"Moss Green Moss"

Moss Green has an appeal like no other color. It doesn't ever seem to be a good color choice for apparel unless you want to be noticed out of the crowd. It's not the most attractive hue as a food, although pea soup is world famous a mere 25 miles to the west of where this image was taken in Buellton. I wouldn't care to be driving down the interstate in a car of this color for fear of a Peterbilt running me off the road. If your house was this color, then you would probably be complying with some historical building code such as the homes in Telluride, Colorado. I used to have a pair of Moss Green suede shoes that matched an argyle Moss Green sweater. I thought I was "stylin", but thank goodness that was a temporary phase! However, draped across the sinewy branches of these oaks tress and this brother of lime green comes alive! I'm just very thankful that I chose Moss Green for my argyle sweater and not his brother!! (this is a blend of several exposures ranging over about 16 stops in order to have open shadows, at the same time retaining the sun as a distinct ball)

This is pretty darned special!  I love that area along the central coast where the epiphytes cover the trees taking all of that moisture out of the air!  You've really captured the essence of a foggy central coast morning.  Very cool image, Mark.  Well seen, captured, and processed!  Cheers!  Chris

Thanks Chris, nice of you to stop by! I had a feeling this could get slammed in the ratings, but I didn't see this coming. Oh well, so be it! I really like it, but I didn't get to really explore all of the potential here. I need to return next spring during wildflower season. This is a protected area, so mobility is limited, thus compositions are compromised!

It took a special eye to see this image, capture it, and process it; and it takes an equally special eye to appreciate the latent (and to me, obvious) beauty of the image that you've posted.  Don't give the weird ratings another thought and keep on doing what you do so well--and that is create some incredibly wonderful fine art landscape images!  Cheers!  Chris

Mark,

I'd hate to think that we had started commenting on each other's ratings failures. This image is exceptional and typical of your vision. Your control of blending to leave the viewer with an image that shows a natural looking scene is excellent. I would have picked this as yours out of any crowd.

The only distraction for me is what I assume is flare in the top section, unavoidable, but unfortunate, I suspect.

Yet again, this is an image that will soar above the heads of the general viewing crowd, but where is there any better site than this?

Mark...  Not to over analyze this, but with the current raters you have an average rating history of 4.59 and while that is higher than your current rating on this shot, it tells you that a few have a tendency to rate low.  Additionally, and without exhaustive digging, I don't see any landscape experience that would qualify as exceptional.  That said I suspect that most of the raters that participate without leaving comments are "first impression" raters that are looking for some sort of "wow factor", you know, the over saturated, highly PhotoShopped, graphic arts stuff that is reputed to be so spectacular and "real".

Well, this ain't that kind of stuff.  This is subtle and exquisite with the quite beauty of true reality, the Fine Art of Nature.  I'm giving this a 7, but then, I have a permanent 7 tattooed on your entire portfolio.  Keep up the good work... Mike

Thanks Jeff and Mike!! Nice of you both to give this image a hand up! I respect all three of you (Chris, Jeff and Mike) and your taste for photography, in particular, landscapes. Mike, you have exceptional taste beyond landscapes and your work in all venues of photography is extremely respectable. I trust all of your words and comments, and I do appreciate those kind words!! The ratings system on this site, I believe, is the least efficient way to define what is truly good in photography. The mass appeal has a different idea of art, but that is the way it is. I'm good with that!!

sad about the rates on an exceptional image. (6). I just loaded some new images but very hesitant to put anything up for rating. Michael M does not rate images unless it is exceptional and I am glad to see you got a 7 from him.