minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Does either have any merit, and What Would You Do? These are the same trees shot from different angles and directions.

All comments, suggestions, edits appreciated about either one...

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Coolcameragirl Loc: Bradenton, FL

I like the second one over the first - too much sky in the first. I would crop the second one in half so that there is no sky at all - the brightness of the sky seems to take away from the beautiful scene.

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

I like them both. Prefer the second. The viewpoint from the center of the road/trail is inviting, "walk with me." The first shot lacks that, plus has the hole in the canopy that lets in perhaps too much sky (relative to the second one), maybe a slight distraction. If I had seen only the first I think I would have passed it by without comment, but the second one makes me want to stride off down that path beneath that brilliant golden canopy to see what's around the bend at the vanishing point.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Both have merit as both tell a different story and can be used in different ways. It is interesting though that a perspective change can have such an impact where to the casual observer these may be thought of two very different places on the landscape where the one gives a dog's eye view looking up and the other the more traditional five-foot view many of us expect to see. The question then repeated back to you is do either of these have merit to you and why?

If I were to choose one over the other the decision is easy where I'd choose the second. The first feels too low to be comfortable and with the trees falling in on me I get a sense mystery wondering what's over the next rise, but also a sense of motion, and maybe doom, with the trees collapsing. The second then has that comfortable feeling of a Sunday stroll through a backroad on a calm, cool, comfortable Fall day. The leading lines of the trees show the way and the color temperature gives the feeling of needing a light jacket, but otherwise, makes me calm and cozy wanting to walk on and explore more.

As a side what's interesting to me is that while most images tell a story, the story can take many shapes and forms, for example, there's the story of the moment, the one the photographer captured, the one the photographer presented after modifying the image, the one the screen shows, and the one I place on the image with my past emotional experiences and history to date. It's a wonder at all the story is told, but magical when they all come together! S-

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thank you! I kinda like that one best too. Haven't tried that crop but will see what it does!

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thanks Chuck. I like the second best too, but wanted to experiment, of course. I always seem to do these road pictures in portrait mode, and made myself try more with landscape mode this trip to see what I might come up with. I always want some place for me to walk to when I look at them later.

Graham Smith Loc: Cambridgeshire UK

It's the second one for me because I feel comfortable looking at it, it has a "loftiness" to it, it is airy, it is a place I want to be. I'm fine with the sky as it's what's causing the dappled light on the roadway, it fits together.

The first one is cramped height wise, it's uncomfortable to me.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thank you Steve for this detailed and thoughtful analysis. I liked them both enough to develop them, so that's something - but the second one seems more how I felt instead of what I saw. In the south we don't have these beautifully colored trees in fall, our trees mainly just turn brown and drop their leaves. So in this breezy yellow fairyland I wanted to walk forever with those leaves slowly falling around me.

As I told Chuck, I almost always take these road pictures in portrait mode, so I wanted to try some with landscape mode and see what they turned out to be. I confess I like my old way best. Of course the angle is different as you noted, one high and one low, one looking one direction and one the other. But still, the soaring version feels more like it seemed while I was there, and the feeling is always going to outweigh the absolute visual when I respond to my own or anyone else's images.

Thanks for making me think a bit more!!

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

For me, there's the image I see, and the one I present. It's a shame the camera can't see what the eye can, but it's there that our creativity lies where it's up to us to tell the story how we can in the way we meant to. Sometimes we get it across while others it's best left in our heads, but either way, the memory is captured and if we can present it to another even better as sharing a memory makes it every so much sweet.

The 'problem' I find then, is how to let the camera show what the eye sees. Perspective helps as most of us think from eye-level, but there are times we want to throw that off a bit, adding tension, or whatever else we desire, much like Hitchock used the zoom perspective method to introduce suspense. There are times too when we want to limit the view, much like you do when you take a portrait of a path, which when you think about it may be more what your eye really sees. Granted our eyes have a wide field of view, but when walking we typically focus on what's in front of us, we may notice what's around us in passing, but it's the forward view that keeps our attention, therefore it's the same with your forced perspective of the portrait mode.

They are wonderful images and make me jealous we don't have something similar without a bit of a drive, but in all remember that images are reflections of memories of your life, and to present them it's best to think about how to tell the story. For me, I ask myself what made me stop and stare, then make the 'directors square' with my fingers trying to mimic what the camera sees, and figure out how best to tell that story. You know this better than I though!

With jealousy, S-

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

All that you say here is so true. We vary our approach to a scene by choice and by necessity, to try and capture some of what made us want to hold onto it for all time. Most of us aren't thinking about trying to sell something when we are out there, we are just happy with the beauty, or the drama, or the emotion, and we want to keep it. Some people collect rocks or stamps, but we collect images. We share them with one another, but in truth we are doing this for ourselves most of the time. So we want to hold the feeling as well as the sight. Or at least that's how it is for me. So I want not just how it looked but how it felt to stand there under those trees, and even remember the wind and the smell (a maple forest in fall has a very particular and wonderful smell).

If I ask myself the two stories for these two pictures, #1 is "There is probably something wonderful just over that hill, can't wait to see what it is", and for #2, "This yellow tunnel of sky-reaching trees goes on forever and I wanta stay on it just that long".

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

#2 is exactly how I would have shot and processed

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Thank you Graham, The loftiness is why I usually shoot my roads/tree tunnels in portrait, but wanted to try something different. Glad you think the sky was OK, I was so glad to see some blue instead of dull gray like it was much of my trip! Of course dull gray days have some benefits for foliage, but they will steal your golden hours from you entirely.

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Another reason why people get us mixed up sometimes....

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

For me, the second version has an intimate and embracing feel that the first shot lacks.

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

They both have merit minniev. Don’t know that I would do anything particular. Your first has the normal wide angle look which in this case gives the feel of the trees closing in with a chance to escape the other end. The second more of the tunnel feel. Your pp of this one seems to have a yellow tint to the spots of sun peaking through to the pavement and the pavement itself. Two spots of sky a bit blue compared to the rest, on the left and one right…I guess it could be cloud coverage but it is noticeable and doesn’t feel right. All in all I like both for different reasons.