A tree agaist the sky?

[cosmonaut]

I just bought an E-500 and this is one of my first pictures. This is my first DSLR. I did a crop, levels adjustment and sharpened it slightly. Does it look ok or over processed? Really I didn't do that much to it...
Cosmo

 

[LaFoto]

Well, we do see a compressed version of it, and compression never deals too well with something as filigrane as winter trees with all their branches and twigs.
I am sure the large file does not look overprocessed at all and I quite like what you saw here.
If it were mine, I'd crop in a little more from the left to place the tree another tad further left within the frame, that would make it still less centred.
The sky is good and very true-to-life ... ours looks like that for most of the time, too.

 

[Parago]

I agree, I like it a lot, except the crop. Off center would look much more interesting. A nice frame around it - perfect. Good first shot! :thumbup:

 

[cosmonaut]

Thanks, The extra set of eyes helps, I was film up until a couple of days ago. So I have a new camera and also a monitor. Here is the cropped version, it works much better...
Cosmo

 

[Parago]

I think I would've cropped even more radical. See below.

I also increased contrast and saturation slightly.

 

[LaFoto]

Yes, such was my idea, too, actually. Including that bit of a crop from above to maintain the normal print ratios ... the sky allows for it, I think.

 

[Parago]

Yes, such was my idea, too, actually. Including that bit of a crop from above to maintain the normal print ratios ... the sky allows for it, I think.

Definitely. Still, a very impressive and vibrant sky.

 

[cosmonaut]

Here's another edit. I broke out the chain saw plug in and trimmed the broken limb off...
Cosmo

 

[LaFoto]

... the chain saw plug in and trimmed the broken limb off...

Cool.

 

[ladyphotog]

Nice shot, I like the new crop. Try cropping with the tree on the right side on the third instead of the left, I think it would be more pleasing to the eye.

 

[becmaclean]

Now, I like this!! I love the crop as the tree is your subject with a very cool back drop. I think this crop allows the viewer to look ONLY at the tree as a subject ...because it actually is an intersting tree...almost symetrical.

Not going against anything anyone else has said though. Perhaps an off-center crop would be nice...but I like it just the way it is

 

[midnitejam]

I like the original. I see more images of trees that have the tree centralized rather than where the crop is dictated by the rule of thirds. And frankly, I've become more favorable to the 'unorthodox' crop of trees. As in this original image, the composition works to emphasize the tree and departs more feeling to the lonely scene.

 

[cosmonaut]

Nice shot, I like the new crop. Try cropping with the tree on the right side on the third instead of the left, I think it would be more pleasing to the eye.

Thanks Ladyphotog,
Wonderful idea and thanks a million.
Cosmo

 

[Dan28607]

I like it!

 

[ANDS!]

The original works better. The "toss the tree to left/right" suggestions, while they may be traditionally pleasing - dont really add or substract from the original image, which I think is dead on.