Reflecting Trees pic...sorry

[Parker219]

I know the reflecting trees pic is done a lot, but does this photo do anything for you? It was taken at a winery in New Jersey.
Comments/suggestions welcomed.

 

[MK3Brent]

I kinda like it.

 

[FanBoy]

The reflection is sharp. The composition seems a bit ragged. Maybe a different viewpoint would help.

There is a processing problem in the top right corner.

 

[Parker219]

I'm standing on a bridge looking down the middle of the water way. What angle do you think would be better? I am going back soon.

But yes, the reflection was crazy that day. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

It's pretty harsh processing. Tones and subject elements run together to make the overall feeling of the image less than pleasing.

This could be amended by a less busy composition, or a different processing approach.

 

[Parker219]

^ I see what you mean. Here is another angle that has a little less trees, but there are obviously a lot there. Plus a cool old looking fence gives something else to it, I think. I fixed the sky as well, so it didnt look processed. However it is pretty grey, should I lighten or darker the sky to get more contrast?

Is this better?

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

I've tracked down some great examples of similar photos to yours with similar scenes, treated in black and white, to help me illustrate to you what I'm talking about.

500px / Photo "Reflection" by Finn Gonschior

Notice the isolation here and simplicity, along with the separated tonality where the darks of the trees are contrasting with the soft grays of the water and the sky.

500px / Photo "Row of Trees" by William Dady

This shot has nice lines and tonality as well.

500px / Photo "Tree with a house" by DOF Factory

This one is cool, with the gradient fog. Notice the reflection is giving a deeper black.


Your first photo is very busy, the reflections are strong, and the sharpening and contrast is harsh and strong. The eye wanders around the frame. The second edit, the contrast looks better. The image looks washed out when you look at it big, there are some processing artificats. Are these both HDR? Has noise reduction been applied?

I believe the issue here is somewhat processing (which you can help), but also the general business of the scene(which you can't really help).

 

[Parker219]

Oh wow. Thank you for taking the time to do that. Those other pictures helped a lot. I think you nailed it as far as if the picture is too busy, then nothing stands out. I got the b&w from the "artistic" version of photomatix tone mapping, then adjusting some of the sliders. I think the image is not "bad" per say, just needs some more love in both composition and processing.

Thank you MK3Brent for kinda liking it.

Fanboy if you read this, or anyone really, you said the reflection was sharp, is that a good thing or not? In a perfect world, do you want the water to act like a mirror and have the imagine be reflected perfectly or should the reflection not be as sharp?

 

[FanBoy]

A sharp reflection can work to your advantage. It all depends on the composition.

 

[sleist]

There's too much going on - too busy. My eyes don't know where to look. The harsh contrasts (is this HDR?) really do not help here.

 

[Parker219]

^ Yep, I guess I need to find a happy medium between 1 tree reflecting ( have seen a million times ) and 20 trees like this picture. I upped the contrast to get the trees to stand out from the sky, otherwise they were just kinda grey and blended in.

 

[sleist]

There's a big difference between seeing something done a million times by others and being able to produce the same result yourself.
You can't learn how to drive by watching traffic on the highway.

 

[Parker219]

^ I guess I meant, I have seen it enough, I dont feel it is interesting. So using your metaphor...I dont want to drive a toyota, like a lot of people, I want to drive a car that I built in my garage. Not better by any means, but different and unique.

 

[sleist]

The basics are never interesting.

 

[Allenkerky]

I've tracked down some great examples of similar photos to yours with similar scenes, treated in black and white, to help me illustrate to you what I'm talking about.

500px / Photo "Reflection" by Finn Gonschior

Notice the isolation here and simplicity, along with the separated tonality where the darks of the trees are contrasting with the soft grays of the water and the sky.

500px / Photo "Row of Trees" by William Dady

This shot has nice lines and tonality as well.

500px / Photo "Tree with a house" by DOF Factory

This one is cool, with the gradient fog. Notice the reflection is giving a deeper black.


Your first photo is very busy, the reflections are strong, and the sharpening and contrast is harsh and strong. The eye wanders around the frame. The second edit, the contrast looks better. The image looks washed out when you look at it big, there are some processing artificats. Are these both HDR? Has noise reduction been applied?

I believe the issue here is somewhat processing (which you can help), but also the general business of the scene(which you can't really help).

This is exactly how I feel about this. Terrific break-down