DEEP

Apparently the accomplice as an important element in the composition becomes emphasized by the two trees on each side of the photo. After my eyes have roamed around the image, I am drawn back into the bench and together with the mist that adds the appropriate mood, this image is stunning.

Congratulations, Alf.

A very quiet, reflective image here.  The softness of the mist creates the tranquility in the mood of the individual sitting on the bench. Very nicely seen and executed.  thanks so much for your recent comments, best of everything, rek.

Beautifully composed.  The hint of color turns an almost monochromatic scene into a mystical wonderland.  Compliments. ~~~~~:

PATSY

I know exacly what this gentleman was feeling, a very cold posterior!  I know this because he told me as I asked him to pose for this particular shot on a wet icy bench. : - ) But I have to admit, the scene did promise to have a great mood, and it seems to have communicated itself well.  Thank you so much for your interest and thoughtful comments Patsy.

Best Regards

Alf

WAYNE

I know what you mean, there does seem to be something magnetic about the aspect of the man looking into the misty depths ofthe forest.  I actually set this shot up, albeit spontaneously at a  moments notice I asked a friend to sit and pose on the icy bench, I then almost forgot about the shot I'd taken until I was browsing the file. When I happened upon it, I was quite surprised at the presence of the mood.  Many Thanks for your imput Wayne, very much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

We were both strolling back to the car after shooting the deer and misty forest for the day, I happened to glance to the right and noticed the lonely looking bench and the idea was born there and then.  My accomplice complained bitterly about the cold bench but sat there in the interests of art and photography : - ) So you could be right, the scene was after all noticed before the addition of the accomplice, but I think he's a definite plus factor.  Many thanks for your observations and positive feedback Mike.

Best Regards

Alf

JOE

Sincere Thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated. One aspect of the processing of this image, might be of interest. In lightroom there is a slider control named "Clarity" what I tend to do usually is slide it to the right marginally and this provides a more definitive contrasting image. On this occasion I slid it to the left and accentuated the already misty depths of the trees, it was then relatively easy to allow more contrast to the nearer composite elements of man, bench and tree when adding the finishing touches in photoshop.

I agree Joe it does seem to have the promise of a B & W alternative, and of course I'd have been more than pleased to see your version.

Cheers Joe!

Best Regards

Alf

TAMARA

It's good to know I still have the ability to surprise : - ) And yes I agree totally with oyur analogy, the presence of the man is a significant factor in this scene, and offers a multitude of personal analogies and interpretations.

Yes you really should get your images printed, start with a single selected image and experiment with providers like Mpix or photobox, once you log on to thier web sites, it's just a case of choosing a size and type of fnish, and just following the upload instructions, give it a go!

Sincere Thanks for your positive feedback Tamara, very much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

JOHN

It's another scene from the same location as the deer, at Dunham Massey. It turned out to be quite a productive day.  He really wasn't that brave John, he complained bitterly the whole time : - ) But he was a good sport and sat it out for me.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughtful observations and positive feedback John.

Best Regards

Alf

KALLOL R

Many Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

MICHEL

It is always good to read your observations and thoughts and I do particularly like your analogy of a man mourning the passing of another tree, another dying and decaying spirit of the forest. Of course the truth is that I just asked him to sit there for the shot, but I like your version far better : - )

Sincere thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback Michel.

Best Regards

Alf

MARCO

I'm really pleased you liked this one, but the ears were an oversight in processing, either that or it was colder on that bench than I thought : - )

Many Thanks & Best Regards

Alf

RICK

Sincere Thanks for your interest and  positive feedback, this was pretty much as I framed it in the viewfinder too. Glad you liked it Rick.

