A couple of more snowy pics

[Katy Noelle]

I know what I'm going for with these but I'm not quite sure what I've got.

I have the same idea as the "Big Red Barn" for this - the very subtle "warmth" of the green in the sea of white and gray.



I'm very iffy on this one. Also, iphoto is still being very cranky about these. I've erased the little hair but it won't save my changes; so, other than that....



....



I would appreciate your input. Once again, I'm not sure if what I'm wanting to say is what you're seeing.

[wilgk]

Hi Katy
Of these it is #1 for me again.
I really like the triangle of plain snow at the front on camera right.
I always seem to want somewhere to imagine myself standing in outdoors/landscape shots such as this - and this one gives me just that...which then lets me feel more part of the scene.
The only thing then is I feel myself trying to take a small rotation to my left to somehow be looking into the rest of the forest right alongside the main tree...does that make any sense?....

[ScoutR]

My vote goes for #1 Katy, very nice scene. I'm not so sure about 2 and 3. You know I like shooting the same type of thing but for some reason these don't work for me. I know it's not right to say that without saying why, and I don't really know why, but will try.

First of all I really think they need a bit more DOF. These look like they were taken on a dull day (which I like) but even on a dull day there has to be some pop or whatever. My suggestion would be a bit more DOF but then lighten the snow and shadows for a kind of ethereal cloudy or soft look all the while keeping the in focus area sharp and colourful - not really sure what to call it and I don't know if it will improve these or not.

If you had a bit of sun then the shallow DOF might work with these because you would have some highlights to provide interest - I think. I'm trying to analyze this as I go along and figure out why these don't work for me. Please bare/bear??? with me, because it's a hard thing for me to figure out. I take so many shots like this. I'm starting to get more keepers, but I don't really think about why I keep some and trash others.

Also, and this may be intentional on your part, but on my screen the colour looks off, it has a purple tint to it.

I know you will get there, because your control of DOF and composition with your old lens was astounding, so I can only imagine what you will do with the new one when you are more familiar. Then there is always the possibility that I am entirely wrong about these, others may like them very much, and I hope you get more feedback.

By the Way, do you know what plant that is in the third shot. I have them in the backyard and don't know what they are, I've taken a zillion shots of them though

Wendy

[Katy Noelle]

Thanks so much, Wendy, for responding! When I was taking this shot, I was wondering - trying to remember if you had taken this shot. Not meaning to copy (although, that IS the sincerest form of flattery, they say... )! I've, also, had the ideas for this kind of shot from this past summer, though.

Well, I have to be a bit brief, at the mo. but, I really agree with you about all of this on #2 and almost didn't put it in because of all of this. I just like that vague hint of the swish of the stalk.... Also, iphoto won't let me save anymore changes and I can't get rid of the purple. (Tom's working on Lightroom for me, as we speak...) Anyway, I wonder if you would have felt the same about #3 if you hadn't seen the second one. The third one was a sort of "macro" (that's the dof that I want and I chose that particular seed pod) and I've, also, been debating about how far to blur it out into white - it has those dark smudgy blotches in the background and I wasn't sure what to think about them.

Anyway, you asked what the third one is - I'm not positive - people call it by different names and I'm not sure if they're right but I think that it's this (it's a wee bit of a shock - remembering what green and warm was....):




When you guys say that you like #1 - you mean really like or just like it the best? Does it speak, at all?

Well, with the different possibilities of the new lens and the new season (snow), I'm back at the bottom of a new learning curve - sigh.

[Donald]

I would endorse the views expressed by the others.

I acknowledge what you write about #3 being what you wanted. Okay and that is good and enough reason to feel 'mission accomplished'. But .....! For me, if that part nearest us had been completely free of snow we would have been more of it and there would have more to hold our attention. As it is, the amount of plant we're seeing in proportion to the whole image is very small. I think we either needed to see more plant, or it needed to be taken much closer in so that a greater proportion of the frame was taken up with clearly defineable plant.

When you guys say that you like #1 - you mean really like or just like it the best? Does it speak, at all?

I like it very much. And it works. It is tranquil. It is a good image, but it is not, for me, in the same class as 'The Big Red Barn'. But that set a high bar. I fully understand the concept of the subtle green with the grey and white and that gives it its tranquility. But I'm not sure that the more casual observer would pick up the message in the same way and might wonder 'What is this a photograph of?'

[Katy Noelle]

Thanks, Donald, for this really good and constructive input! That's why I'm here! I'll definitely keep working on it.

You know, in a funny way, I'm not feeling very comfortable with my winter shots - I don't know if it's because I need spring or, maybe, I just don't recognize my photography, somehow, because the landscape and subject have completely changed.

[ScoutR]

Thanks so much, Wendy, for responding! When I was taking this shot, I was wondering - trying to remember if you had taken this shot. Not meaning to copy (although, that IS the sincerest form of flattery, they say... )! I've, also, had the ideas for this kind of shot from this past summer, though.

No problem Katy, I'm glad someone else likes this type of thing, it's motivating. I certainly don't have or want to have a monopoly on weeds and shrubs in the snow.

