I Got Trees on my mind: I decided not to go with the invert technique this morning. But I wanted to get a silhouette of a tree without leaves against the morning sky. In this case, the...

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

I decided not to go with the invert technique this morning. But I wanted to get a silhouette of a tree without leaves against the morning sky. In this case, the sun had not quite come up. Yes, there was nice color in the original (which I posted in the gallery); but I wanted to try something different and see if I could come up with a look that was appealing. I used the antique plate filter in Nik Silver Effects. First, though, I bracketed the shot plus and minus 1.7 stops. I merged those three photos in LR and used the result to apply the edits in Nik. Hope it does not look too gimmicky or stylized. I was looking for a stark winter effect.

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Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

I wish to see a more blended darkness by the tree at 10 and 1, stands out a bit too much. Cant take my eyes off that twig sticking up in the foreground. I really like what you have done here ebrunner. Brings about a very moody shot that defiantly feels like Id need a heavy coat to spend any time on that bench. Maybe a couple of steps to the left to create a bit of separation of the bench and table.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Frank2013 wrote:

I wish to see a more blended darkness by the tree at 10 and 1, stands out a bit too much. Cant take my eyes off that twig sticking up in the foreground. I really like what you have done here ebrunner. Brings about a very moody shot that defiantly feels like Id need a heavy coat to spend any time on that bench. Maybe a couple of steps to the left to create a bit of separation of the bench and table.

I was wondering about those dark spots. It looked fine at first; but the more I looked at it, the more I want to change it somehow. Maybe with some selective burning. I agree about the twig. I did several versions of this photo and the one prior to this one, I removed the twig. Guess my mind thought it was already removed. A final edit would certainly get rid of that twig. As for the separation, I was thinking of cloning out the picnic table altogether. I think the bench has greater impact than the table? Thanks for taking the time to provide such detailed and valuable commentary.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I love this, Erich! The tree itself is so beautiful, and including the bench & table add to the mood.

I like the processing very much, including the darker areas, which seem to balance the composition.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

ebrunner wrote:

I decided not to go with the invert technique this... (show quote)

I really like this a lot Erich, it has a ton of simple drama. With the "lonely tree" being so common it's almost becoming cliche, it is hard to get an original one, but you have indeed done so, with all that fine detail, graceful shape, contrast, and toning working so well together. You have other compositional elements that also elevate this past the usual Lonely Tree offering, especially those little posts or whatever they are that give you a nice meandering line to follow round to the distant side. If it weren't for that darned picnic table, you'd have a Lonely Bench as well!

If it were mine, which we know it isn't, I probably would dial back the light vignette just a bit to get a smoother transition from the lights of the vignette to the medium darks of the sky.

Beautiful work...

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Linda From Maine wrote:

I love this, Erich! The tree itself is so beautiful, and including the bench & table add to the mood.

I like the processing very much, including the darker areas, which seem to balance the composition.

Thank you, Linda. I finally found a subject where the "antique plate" filter in Nik is a good fit. I still might play around with the table and/or bench. Glad you enjoyed the photo ,

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

minniev wrote:

I really like this a lot Erich, it has a ton of si... (show quote)

Thank you so much. I know the subject is a cliche. I liked the straight black and white version that I posted in the gallery; but this treatment seemed to me to add to the mood of the original. There is a mill in New Jersey in one of the trendy touristy towns by the Delaware that everyone around here shoots. I shows up in competitions all the time. Each time the judge has the same, and I think justified , response that the photo is so ubiquitous around here that it has to be handled differently to give it some originality. That is what I tried to do here.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Well a man who says street should have nothing removed I have to tell you the table needs to go. There is no street I can see so its allowed!
The furniture captures the eye too readily. Really like to see it all gone and replaced with a continuous line of posts but aware that's easier said than done in PP.
The lonesome tree thing is a well flogged horse but yours is special enough to fight for space on the wall.

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

I like it! I agree with others that in a final edit the twig and the table should go. I would leave the bench on the principle that the lonely bench in the cold snow is, well, lonely. It's unlikely that anyone will trudge out there to sit on it, not for long anyway, so it needs to be there as part of the story.

I do think the "print" is a little flat. There seems not to be a black or white point. Now that may be the effect you are after, and it is old-timey, but my natural inclination is to brighten the snow a little and get a solid black somewhere; it does not have to be prominent, just a black point so you know the contrast is right (old zone system guy). :thumbup:

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Billyspad wrote:

Well a man who says street should have nothing removed I have to tell you the table needs to go. There is no street I can see so its allowed!
The furniture captures the eye too readily. Really like to see it all gone and replaced with a continuous line of posts but aware that's easier said than done in PP.
The lonesome tree thing is a well flogged horse but yours is special enough to fight for space on the wall.

It is always a risk to tackle a subject that has been done to the point of "flogging". Furniture is, of course, a concern. First because the two items have very little space between them and second because they are incongruous. I also like your suggestion to remove all the furniture period. Yes, that might a bit tough but: "...we do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard". Since I started with a cliche photo, I might as well end with a cliche in prose. Thank you for your input. I'm always interested in what you have to say.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

Chuck_893 wrote:

I like it! I agree with others that in a final edi... (show quote)

I think I know what you mean about a black point; and it does appear to be a bit flat. I can live with that. I wanted the photo to be different enough from all the other lonesome trees we have seen to warrant discussion. Thank you for your input. Now I need to do some research on "black point" so that I can be closer to the page you are on. Thank you, again.