Best Regards

Alf

HOLGER

Many Thanks for your thoughtful observations and positive feedback. I have to confess that the image was contrived to some degree. Albeit arrived at spontaneously and inspired by the empty bench and misty depths beyond. It was then just a case of persuading my "accomplice" to sit on a cold wet bench : - )

Cheers Holger and Take Care

Alf

KALLOL M

Many thanks for your interest and enthusiastic response, very much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

LARRY

Always good to get your thoughts and observations, and I do appreciate the time you take to express them. But you caught me out, the ears were not intentional, just a result of last minute "fiddling" a habitual process from which I should refrain. I tend to process an image to my satisfaction, then leave it a couple of days or more, then when I am ready to upload to PN I make hasty adjustments that quite often result in mistakes being made. But yeah, there is an element of humour there too which softens the blow : - ) Have a great time in New Zealand Larry you lucky person! I shall look forward to seeing the photo's.

Best Regards

Alf

SAAD

Sincere thanks for your kind comments and astute observations, you are quite accurate about the mans ears (see the above explanation) it looks the same on my calibrated monitor also and yes it is an easilly rectified element. The composition is pretty much the view as I saw it through the viewfinder of the camera and as such it would probably stand a crop, but I don't see any real advantage in doing so, although yes I do concede everything is subjective.

Best Regards

Alf

GAIL

Sincere Thanks, always good to get your views and thoughts, and I do appreciate you taking the time to make them known. I wonder now how this would have looked with an empty bench, but somehow don't think it would have had the same impact. Glad you enjoyed it Gail.

Best Regards

Alf

JULIE

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts much appreciated!

Best Wishes

Alf

NIKI

Many thanks for your kind words and positive feedback, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

KEITH

Thanks for stopping by, It means a lot to me to have your admiration and approval

Best Regards

Alf

TONY F

I agree the solitary figure is a significant factor, but your thoughts echo that of Mikes and now you have me thinking I should have taken a shot of the bench without my "accomplice" present..........come to think of it, maybe I did, I'll have to check. The bench is stting in a patch of icey ground though no doubt it would be mud if it thawed : - ) I like the idea of a B & W version, something I'll experiment with when I get time. 

Sincere thanks for your thoughtful observations and positive feedback Tony.

Best Regards

Alf

DONNA

I agree with your analogy of the man, being in essence a part of the scenery that is to be contemplated along with the rest of the scene. Ahh yes the ears, well it was bloody cold! : - ) but see the above explanation for my incompetance relating to this aspect of the processing.  Fairytale.......yeah I can empathise with that too .

Sincere thanks for your thoughtful comments and observations Donna

Best Regards

Alf

STEPHEN

Sincere thanks for sharing your thoughts and astute observations, much appreciated. It is an interesting aspect of landscape photography, the inclusion or disclusion of the human element. For the first few years of practising the art,  I would go to great lengths to avoid any human content whatsoever. But finally in the last couple of years come to the same conclusion that you have, that a person can be a positive element and even in some cases make the image. Another interesting observation you made is the "different kinds of people" = variations. A useful thought to bear in mind for future compositions. I'm very pleased you liked this one.

Best Regards

Alf

TONY H

Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

MAURIZIO

You are either a great poet, or you carry a book of quotations with you

: - ) Thank you for your thoughtful analysis

Best Regards

Alf

JAMIE

I'll let you into a secret, that Ready Brek really does work : - )

Sincere thanks for your thoughtful observations Jamie, always good to hear from you.

Best Regards

Alf

LESTER

I was probably limited to some degree in terms of composition as I still had the long 70 - 300 mm lens on that I'd used for shooting the deer, but it seems to have worked in my favour as the trees frame the shot as you have observed, and a wider view wan't possible. Glad you likes this one Lester.

Sincere thanks and Best Regards

Alf

RICHARD

Many thanks for your interest and positive feed

I realized when i made my comment that this individual was "planted" because you implied so in your presentation, but i let my imagination create this situation based on what i saw in the image.  Someone else suggested a B&W version of this image which i think would be a good idea. I started working on this but in my version I emphasized the foggy blur a little and i couldn't resist letting some colors peak back through the top B&W layer, i also added a bit of grain.  It's just an option and definitely not better than yours just different.  I hope you don't mind me taking this artistic freedom with your image.  Regards - michel

Great shoot, I like the composition and how you manage to dial in some strong colors in the gray environment and keep it balanced. the color aria behind the trees to the right in the picture give you a great sense of depth in the shoot.

