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Mar 12, 2015 12:22:38   #
Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset
 
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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Mar 12, 2015 12:34:29   #
minniev Loc: MIssissippi
 
Heather Iles wrote:
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Using contrast and clarity sliders often help. If you post one your images that you're wanting help with, maybe we can help more.

You should check out our post processing forum on UHH. Lots of good tutorials about post processing and people interested in it.

Good resource is Michael Frye's Landscapes in Lightroom 5. Specific strategies for us landscape folks.

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Mar 12, 2015 13:45:38   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
In addition to Minnie's post-processing advice, read about light and how much it affects your landscape images: time of day, back lighting, side lighting, soft vs harsh. Learn what the "Golden Hour" is. Here is one article:

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2012/05/16/26-landscape-photography-tips-every-pro-photographer-still-uses/

And here is the post-processing section of UHH:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-116-1.html

Also, if your trees are not sharp, it could have to do with the what you've selected for your camera's focusing options, or such things as camera movement from too slow shutter speed. One book highly recommended on this site is Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure."

Upload a photo to the post-processing forum, with STORE ORIGINAL selected (and don't use too small a file), and let us know what camera you have, and your experience with digital photography.

Welcome to UHH!

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Mar 12, 2015 15:56:33   #
Capture48 Loc: Arizona
 
Need example, as every single photo is different.

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Mar 12, 2015 16:23:39   #
G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK
 
Use a polarising filter which boosts colour. increase your speed a little to lose tree movement. use a tripod.

Depending on your camera use minimum + 1 ISO (books say 100 but often the next higher setting is better on a crop sensor in daytime) Some FF cameras have a sub 100 setting so then ISO 100 is best for them as write articles.

In PP saturation and clarity will boost colour.

If you can revisit location check the direction you are shooting into...if looking west shoot early morning if east shoot late afternoon or move around it... or pick an overcast day or rainy day as colour is boosted in the flatter light of those days.

have fun

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Mar 12, 2015 16:45:12   #
R.G. Loc: Scotland
 
As well as the focus aspect, as Linda mentioned, there is also the aperture aspect. If you have close foreground stuff as well as distant stuff, you'll need to keep your f-stops high (sorry if this is old hat to you. You used the word "sharp", which suggests that maybe it isn't just a processing query).

From a processing point of view, I'm glad you're getting more than "turn the saturation up". Having said that, if foliage is a particular interest, you could work the colour green in the HSL or Colour section. Using that, you could brighten or strengthen the colour green without having to saturate the whole shot.

Much of the texture of tree shots - and foliage in general - comes from the darker areas between the leaves and the darkness of the branches. Other than Contrast and Clarity I would suggest making sure that the Blacks slider is adjusted to give you some proper blacks, especially if you've used the Shadows slider to bring out details in the darker areas of the shot.

Having the Blacks (and Whites) slider set properly helps keep the contrast up before you go anywhere near the Contrast slider, so much so that lowering Blacks too far can make the shot too contrasty. Because of the potential influence of the Blacks slider, it needs to be used fairly carefully, and lowering it till you get proper blacks showing up isn't always the right approach in every case.

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Mar 12, 2015 18:02:08   #
SharpShooter Loc: NorCal
 
Heather Iles wrote:
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Heather, welcome to the Hog!
Good shots start WAY before you get to your computer. You need to have very good light and you need to be close enough to record the detail. You need to make sure your speed is high enough to be able to record the detail and the sharpness that you see. Usually the equipment is up to the task if the first three are there.
PP is NOT for fixing, it's for enhancing an already good shot. Good luck ;-)
SS

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Mar 12, 2015 20:04:34   #
Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington
 
SharpShooter wrote:
Heather, welcome to the Hog!
Good shots start WAY before you get to your computer. You need to have very good light and you need to be close enough to record the detail. You need to make sure your speed is high enough to be able to record the detail and the sharpness that you see. Usually the equipment is up to the task if the first three are there.
PP is NOT for fixing, it's for enhancing an already good shot. Good luck ;-)
SS


Very well said :thumbup: :thumbup:

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Mar 12, 2015 20:21:23   #
mdorn Loc: Portland, OR
 
Heather Iles wrote:
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Come to Oregon! :-)

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Mar 13, 2015 10:00:35   #
flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico
 
Heather Iles wrote:
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


I would also try experimenting with the "clarity slider" in the develop module, as it effects mid tone contrast and, when not over done, can add to detail contrast in the image.

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Mar 13, 2015 11:23:47   #
BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA
 
minniev wrote:
Using contrast and clarity sliders often help. If you post one your images that you're wanting help with, maybe we can help more.

You should check out our post processing forum on UHH. Lots of good tutorials about post processing and people interested in it.

Good resource is Michael Frye's Landscapes in Lightroom 5. Specific strategies for us landscape folks.


Don't over do the clarity slider.

First make sure that the focus is really tack sharp in the camera.

You can adjust the saturation and luminance sliders for green, red and yellow. You will be suprised at how much effect the yellow slider has on trees.

HTH

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Mar 13, 2015 12:18:48   #
imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida
 
Heather Iles wrote:
How do I get trees to pop, i.e. so that they are not flat and are sharp.

I am using Lightroom 5, Windows 7.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Proper exposure and/or HDR. Polarizers may help - depending. The correct use of the many softwares out there in post.

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Mar 13, 2015 13:58:32   #
dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia
 
Heather, it is really helpful if you check your posts and respond to questions seeking clarification.

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Mar 13, 2015 17:32:09   #
SharpShooter Loc: NorCal
 
dsmeltz wrote:
Heather, it is really helpful if you check your posts and respond to questions seeking clarification.


Heather left the building......????
ALL RIGHT......., free-for-allllll..........!!!!!!
I'll start.
I make MY trees POP, by using DYNAMITE!!!! :lol: :lol:
SS

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Mar 13, 2015 18:59:26   #
RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA
 
mdorn wrote:
Come to Oregon! :-)


They pop pretty good down here too, with all the wildfires we've had the past few years!

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