Working the Sun, I mean the Scene (Page 2): Real interesting images. I thought the sun in 1 could have a little bolder presence. Its unusual to have a texture, as with the striations...

fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut

Real interesting images. I thought the sun in 1 could have a little bolder presence. Its unusual to have a texture, as with the striations, so I think it works differently as a compositional element than an unblemished orb. Almost square crops niggle at me so I re cropped square and moved things over just a little. I also thought the silhouette of the trees could be more subtle, so I basically darkened and cropped a little. 2 looks just right to me. 3, if the movie is the spiders web with the spectral lighting effects and the silhouettes on a creamy background color, the sun is the lady with the hat that sat in front of me. I would try rework it, reducing the blast furnace of the sun, and bringing out the much more interesting web. 4 is not possible, so I came off the tracks right away on this one. Its a shot that needs something, so I understand adding the bird. The sun is pretty hot in this one too.

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

Linda, looks like a pretty productive morning shoot. My favorite is #2. I think you made that weed (at least I think it is a weed) a star☺

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

fergmark wrote:

Real interesting images. I thought the sun in 1 c... (show quote)

Thank you for your detailed and thoughtful feedback, Mark! I love your bolder, closer study of #1. Got a great chuckle out of the lady in the hat reference; we've all been behind one of those

I appreciate your comments re #4, and another great comparison (off the tracks). Terrific points to ponder. Your time is much appreciated.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

NJFrank wrote:

Linda, looks like a pretty productive morning shoot. My favorite is #2. I think you made that weed (at least I think it is a weed) a star☺

Thanks Frank! What was so cool about that moment, after the light pink of earlier, was seeing the exposure in the real-time EVF (mirrorless camera), and that duo-color ringed sun. I had to rush around trying to find something appropriate to place in front of it

The plant is teasel, an invasive species. Appreciate your interest in the set.

drobvit Loc: Southern NV

Linda From Maine wrote:

I don't know what happened to my date/time stamp in exif, but these were all shot within an hour last year, on a very smoky morning.

The changes in sun color between the first two are close to reality. #3 an #4 are reflections in a pond, plus the raven has been added - as has a texture

I welcome your impressions, feedback, edits. Many thanks!

1&2 are beautiful! In 2, the sun reminds me of a fireball (remember penny candy?) cut in half. As bad as wildfires are, they do provide for some great photo ops as you have demonstrated. Good comp in 3, a pleasing photo. 4, my take on the sun's apparent position (to the raven's left) doesn't match with the highlights on the raven's right side. Maybe just me. I'm not certain about the sun's angle. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Very lovely indeed Linda - all of them. #1 is simply beautiful, and love the way the birds align with the sun. #4 is as nice a piece of compositing as could be wished for - good composition and the colouring to the bird is spot-on. You’re getting good!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

drobvit wrote:

1&2 are beautiful! In 2, the sun reminds me of a fireball (remember penny candy?) cut in half. As bad as wildfires are, they do provide for some great photo ops as you have demonstrated. Good comp in 3, a pleasing photo. 4, my take on the sun's apparent position (to the raven's left) doesn't match with the highlights on the raven's right side. Maybe just me. I'm not certain about the sun's angle. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Thank you so much for commenting! I do remember fireball candy, but I also have some shots that are pink sun reflections in the pond and they look exactly like bubble gum!

#4 is intended to be fanciful (the sun is not in the sky; it's a reflection in the water), but I didn't go far enough for people to accept the fancy

Many thanks for your interest and time.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

magnetoman wrote:

Very lovely indeed Linda - all of them. #1 is simply beautiful, and love the way the birds align with the sun. #4 is as nice a piece of compositing as could be wished for - good composition and the colouring to the bird is spot-on. You’re getting good!

Oh, and here is Dave who likes the composite! I was just writing to drobvit that I probably need to go further. I was hesitant about that one. I suspect you've just gotten used to how I think, and can fill in the blanks

Many thanks for your comments, Dave.

kenievans Loc: Dallas

I really like #3. Its like you are laying in the grass looking up at the sun with your eyes shielded. Great perspective and effects around the sun. Love it!

rockdog Loc: Berkeley, Ca.

Linda From Maine wrote:

I don't know what happened to my date/time stamp in exif, but these were all shot within an hour last year, on a very smoky morning.

The changes in sun color between the first two are close to reality. #3 an #4 are reflections in a pond, plus the raven has been added - as has a texture

I welcome your impressions, feedback, edits. Many thanks!

Way to work it my friend! For me all four are successful due to your compositional skills and thoughtful use of this unwelcome light. We have certainly had our opportunities to work with this sad light in the last two years.

drobvit Loc: Southern NV

Linda From Maine wrote:

Thank you so much for commenting! I do remember fireball candy, but I also have some shots that are pink sun reflections in the pond and they look exactly like bubble gum!

#4 is intended to be fanciful (the sun is not in the sky; it's a reflection in the water), but I didn't go far enough for people to accept the fancy

Many thanks for your interest and time.

I know the sun in the photo is a reflection. I was probably just getting too analytical trying to base the highlights on the raven's compared to where the actual sun's location might be. Overthinking on my part. Does not detract from your fancifullness.

Linda2 Loc: Yakima Wa.

Really nice Linda. You took advantage of our smoky skies very well. If I HAD to choose a favorite I think it would be the thistle and now you want to know why---texture, shape and color I guess. I have a hard time analyzing "why" sometimes!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

kenievans wrote:

I really like #3. Its like you are laying in the grass looking up at the sun with your eyes shielded. Great perspective and effects around the sun. Love it!

Thank you, Keni. That's a delightful response! Your comment about effects around the sun, and someone else's, made me go back to the originals. I was a couple of feet above the pond, facing towards a low-angle sun (this is its reflection in the water). I'm thinking these bokeh bubbles

are a combination of lens flare and out of focus sparkling light reflections on the water.

The below has just the clarity slider pumped up, and the WB changed to one that seemed to give best look at the web.

It was interesting to see the changes in color when I selected different WB - one of the joys of using raw! I had discovered all kinds of interesting results with WB when I experimented last fall with my foggy cow pasture, including how blue you can make the scene when you take an "auto WB" in bright sun (reds/yelllows dominant) and change it to "tungsten"

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

rockdog wrote:

Way to work it my friend! For me all four are successful due to your compositional skills and thoughtful use of this unwelcome light. We have certainly had our opportunities to work with this sad light in the last two years.

Thank you, Phil. Sure hope your situation has improved somewhat. We've been smoke-free for over a week and even better, below-average temps (only 80 instead of 90!).

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

drobvit wrote:

I know the sun in the photo is a reflection. I was probably just getting too analytical trying to base the highlights on the raven's compared to where the actual sun's location might be. Overthinking on my part. Does not detract from your fancifullness.

No worries, there are a great many analytical minds on UHH