Great work

Best regards Tore

When loneliness turns to silence that's all that comes to my mind right now...I love this image, it has a certain mood to it, one that someone just wants to be left alone...Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! Kind regards.

You should always feel free to excercise your artistic freedom with my images, I do after all, take it as a great compliment that you can see any potential for the photograph!

You come up with some excellent alternatives, though we don't always have the same taste of course. I'm always fascinated with your processing skills and different approach. On this occasion I like the B & W processing for the most part, and the grain. I'm not sure if its started to lose some of the foggty blur depite your adjustment, but that could just be a consequence of the B & W contrast. It makes a whole different photo though, and gives me a good deal to think about when trying my own B & W version.

Sincere Thanks and Best Regards

Alf

TORE

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words.  I didn't really do much to this image at all except some saturation of the foreground leaves.  I'm really pleased you liked it though.

Best Regards

Alf

ANABELA

Thats a very profound quotation Anabela, I kind of wish I'd thought of that as a title now : - )  I do know what you mean though, it is as though the figure doesn't want his personal space to be intruded upon.  The truth is, he was just getting a very cold bottom at my request, he is another photographer though, so he understood the importance of "getting the shot"   : - )

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

Alf

Framed , composed and exposed perfectly . Deep wood , deep thoughts , an image to contemplate ! Bill

I can see from all the comments that this really engages and connects with people. I think this is beautifully composed, I like the somber colours and mood. The title is good. The mystery is facinating, what is he thinking about. The surroundings are so misty that they give us no clue, the atmosphere is  melancholy. He looks chilled, sad and lonely. I did read your comments, but this was my impression prior to that.  I have to ask you though, are those ear muffs or are his ears just frozen?

You are fortunate to have a friend who will work with you and be a good sport.

Best wishes,

Linda

Very nicely composed beautiful work, Alf!

Delightful!! I love it.

You nailed two of the three "Deeps" that I thought of too. "Deep Wood, Deep Thought" and Deep Freeze being the third. Contemplating contemplation is always a fascinating passtime : - )

Sincere thanks for your interest and positive feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

LINDA

Yes, I agree and I kind of knew it would "connect" (hope that doesn't sound conceited) but the scene connected with me instantly, and even though the friend on the seat was contrived, everything alse about it was real. He gazes into the misty depths of the forest and creates that mystery that you refer to. He was chilled, in fact we both were, and of yes of course his ears are frozen along with other parts of hsi anatomy which we won't mention here. : - ) Though the real reason for the redness lies in my mistake during processing.  I am most fortunate in having a friend who will not only work with me, but also teaches me a great deal too.

Sincere Thanks for you thoughtful observations and positive feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

ALBERTO

Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving your thoughts, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

Of course we don't know what the man is thinking, but the word this image brings to mind for me is 'reverie'.....calm meditation.  It's such a fantastic setting with the bench placed perfectly between the natural framing of the 2 trees.  I love the sparkle of orange leaves, and the fog connects all of the elements together.  This is a beautiful image aesthetically, but it also appeals on an emotional level.  Bravo!

Agree Christal comment,meditation is what comes in my mind when I see this,so DEEP is a very good choice for message sent by this composition,is like an open window in nature with this two big trees in left and right and man thoughts go deep inside this world,a world with lot of unknowns and events will come,this is what I feel looking to your message.

An ethereal beauty. Magic is in the air... You have created a masterpiece!

(Impossible to read the foregoing comments - too many of them!)

Hi Alf,

A pleasant scene with  the "cold" well presented.

Best Regards,  Mike

Outstanding composition on top of well executed post processing. I like this kind glossy effect that well complement presented work.