Well, I have to be a bit brief, at the mo. but, I really agree with you about all of this on #2 and almost didn't put it in because of all of this. I just like that vague hint of the swish of the stalk.... Also, iphoto won't let me save anymore changes and I can't get rid of the purple. (Tom's working on Lightroom for me, as we speak...) Anyway, I wonder if you would have felt the same about #3 if you hadn't seen the second one. The third one was a sort of "macro" (that's the dof that I want and I chose that particular seed pod) and I've, also, been debating about how far to blur it out into white - it has those dark smudgy blotches in the background and I wasn't sure what to think about them.

I'm sure I would have felt the same about 3 without seeing 2. This must be a really difficult plant. It's very strange, but it's almost like I've tried to take the exact same picture with the exact same stalk with the snow on it in the exact same conditions. I have not gone as far as editing any of them, because I did not like them. Perhaps that is influencing me more than anything????
Anyway, when I look at this, I would like to see more detail in the plant and in the icy sparkly snow on it. I order to get that I think you need to have focus at least halfway down the stem and then have it start fading away into the snow. Then, if it was my shot, I would want to whiten all the snow around it including the darker spots. That's only 1 approach though, there are so many different ways to shoot these and you are so very creative that I am looking forward to more in the future, so I can learn from you.

Anyway, you asked what the third one is - I'm not positive - people call it by different names and I'm not sure if they're right but I think that it's this (it's a wee bit of a shock - remembering what green and warm was....):

That looks a bit like a honeysuckle. I guess I will have to wait until the spring to find out.

When you guys say that you like #1 - you mean really like or just like it the best? Does it speak, at all?

Well, with the different possibilities of the new lens and the new season (snow), I'm back at the bottom of a new learning curve - sigh.

Katy, I like #1 the best of this set, but like Donald said it does not stand up to the Red Barn. It really is a very pretty scene though and I would certainly keep it. As for being at the bottom of the learning curve, I don't think so - your first set was just too good and now it is going to be harder for you.

Wendy

[Donald]

Well, with the different possibilities of the new lens and the new season (snow), I'm back at the bottom of a new learning curve - sigh.

Like Wendy said, I don't think so ... although it probably feels like that. But it's a about adaptation and applying your existing skills to a new set of variables - i.e. one awfully nice lens and new shooting conditions. So, you are already where you are on the learning curve. You haven't slipped back down. You're just having to break sweat to climb that bit higher.

Now, as for me ....... I've just ordered my first flashgun along with a a couple of diffusers. The 'stuff' to enable 'off-camera' shooting will have to come later. But, boy, do I feel like the new kid on the block. I've been reading and watching videos for the last 2/3 days almost constantly and at least have a pretty good sense of what's about to arrive and what I've got to do with it. But, talk about learning curve ........!

But, it'll be fun .... I think!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Katy,

I tried to 'do a Wendy' on #3, but I'm not very pleased with the result (she is 'the master');



Crop and Rotate (that much is obvious)
Resize bigger (t'was tiny after the crop)
Local Contrast Enhance
Sharpen
Hue -20, Saturation +25 (well it was either 20 or 30, I can't remember)

Not sure if it helps.

[Katy Noelle]

Thank you Wendy, Donald and Dave for your help and words of wisdom! I'm just rereading them and they help keep me on track.

I just thought that you might be interested in the original. I cropped it, in the first place, because I didn't like the smudges.



and, I worked on it some more.



I don't know, I hate to disappoint you all but I may have come to the conclusion that I used too shallow of a dof with this one. The thought, when I took the photo was that I wanted it to disappear into white but, like you've said, there's not enough to catch the attention and, then, the disappear is too abrupt. I did have others with a higher dof but didn't like the angle of them as well.

Also, Wendy, not honeysuckle - I know that one and it's not that. I want to call it goldenrod but it's not that, either. I can't think of the name, at the moment, but I know that this plant is in the aster family. We recognize it, though, ay?

Dave, thanks for working on it! It made me go back and work on it some more, too. The only thing is that the snow should be resting on the top (unless there had been a sideways blizzard???); so, it looks kind of strange because of that.

I had another go with some more photos of that tree but, I don't know about these, either. The thing is, it's an idea that I want to pursue some more. Whatever I can learn from these mistakes will help me the next time I try.





Finally, talk about "copying" (except I didn't do it on purpose). I'm constantly trying to avoid this swing set and, when I turned around and saw it there, I thought, "if you can't beat them, you might as well join them." (Meaning my husband....) and I thought of you as I pressed the button, Wendy, and your "playground in the snow photos".

Red, white and blue is such a beautiful combination.



Thanks, Guys for all of your help! It's supposed to snow again, tomorrow, but I'm not sure if I can handle too much of taking this camera and lens into the cold and, possibly damp. It's making me a nervous wreck! We'll see....

[Dave Humphries]

Hey Katy,

Have you not wondered why I don't do this kind of shot?

but I'm not sure if I can handle too much of taking this camera and lens into the cold and, possibly damp. It's making me a nervous wreck!

Yes, that's it exactly

The only thing is that the snow should be resting on the top (unless there had been a sideways blizzard???)

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the rotation either, but I hadn't made the connection, to be honest I thought it was a shot looking vertically down on it, so rotating wouldn't have an effect

Cheers,