Swamp Music (Page 2): Thanks Linda, I am so glad the crazy branch works for you, I have a lot of respect for your "eagle eye"! While it bothered me at first, I ended up embracing it...

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Linda From Maine wrote:

I agree with Peter re the horizontal limb. And also because we often see shots of forests with strictly vertical trunks. The branch is not dominating, and is a nice little counterpoint.

I love the mood, the processing, and everything about this gorgeous image, Minnie!

Thanks Linda, I am so glad the crazy branch works for you, I have a lot of respect for your "eagle eye"!

While it bothered me at first, I ended up embracing it and counterpoint is the perfect word for it.

When I post the followup thread, I hope you'll help me in the journey to figure out this approach to processing. I am trying to deconstruct someone's work and figure out how to apply similar principles to get something of the result but in a different way.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Joanna27 wrote:

You made good lemonade. I like the branch. It helps move my eyes around the image without being overwhelming.

I love your various locations. I wish I could follow you around but I live in too far away. :)

My locations are scattered all over and you're always welcome. I ramble all over US and Canada as budget and time permits. I love the natural world and take every opportunity to explore.

The swamps are my home base though, and I'll be doing swamps most of the winter. We don't have grand landscapes in Mississippi so I have to be a bit more creative here.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Pixelpixie88 wrote:

I think this is beautifully done, Minnie! Love the lighting, I don't mind the branch. I wonder about adding just a little more space to it...not much. First impression...really like!

Thanks so much Marsha. I agree it needs more space especially on the left. I'm gonna look at some of my other shots and see what's there. The angle is very limited because the only place to shoot the trees is from this narrow footbridge,

As I told others, this one is all about the processing. I will be posting a followup thread with more info and a lot of questions, and I hope you'll help me figure out what I am trying to do. I only have a few clues, and I need other brains!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Frank2013 wrote:

No need to listen too any of us minniev.you have arrived. What we have to say while taken into account by you will no longer have the same influence of the past, you have gained your vision so run with it and never look back. Not bad on the pp work either by the way.

Thank you Frank! My vision always outpaces my skills though. This is a new processing effort by me, but it is something I've been mulling over for a while, given my affection for stands of trees that are fairly boring in straightforward captures. I've combined a bunch of different stuff (kitchen sink processing) but I'm still trying to figure out the how's.

I'll be posting a followup thread asking for more specific help with this effort, so stay tuned.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

minniev wrote:

Thank you Billy. I'll take that as high praise fro... (show quote)

You misquote me ma'am I said its impossible to capture natures splendor on your little oly's sensor so capture a small piece and make it into what you actually wanted to see. You have done both.
Celtic harp music sounds right up my street. A bong full of weed and some Celtic harps blasting out of the speakers!

Pixelpixie88 Loc: Northern Minnesota

I'll be looking forward to the followup!! I'm anxious to know what you did.

minniev wrote:

Thanks so much Marsha. I agree it needs more space especially on the left. I'm gonna look at some of my other shots and see what's there. The angle is very limited because the only place to shoot the trees is from this narrow footbridge,

As I told others, this one is all about the processing. I will be posting a followup thread with more info and a lot of questions, and I hope you'll help me figure out what I am trying to do. I only have a few clues, and I need other brains!

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

just stunning. Water, woods, and fog to pull them together. I especially like the blue glow to it. This is top shelf work girl!

edit - nothing boring about swamp

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

pfrancke wrote:

just stunning. Water, woods, and fog to pull them together. I especially like the blue glow to it. This is top shelf work girl!

edit - nothing boring about swamp

Thank you Piet, I appreciate your kind words. I'm pleased to find I didn't make more of a mess of it since it's the first time I've tried this processing idea. Watch for my next thread about it and help me learn more...it'll be a bit of a post processing thread but more about chasing vision actually.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

You've done something very interesting and effective with the colour. The blue and purple are just light enough to allow the complementary touches of yellow/green to show through and add interest. I get the impression that if I tried to create that from scratch I'd be struggling. If you could specify what you did I'd be all ears.

This is definitely not the usual swamp colouring that we get from you, so you must have done something......

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

R.G. wrote:

You've done something very interesting and effective with the colour. The blue and purple are just light enough to allow the complementary touches of yellow/green to show through and add interest. I get the impression that if I tried to create that from scratch I'd be struggling. If you could specify what you did I'd be all ears.

This is definitely not the usual swamp colouring that we get from you, so you must have done something......

Glad you found it interesting RG. The color is about the ONLY thing I didn't tinker with, I guess it was caused by the fog. Looking 45 degrees right, it was gold (you've seen some of my gold-fog photos and I took more this time) but above, it was starting to burn off and the sky was very blue and clear. The only color I "worked" was to saturate those little orange leaves on the renegade branch once I determined to keep the thing.

The real "something" that went on here is entirely different from anything I've tried before. Stay tuned, I'm gonna start a new thread by tomorrow and ask for HELP in trying to further this odd quest. I'll need ideas from PP gurus like you.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

minniev wrote:

.....The color is about the ONLY thing I didn't tinker with.......

.....Stay tuned, I'm gonna start a new thread by tomorrow and ask for HELP in trying to further this odd quest. I'll need ideas from PP gurus like you.

Amazing. it's so different from your usual swamp colouring I was convinced you'd used some clever filter or preset :) .

PP guru?? That's waaaaay more flattery than I deserve. However..... I'm never stuck for opinions when I see good stuff like yours :-D .

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

R.G. wrote:

Amazing. it's so different from your usual swamp colouring I was convinced you'd used some clever filter or preset :) .

PP guru?? That's waaaaay more flattery than I deserve. However..... I'm never stuck for opinions when I see good stuff like yours :-D .

I do think some of the strong arm tactics I used in PS darkened and emphasized the color that was there. But the whole process is different than my usual swamp recipes.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

minniev wrote:

I do think some of the strong arm tactics I used in PS darkened and emphasized the color that was there. But the whole process is different than my usual swamp recipes.

We wait on tenterhooks.......

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Sounds like a terrific learning experience for all!

minniev wrote:

Thanks Linda, I am so glad the crazy branch works for you, I have a lot of respect for your "eagle eye"!

While it bothered me at first, I ended up embracing it and counterpoint is the perfect word for it.

When I post the followup thread, I hope you'll help me in the journey to figure out this approach to processing. I am trying to deconstruct someone's work and figure out how to apply similar principles to get something of the result but in a different way.

spaceblue Loc: Greenfield, MA

Fantastic! Dreamy lighting, subtle colors, reflection... just love it!