Grigoriy

Surrounded by the stillness and nature it is like sitting in a quiet church all by yourself. The earthy colours support and highlight the thought you want to convey. Fine work, Alf, compliments!

CHRISTAL

"Reverie" Now that would have been another good title : - )

This was a set up shot, though I suppose it was quite a spontaneous one. As we were heading back to the car I noticed the bench with the misty trees beyond and asked my friend to sit facing away from me, and despite the icy wet bench, he was a good sport and suffered the discomfort while I took my shot. It worked out far better than i had hoped for, and I'm really pleased you like it.

Sincere Thanks and Best Regards

Alf

RADU

Many Thanks for your observations and thoughts, very much appreciated. An "open window in nature" is a very good analogy, and kind of sums up how I'd like all my shots to be viewed.

Best Regards

Alf

RAJAT

Thank you so much for adding your own thoughts and observations, much appreciated. It was indeed a "magical" kind of day, mist is a powerful element so it would seem.

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE P

The sun never managed to break through the mist the entire day, and so the tempratures remained close to freezing. I'm glad that was communicated to you. Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback.

Kind Regards

Alf

GRIGORY

Thank you for your interest and thoughtful comments. I'm really pleased you like it.

Best Regards

Alf

EL

You have a way with words that are both succinct and poignant "sitting in a quiet church all by yourself"  what a great analogy.

Sincere Thanks

Alf

It took two minutes to scroll down pushing the comment button! ( just kidding ). And.. the name is so appropriate , it give a deep feeling as the photo itself. The person in its special location and posture as well as the fog at background gave a moody atmosphere. The golden point here is a artistic framing with the branches at upper portion, which is so visually inviting. Very well done. Bravo.

Hamid.

The title to this photo certainly describes it well.  The trees in the foreground and the grass on which the frost has melted really frame out the dreaminess and depth of the rest of the photo.  I am really impressed by the sharpness and clarity you are able to get so far back into the photo at f/8.  I'm also in love with the color balance.

I bet your finger got tired : - )

It was the location of the bench that first attracted my attention, it was then just a case of getting my friend to sit on the freezing surface for me to get a shot, I was fortunate with the framing, I didn't have to crop the image at all, it fitted perfectly into the 70 mm focal range, which was just as well as I couldn't zoom out any more.

Many thanks for your interest and encouraging comments Hamid.

Best Regards

Alf

STEPHEN

Sincere thanks for your thoughtful comments and observations, much appreciated. I usually find f8 to f11 the sharpest range with this lens, and indeed with many others. I used to be under the impression that the smaller the aperture the greater the DOF, but have since learned that while there is some truth in that, the image quality is not as good, and after f16 it deteriorates rapidly. After reading some comments from "Mike Palermiti" (A regular active PN member) who recommends shooting most scenes with a wide open aperture, I tried some experimental shots, and I was amazed that in some cases I could shoot a landscape scene at f2.8 and still get good dof and stunning clarity. Of course much depends on the compositional elements within the photograph, and my success was limited to shots where there was nothing very close, but surprising all the same. It gets ever more complicated with "Hyper focal distance" adding to the infinite permutations of  f stops, lens, focal points etc that determine the outcome.

Best Regards

Alf

A lovely, 'deep' & lyrical mood, Alf & beautifully composed. ( although I would perhaps tone down the reds a tiny bit...? = A personal feeling & this to enhance an even stronger mood possibly... ? -- In any event, I like it as is already very much....)  Best regards, Marjolein

Many thanks for your thoughtful and observant comments, much appreciated.  You are quite right about the reds, these are the result of last minute meddling. Some thing that I know I shouldn't do, but temptation sometimes gets the better of me, and after I have processed the image to my satisfaction, I leave it a while, come back at a later date, check it again and then decide if I'm going to post it. After going through this long winded ritual that can take weeks, I then decide at the very last minute to meddle : - ) Of course its nothing that can't be reversed or changed, but I leave my mistakes as reminder to myself to quit with the last minute adjustments.

Cheers Marjolein.

Alf