Laurel Hill B&W

Best viewed large, your comments are most welcome. I have resisted the

temptation to add contrast to the foggy scene, preferring to keep the

softness. Please see the colour version also.

Jeff....  I laughed when I read your note about contrast, since in my experiment that's exactly what I did, added a tad too much contrast.  What you've done here is great and I think the b/w conversion retains all the beauty of the scene and adds even more of the foggy mood... Mike

Thanks Mike, I felt that extra contrast would make it a different image to what I was after. I wanted to retain the softness of the scene.

Nice shot. I like the b&w version better. It has a different kind of "tooth".

Beautiful B&W image, with soft tones that set the mood.

Jeff, I think you're right on regarding contrast in this foggy scene.  I think that many of us (myself included) sometime have an almost knee-jerk reaction to add contrast to any photo, simply because it makes some elements stand out more, that makes the image "pop" a little more, and that is always seen as positive.  But some images were "made" to be soft, and that is an important part of their very character.  Foggy scenes certainly fit in that category, at least most of the time, IMO.  I think yours is a good example, and I think the reduced range of tonality is very nicely done.

Of the two photos (B&W versus color), I think color does add a very desirable aspect to the photo -- I like the rich greens and browns, and I think it also adds more character to the bark of these trees.  For those reasons, my personal preference is for the color version.  Still, both are exceptionally appealing.

Laurel,  I too really applaud you for keeping the softness - as is, the image has amazing impact and mood.  I like the color image too, but prefer the b&w.  I think that the dark bark or material at the bottom of the three trees provides adequate dark tones.  Beautiful work and artistic judgment.

Thanks for all the feedback on this one. I'm glad that the consensus is that soft is good.

Soft is very good. Very nice image, Jeff. - Sean

Terrific composition, and count me among those who prefer the black and white rendition.  Your processing is spot-on to my eye.  I really think the black and white is the most effective at conveying the moody and mysterious feeling of the mist/fog among the trees.  Well done!  Cheers!

P.S. I'll wager there's a snake in that jumble at the base of the FG trees ;-)

My favourite version, of the three. You seem to get deep fogs in that area, the trees in the background are not that far away, yet they are rendered very soft. Are these eucalyptus trees ?

Thanks folks. I have to thank Mike Mancil for suggesting the B&W. It has worked out well.

Chris, this was shot in sandals to. I must look more closely next time I am there.

Peter, they are eucalypts. I like the way the bark comes off in long strips from this variety. It improves their look in images. Fog is quite common around here but not in summer, I think. There has been a lot of rain this summer and it had been raining heavily just before this shot was taken. It was also fairly warm so I guess that is what produced the fog. I certainly wasn't complaining.

I love the low contrast because that is exactly how it is in the fog; great moody photo. I just love Eucalyptus trees...they are my favorite! Very well done. Thank you for sharing. :)

Also my favourite version of this scene, especially the composition has more tension. More contrast is debatable only as local contrast. For my taste contrast is spot on, I would not change a thing. Treescapes are tricky, this is a very good one IMO

Trisha and Carsten, thanks. I'm happy with this one as it is. It's funny how some low contrast scenes lend themselves to B&W. I still prefer the colour version but that is my love of australian bush overriding the art.