mississippi, swamp cypress near the natchez trace parkway Cypress Swamp 03 - Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi

The first in a series of swamp shots. Some specific questions for you: Composition? Color balance? The fallen tree in the foreground/right ... does it help lead your eye into the image? Any other thoughts?

 

I wanted to get a lower perspective, but I was shooting through the bottom portion near the floor of the board walk (see previous upload). And please don't tell me that I should have gotten down into the swamp ... I was totally afraid of teh ALLIGATORS!! ;-)

 

Thanks!

I also wondered if a square crop at the bottom of the frame would work ... what are your thoughts?

Any comments or ratings are appreciated! :-)

A square crop works; but you've cropped the wrong end. Crop from the bottom up to just below the base of the cypress in left FG; and then crop some from the top. This removes the end of the sawn log in FG and the bits of blown sky evident in the top. I have always loved these bald cypress swamps. If you ever have the chance; go visit the Atlantic White Cedar swamp on Cape Cod. Cheers! Chris

Thanks, Chris - I'll have to try it. Cape Cod is a lot closer than Mississippi. :-) I guess I'm emotionally attached to the entire fallen tree ... I worked really, really hard to include the entire length of it in the image when I shot it. It took several minutes to set up the shot. Let me see.........

As per Chris' crop suggestion.....

Yup! That's the crop; but after looking at both crops, your original comp. is probably the strongest of the lot. You know, Lou Ann, this has the potential to be a pretty nifty black and white image. While you're sitting up there in the frozen northland you oughta play with it...Hint, hint...Cheers! Chris

Yeah, the weather is really especially ucky this evening. The ice and hail are so bad that they're actually very LOUD. It's been like that for a few hours now. Ugh! Anyway - how about this?

Whoa! I'm likin' this bunches! Great job on the B&W conversion, lady. Nice tones throughout and the greens at the top pop! Seriously, nice work, Lou Ann! Cheers! Chris

 

P.S. I'm glad that you're sittin' there hunched over the PC; you're having a heck of a lot more fun than I am. I am busy writing a paper at work (plus checking out your new postings...LOL). C

Original flavor, please.

 

IMHO - The square crop loses the dynamic of the swamps tightly packed tall trees. The B&W loses the other-planet feel of the light green swamp scum. I think this one is just perfect and the best of the three.

 

Thanks for sharing!

I too like the original the best. There's more of a sense of depth and height. Also, the b+w version doesn't do much for me. If anything (although minor), I'd crop from the bottom just to the point where the near end of the downed log would be gone. I like this photo and I'm sure different people will have different ideas as to what they'd like to see, but the bottom line is ... what pleases you.

 

Good work.