visual breathing room, particularly at the top of the composition.
I also noticed that the horizon line appears slightly tilted. However, this could very well be a true reflection of the scene itself.
That being said, if it were to be levelled, it might go unnoticed, and it could potentially enhance the overall visual impact. Perhaps this observation of mine is simply a minor detail.

[LenR]

Antonio, appreciate your observations. Perhaps a little more "breathing room"at the top would be beneficial.
However, as you noted, the tilted horizon line as seen in the image is indeed a natural slope in the landscape.

[billtils]

This is beautiful, Len.

In regard to the comments on it (not) being horizontal, looking at the tree trunks suggests it is - if you "straighten" the foreground slope, the trees in general but particularly those near the RH margin will look too far off vertical.

[DanK]

Very nice. I like it as it is. If you’re going to mat it, I’d add a bit more at the top because of the overlap, but otherwise, I like it as it is. And I agree: you can’t level the ground.


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[LenR]

Thanks to Bill and Dan for your kind comments regarding the image. Much appreciated.
As mentioned, the island and surrounding river supports a wide range of wild life, particularly bird species, ranging from aquatic to raptors and everything in between. I sometimes regret not having pursued that genre of photography......

[LenR]

Posted for comparison.
Same location with a change of season. Captured on a foggy and frosty winters morning.
As with the original post perhaps a little more "breathing room" at the top would be beneficial......

Cottonwoods, Winter by Len Reeves, on Flickr

[Chataignier]

Lovely subtle colours - very nice. Looks fine as it is, but I do agree that a wee bit more room at the top would be beneficial.

[The amateur]

I hesitated for a moment before mentioning that I don’t entirely agree with the concerns regarding the tilt of the trees and the horizontal framing of the photograph. After all, trees naturally grow in both upright and angled positions, whether due to their inherent form or the influence of natural forces such as the wind. In fact, while the wind can gently cause a tree to lean, a stronger gust might even bring it down...

With this in mind, I decided to work on the latest Len's photograph and gently level it, adding a touch more space all around to achieve an even more balanced composition. I also took the liberty of applying a subtle hint of negative clarity, which I believe enhances its charm.

I truly feel these images hold remarkable potential. They are simply beautiful, and I hope you appreciate them as much as I do !

[LenR]

David, thanks for taking the time to add to this thread. Your comments are appreciated.

[LenR]

Antonio, thanks again for your input and sharing your vision regarding the image. Your observation regarding trees in general, is of course correct and the negative clarity enhances the foggy appearance. At the end of the day, as with many images shared on this venue, it comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Cheers....

[selig1656]

I think that you have a nice capture.

[LenR]

Hi Raymond, thanks for taking the time to comment. Appreciated......

[DanK]

I'm going to post another version, not as a suggestion of something that I think is better, but to see if anyone has thoughts about a specific issue I have wrestled with.

I have found foggy day images very hard to process, in part because I often struggle with whether to leave it entirely foggy or to have one part stand out a bit more as a point of focus. (Attention, that is, not physical focus.)

So, I downloaded the original winter image and followed Antonio's suggestion, but with a twist. I applied negative clarity to most of the image, using the adjustment brush. I did more than Antonio described. Much of the image had clarity turned down the maximum. The tree on the left had a second mask that again turned clarity down the max. However, the large tree was left untouched. The result is that the image as a whole is softened, but the tree stands out more.

The difference is fairly subtle, but it's present.

I'm curious what people think of this--not so much as a suggestion for this particular image, but in general.

[The amateur]

Dan, it was a truly brilliant idea to revive this thread in order to propose a change that I find extremely interesting overall.
Leaving the tree trunks with less fog is also an excellent option and, in my view, largely a matter of personal taste.

I also noticed that you have decided - and perhaps quite rightly - to maintain the inclination of the earth line. Yes, this too is a perfectly acceptable choice, although it isn’t my personal preference, as we know.

Once again, you have produced an excellent and commendable piece of work, as is your usual habit !

[LenR]

Dan, thanks for your further input. As you say, the changes from my original post are subtle. I enjoy photographing in foggy conditions which of course vary considerably. We are certainly in agreement in this instance regarding the larger foreground tree as a point of focus. In processing this image, amongst other refinements, a little global clarity was added. Additional clarity / contrast were added to enhance the foreground tree and a little less so to to the tree on the left to make them stand out. The trees in the background received a little negative contrast by way of brush. I agree that the addition of negative clarity enhances the foggy appearance.
Always interesting to see different points of view...