Dying Tree

I like the light treatment - looks almost like negative - the other side of life.

My friend I can only say your skill is of very high quality to work with landscape and produce such high quality image while your camera is hand held.

I like how you engineered to the exposure value and maintained such remarkable DOF to obtain this fine details all over the frame work, the contrast and tone again so effective here and do add to the composition of this amazing work.

Thank you my friend for sharing it and wishing you all of the best.

Thanks for your thoughts.  This version is more how I felt rather than portraying how it actually looked.  A little artistic license was applied.  Best, LM.

The great DOF was thanks to the Canon A540 P&S lens.  These short focal length lenses inherently produce great DOF.  It is also their shortcoming in that the photographer is unable to use shallow DOF to separate subject from background.  Knowing that enables one to concentrate on photography that doesn't demand this separation.  Best, LM.

Here is the original file, sized for web, sharpened a tad, but otherwise unaltered.  Best, LM.

Hi Len

In spite of converting the image to black and white professionally, but I find that we have lost the beautiful and very attractive colors of tree twigs with sky background.

But from another point of view, yes B&W gave more dramatic influence for trees and sky. Always have beautiful works.

Not satisfied with simply posting this as it looked to me that day I decided to exercise artistic license just to increase the dramatic impact.  The B&W one works for me but it was the colour version, of course, that initially drew my attention.  Thanks for giving this one your attention & comment.  Best, LM.

Some post exposure processing to increase drama. Your views\critiques

will be gratefully received. Best, LM.

A bit harsh contrast, but the character of the lighting does it! Great composition which still has a great array of tones!

PDE

Good to have your views.  Thanks for stopping by.  Best, LM.

The contrasty B&W was the right choice to make order in chaos here :-) Very good B&W, the downsized web verison is just a bit oversharpened with visible halos, not a big issue

Over sharpened a tad?  I tend to do this.  What I'm trying now is to get it 'sharp enough' & then back off a bit.  I felt the way you suggest when I converted to B&W.  Thanks for your visit & thoughts.  Best to you of Christmas & the New Year.  LM.

Thank you very much for your comment..They are very important for me....Merry christmas and a happy new year to you and your family. best regards.

Same to you!   Let's continue to do this in 2011.  Best, LM.

Hello Len.... even in death some trees are still glowing. Thanks for sharing and

have a great year 2011.

Long time, no see.  Thanks for stopping by.  Even in death this tree had some value photographically.  It had a dramatic look that I tried to increase by converting to B&W and fiddling with ' Curves' in Photoshop.  The result pleases me.  Best wishes for 2011.  LM.

I very much like what you accomplished with this B&W version, Len, it sure has a dramatic impact, and I like your choice of square framing as well. However, if you permit me to make  one tiny nitpick remark: This would be that you might have made the tree appear more 'dead' than maybe necessary, imo... I feel that a bit more visible detail on the dead tree's bark would be more interesting , and possibly provide a bit more depth in your capture..? ( & seeing that you originally captured enough of this on the colored version)

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very healthy, happy, and creative 2011. With warm regards, Marjolein

Thanks for your thoughts.  If I decide to print this one I'll be thinking of your suggestions.  I do tend to overdo things a bit & it's enlightening to hear others' views and suggestions for a different (improved?) image.  Will contact  you later this year.  :-)  Best,  LM.

Interesting comments on an excellent picture. I tend to agree about the oversharpening. I also appreciate that you have included the original color file which has a completely different feeling (and to me, at least, a charm of its own) for comparison. The color version could have been taken (if you'll excuse the allusion) on the outskirts of Rivendell, the elves kingdom in the Lord of the Rings. The B&W version is definitely at the edge of Mordor.

Shhhhh!  Keep it down will you?  If they find out I've been snooping in their backyard bad things will happen to me.  Come to think of it bad things DID happen to me on this outing.  I lost the battery holder for my Bronica SQ Ai when the door securing it came open, unknown to me at the time.  The camera is useless without batteries.  Got a new one from Tamron in NJ but by the time I had it delivered with shipping, taxes, & duty I was out about $75 CDN.  My Bronica is now a STUDIO camera. :-)  Best, LM.