whydangle 0 Posted September 2, 2009 This was a drive by on the way to catching the sunset along Lake Tahoe. I couldn't pass up the backlit flowering bushes and the distant composition. The wildfires added some haze to the scene which increased the saturation of reds and yellows. Please view the Larger version and thanks for any discussion! Link to comment
corbin 0 Posted September 2, 2009 Beautiful warm colors. The dark layer of trees between the foreground and the sky gives depth to the scene.. Link to comment
rarmstrong 0 Posted September 2, 2009 Mark, I find that taking sunsets that are pleasing is very difficult. You certainly have a fine one here. The colors and the light truly capture the essence of the scene. The fires probably did help soften the harsh sun. Very nice! Regards, Dick Link to comment
donna pagakis 0 Posted September 3, 2009 Beautiful use of textures, light and depth. I love the colors in the sky! This is truly a remarkable photograph Mark!!! Link to comment
sketch_tbhotmail.com 11 Posted September 3, 2009 Hey Mark, fantastic photo man. I'm curious about the flare, you can obviously see a little coming directly from the sun but did you have to clone out some flares anywhere else? Shame about the fires but great job making the most of it. Amazing how far the smoke can travel from the fires. We've got some big ones a few hundred miles from Vancouver and the smoke gets so bad at times you can't see more than 15 miles... Link to comment
whydangle 0 Posted September 3, 2009 Thanks Kiran, Claude, Dr. Didi, Richard, Donna and Ryan. This was smoke from a fire unrelated to the ones you all are hearing about now near LA. The smoke was actually subtle, yet very effective at sunset. Ryan, as for the flare, I did deal with a couple of spots. I don't clone them unless they are real bad. If they are the green, orange or yellow kind with image detail available underneath, I just add a blank layer and change the blend mode to color. I then click back to the background and sample some color near the flare with the eyedropper. Then I go back to the "color" blend mode layer and paint over the flare with a soft brush. Now the flare is the same color as the surrounding area, but usually the flare area is lighter and flatter, so I make a quick mask of the flare area and make it into a clipping mask with a curves layer. I add an S curve to darken and add contrast to the clipping mask. The S curve only alters the flare area. I can then modify the mask to help it blend. It works well unless the flare obliterates the image info, then cloning or using selection with cut and paste techniques are necessary. If you are blending multiple exposures, you can simply place your hand over the lens to block the sun and sky when you are making the foreground image exposure. It often reduces or eliminates the flare, and also avoid filters on the lens. I guess you can tell I have dealt with alot of flare challenges. Link to comment
photo by patsy dunn 1 Posted September 3, 2009 Mark, Wow...another beauty. I love the colors.. Regards, Patsy Link to comment
uzay_ki_i 0 Posted September 3, 2009 Beautiful, transition between colors are superb and very natural. Link to comment
rbanfield 0 Posted September 3, 2009 You got yourself a nice capture here. The backlighting on the flowers and your incrediable sky add to a beautiful pastoral scene. Nicely done and well excuted..RAY Link to comment
jcongleton 0 Posted September 3, 2009 Simple, and simply beautiful. Soft, subtle color treatment like this takes skill and effort, even with some help from the haze. The flare you left in the immediate vicinity of the sun adds to the effect. Thank you for occasionally taking the time to provide some details on techniques you've developed to deal with specific problems. Few do that, and it is useful for those of us who are less experienced in working with color. Jim C Link to comment
kathyb 72 Posted September 5, 2009 This one caught my eye as I was scrolling the critique forum. Lots of shapes, colors and textures make this a very interesting scene. Good work! Link to comment
life-in-perspective 0 Posted September 5, 2009 The sunset light is just excellent- making the bushes lit up for the last time of the day. Best regards. Link to comment
Christal1664882414 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Sheer perfection! I am amazed by your technical skills, Mark, and thanks for explaining how you handled the flare. It's apparent to me that I have to learn how to edit if I am to do the kind of work I aspire to. These kinds of images don't happen by themselves (well, maybe in a rare instance), and it's your outstanding knowledge and artistry that makes them so extraordinary! Link to comment
whydangle 0 Posted September 7, 2009 Thanks Lefty, Jim, Gina, Diego, Javier, Kathy, Sonali and Christal. I love sharing what I know. Christal, for the purist, the capture is the end of the process. For the creative artist, the capture is somewhere in the middle. I think you fall into the latter category. Go and get CS4 and I will be glad to offer help when I can!! Link to comment
rekaras 0 Posted September 8, 2009 An intriguing, beautiful and dramatic image. Rich in color and detail, congrats rek. Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted September 9, 2009 It's wonderful! I too love the backlit Rabbitbrush. The colors are luscious. Link to comment
BelaMolnar 2 Posted January 7, 2010 Wow. Lots of comments. Not wander. This, and all the others, are beautiful images. You have your distinctive beautiful style, and your colors are wonderful too. Cheers; Bela Link to comment
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