Back to Gravenstein Meadow - Frosted Red Alders and Cottonwood Trees: Frosted Red Alders and Cottonwood trees from Bunch homestead meadow. A cold day, but the air was so pure and...

Laurence68 Loc: Olympic Peninsula, WA

Frosted Red Alders and Cottonwood trees from Bunch homestead meadow.

A cold day, but the air was so pure and clean!

I haven't received the images from the Fuji GX680 camera yet; however, I did receive two processed rolls from the Yashica Mat 124 that I used for a couple of snaps the previous day.

Same Bunch family homestead (1895-1929) meadow area as old apple tree in post below. This old cleared meadow is now part of Olympic National Park.

Camera is about 60 years old now, and has been working well, but I still sent it for a CLA and it is cleaned internally and tuned up to a smooth working machine; call it preventive maintenance, like changing the oil in your car.

Yashica Mat 124 TLR Camera
Yashinon 80/3.5 lens
Kodak Ektar film

(Download)

Islandgal Loc: Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canada

Just one word...stunning!

Laurence68 Loc: Olympic Peninsula, WA

Islandgal wrote:

Just one word...stunning!

Thanks for your nice comments on this image and the previous post as well. You are very close to the Olympic National Park from Vancouver Island.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

I like this one Laurence, but it doesn't quite have the punch of your previous post. I'd try a bit more contrast and experiment with mid-tones adjustment. Might make the difference?

Linda2 Loc: Yakima Wa.

I think it absolutely beautiful! I wonder what you, and others, might think about cropping out just the reddish foreground?

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Linda2 wrote:

I think it absolutely beautiful! I wonder what you, and others, might think about cropping out just the reddish foreground?

I wouldn't choose to crop the bottom off - it adds so much. The colours compliment the top, and the shadow band anchors the base. The whole image is formed in bands across the width and is part of its attraction. I like images that have that complimenting darkness top and bottom, its not uncommon in landscapes (although I have been criticised for including it myself).

Islandgal Loc: Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canada

Laurence68 wrote:

Thanks for your nice comments on this image and the previous post as well. You are very close to the Olympic National Park from Vancouver Island.

Yes, one day I promise myself to see this area!

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Linda2 wrote:

I think it absolutely beautiful! I wonder what you, and others, might think about cropping out just the reddish foreground?

I can understand the impulse to possibly crop the bottom strong region of russet as a possible distraction...but strongly disagree that it be done.

Why?

That well-saturated narrow zone is an exceptionally effective balance of the pointedly low-saturated character of the rest of the image. “Balance”, though often thought of in terms or relatively equal areas, is, IMO, more often achieved by a strong contrast in character, rather than merely a consideration of relative areas/mass. As in this case, a small region of strong saturation is the perfect off-set for the considerably larger area of low saturation...and thereby contributes most effectively to the impact of the image.

In this connection I often think of the impact of some small red thing in an expansive winter scene... or of the effect and meaning of the “red wheelbarrow” in the poem by William Carlos Williams:

The Red Wheelbarrow

“so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.”

Just one guy’s opinion, of course!

Dave

Linda2 Loc: Yakima Wa.

magnetoman wrote:

I wouldn't choose to crop the bottom off - it adds so much. The colours compliment the top, and the shadow band anchors the base. The whole image is formed in bands across the width and is part of its attraction. I like images that have that complimenting darkness top and bottom, its not uncommon in landscapes (although I have been criticised for including it myself).

I thank you for your thoughts and reply. I am saving to give it more thought when I have a bit more time. An awesome photo of a favorite subject!

Linda2 Loc: Yakima Wa.

Uuglypher wrote:

I can understand the impulse to possibly crop the ... (show quote)

Thank you too Dave for your considerate thoughts. I also will save this to give more time to a bit later.👍

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Laurence68 wrote:

Frosted Red Alders and Cottonwood trees from Bunch... (show quote)

A fantastic image!!!
After viewing in download I would get the red out, it is just too warm for the rest of the image.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Laurence68 wrote:

Frosted Red Alders and Cottonwood trees from Bunch... (show quote)

You really got the light right in this photo. I love my Yahica and am encouraged to see what a great photo that camera is capable of.....in the hands of the right photographer.
Erich

Linda2 Loc: Yakima Wa.

I have enjoyed thinking of your comments and I do totally understand the concept of a spot of color in a winter scene. I don't like the idea of cropping it out but it still seems a bit strong to me since it covers the entire length of the shot. I would be tempted to play with changing the tone of the rust just a bit and give it just a little frostier look. And again, just my very humble thought!

Uuglypher wrote:

I can understand the impulse to possibly crop the ... (show quote)

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Linda2 wrote:

I have enjoyed thinking of your comments and I do totally understand the concept of a spot of color in a winter scene. I don't like the idea of cropping it out but it still seems a bit strong to me since it covers the entire length of the shot. I would be tempted to play with changing the tone of the rust just a bit and give it just a little frostier look. And again, just my very humble thought!

To change the tone in the way you suggest, it may only require a tweak with the orange and yellow luminosity sliders in Lightroom - a simple and retrievable adjustment that can do so much for an image.

Laurence68 Loc: Olympic Peninsula, WA

THANKS for all the feeback! I only have an old version of Photoshop - ANCIENT, actually as it's PS5!

I need to get up to speed so I can use things like Lightroom, which undoubtedly gives much more control to images.

On my next computer and operating system upgrade, I will probably subscribe to the monthly Adobe CC and LR venues.

In the meantime, I'm fooling around with the image, based on the GREAT feedback.