Forgotten Childhood

[JacaRanda]

I actually like the 2nd one too. It has a mood to it even with the sky. Looks like maybe the rain and rain clouds have blown over with the Sun making it's way through.

 

[Murray Bloom]

I'm not so keen on the revision. The sky has gone a touch magenta and there's now a disconnect between the central sky and that in the upper right. Also, a lot of the deep grays have gone toward black. If you're using PS, you might want to try a touch of Shadow/Highlight to bring down the sky, then a bit of selective saturation to build up the blue.

It's a really pretty shot, but the tree looks a tad yellow to me, although that could be the influence of all that bright grass. If it were my image, I'd consider it a very near miss and wouldn't give up on it.

 

[runnah]

Thanks, Murray I am actually going back tonight to get a shot with more dynamic clouds.

 

[amolitor]

The light's too good to miss out on. Just shoot some clouds from the right angle, and bang in a new sky, don't be a wuss.

 

[amolitor]

Also, I would take just a hair off the right edge, so the further tree is properly the edge of the frame, instead of being "near" the edge. All the edits look pretty good to me. All colors are possible in the evening.

 

[kundalini]

...I am actually going back tonight to get a shot with more dynamic clouds.

Take a flash fitted with a snoot, zoom the head to its tightest spread and hit it on the camera left side. Don't blast it so it looks ackward with the direction of the setting sun, but enough to add some pop. As is, it is featureless for being the subject of the image. If you can't get an OCF there, use a small reflector to accomplish the same.

Awesome location find. It could take many, many trips there to get the right combination, but it would be worth it IMO. If your child(ren) are of an age that fits the scene, make him/her stay up past their bedtime. Borrow a kid if you have to, but I think you'd have a greater impact for the scene. It begs for a person to be in it.

 

[runnah]

The light's too good to miss out on. Just shoot some clouds from the right angle, and bang in a new sky, don't be a wuss.

Ha! PS'ing new sky with trees is insanity.

 

[runnah]

...I am actually going back tonight to get a shot with more dynamic clouds.

Take a flash fitted with a snoot, zoom the head to its tightest spread and hit it on the camera left side. Don't blast it so it looks ackward with the direction of the setting sun, but enough to add some pop. As is, it is featureless for being the subject of the image. If you can't get an OCF there, use a small reflector to accomplish the same.

Awesome location find. It could take many, many trips there to get the right combination, but it would be worth it IMO. If your child(ren) are of an age that fits the scene, make him/her stay up past their bedtime. Borrow a kid if you have to, but I think you'd have a greater impact for the scene. It begs for a person to be in it.

Good idea with the flash.

No models tho, sketchy trailer on the property with possible meth addicts.

 

[amolitor]

The light's too good to miss out on. Just shoot some clouds from the right angle, and bang in a new sky, don't be a wuss.

Ha! PS'ing new sky with trees is insanity.

Oh, I would just paste a couple clouds into the open areas, and fiddle with colors to blend. Screw messing with the trees. The sky is actually blown out enough where you could probably bring a big ol' cumulus head "down to the horizon" by just blending it into the more-or-less whiteness that's already there.

 

[runnah]

The light's too good to miss out on. Just shoot some clouds from the right angle, and bang in a new sky, don't be a wuss.

Ha! PS'ing new sky with trees is insanity.

Oh, I would just paste a couple clouds into the open areas, and fiddle with colors to blend. Screw messing with the trees.

I could use a lens flare to kids the seams.

 

[amolitor]

Now you're thinkin!

 

[WesternGuy]

These are very nice pictures. I like the second one best as the added tree on the right provides a nice frame for the swing and the detail in the bark of the bigger tree is just great. As far as the sky goes, there really is not a lot you can do if there are no clouds - I know because we have days, even weeks, where the sky is just a very solid blah, err...I mean blue. The only thing you can do is to replace the sky with one that has some features.

WesternGuy

 

[JosephCarter]

Nice scene for sure, as everyone has said.. I picture the best scenario for your 're-shoot' being either golden hour with some nice clouds, or slightly after with the clouds lit up in a pretty pink..

I even think it might look cool if you wait until the kids are tucked into bed, and go back when its starting to get dark, and experiment with some longer exposures, with the deep blue late evening sky.

Just thought I'd share what's floating around in my brain.. I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

 

[Buckster]

The light's too good to miss out on. Just shoot some clouds from the right angle, and bang in a new sky, don't be a wuss.

Ha! PS'ing new sky with trees is insanity.

Just for giggles:

 

[amolitor]

I'm pretty sure Buckster is a modern-day Faust, and has made a deal for an actual magic selection tool.