at and near home Morning Mists - Fogs are not unusual where I live in the Richmond end of the Berkeley hills, but seeing them when the sun is low in the eastern sky is atypical. This is a 7am shot is through the Oak

I wish my neighbor had a yard like that :)

 

I would have said to aim a bit lower to include more grass at the expense of the mostly black top, but then I viewed it on a different computer with some shadow detail and changed my mind. Maybe still a lower aim, but only if combined with a step backwards or a wider angle.

Should I do some PS work on this to 1) increase detail in

shadow area (grassy area in foreground), 2) emphasize the

morning sunrays through the fog, 3) or ??? or leave it as it is?

Would borders (i.e., a simple frame) enhance or detract? -

Thanks for your comments and help.

Wonderful mood

Personally, if this were my image, there's no way I would Photoshop it. To me there is so much more artistic merit in presenting an amazing capture of a scene unaltered. As a photograph, this is Excellent. If you were to digitally manipulate it, I would think, "nice, but not all that special." My monitor is pretty well calibrated, and I'd say the shadow detail looks good, and the light rays look great to me. I certainly use photoshop sometimes, but I get a much greater sense of accomplishment knowing that the image is "pure," and this one is great as-is. Though I know others will disagree with me on this...

Great as it is. Makes one want to be there. Although I think you've done a really good job Iwonder what a portrait shot would be like with more of the zone where the rays land on the ground (and a bit less of the right side) ... did you get any other photos? The little fence looks very interesting too.

Thanks for showing this.

Well Dominique, I did try some with the fence, but what I did will not be to everyone's liking, I think. I wanted the fence as a dominant feature with some Bay trees in the background that were strongly lit by an afternoon sun. I used PS to do what I used to take forever in the darkroom: convert to BW, solarize a separate layer, invert, and merge as the difference to produce a high contrast image that drops out a lot of the shadow detail but leaves edges (on the fence) so that it is still recognizable as a fence. Here it is. (PS The Bays are in my yard, the fence is in my neighbor's yard.)

Really enjoyed seeing this one

Make me want to be there. I'd try trimming a little from the left side -- just enough to make the trunk become the border and guide the viewer around the frame.

Beautiful Light.

Hello Ken:

I find shooting close to home to be difficult -- although living near San Francisco, I suppose you have a certain aesthetic advantage. In any event, you've done an exception job with this image, especially the way the natural arch of the trees frame the misty rays. As for PS alterations, I don't think any are necessary, but it's always interesting to see if your ideas -- and PS skills -- end up enhancing, or detracting, from an already exceptional image. Beautiful work.

what a great shot! I love the 'feel' you got with this, I'm looking for fairies in the shadows!

 

Excellent just the way it is

 

holly:)

Thanks for all the comments and encouragement. Guess I'll just have to leave this one alone.

I would love to see a evening shot from the same or near same angel. .. Perhaps a portrait of someone sitting there in the middle of those wonderful trees.

I love it the way it is, Mr. Ken, like a wonderful dream!