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Hello there,
I've asked for a photo critique using the "Request critique" button on my published image's detail page some time ago.
The button's gone since but I haven't received any feedback yet. I guess that button doesn't do what it says?
So I'm giving my first critique request a second try through the forum.
I couldn't have walked past this picture without noticing it. A single young tree with bright autumn leaves on the edge of a dark fir forest.
I didn't look for a spooky mood but rather wanted to bring forward my first impression / emotion when I discovered this scene during a hike: Life always finds its way, even when surrounded by darkness.
Z6 settings: 1/30 f/5.6 ISO 200 35mm tripod
In ON1 Photo Raw, I selectively adjusted the light and gradually darkened the forest to make the tree stand out even more than it already was. Added a bit more contrast to individual trees in the foreground.
My question is what could I (have) improve(d) on this photo to emphasize the mood? Does my photo live up to the caption?
I am also wondering what it takes to be included in the “Awarded” category? Is there a popularity percentage threshold criteria may be?
Thank you,
Frank
Frank,
I see you found the Critique Forum. Thanks for sharing the photo with us here. I think it's a very good forest scene, and you chose a good title for it.
I'll offer just one editing suggestion - that you try brightening the highlights a little. It's not a 'rule', but a usual practice to use the full tonal range so an image has detail from dark shadows all the way to bright highlights. If you're a Photoshop user, click 'Image>Adjustments>Levels'. The Histogram shows that the highlight side is not being fully used. If you hold the Alt key down while you move the Highlight slider to the left you'll see exactly when 'clipping' starts and detail and texture begin to disappear. For the screen shot sample edit I was able to go all the way to 200. That brightens the highlighted yellow leaves considerably. It also makes the leaves at the bottom of the frame a bit brighter - so the History Brush was used at 50% to restore the darkness there.
It's only a suggestion. We always urge photographers to trust their instincts when composing and editing. Keep mood and theme in mind as you work. That's personal style.
. . . .
Steven, senior critic
Frank,
The best advice you became of my friend Steven, with his advice for the light, A great improvement. I have only a suggestion for a fraction better composition. And of course is this my personal vision for what it is. I used the nice presentation of Steven and did following: I made in Photshop a duplicate layer and moved the second layer a fraction to the left and made one layer . After this I made again a duplicate layer and did EDIT>TRANSFORM>SCALE and moved from above the second layer with pushed SHIFT button on the keyboard (now stretch only in one direction) to above. At last again one layer. I think you created now more depth on the right with nice leaves in front..
Theo L.
PS. I forgot the clone right below a fraction.
Frank,
I see you found the Critique Forum. Thanks for sharing the photo with us here. I think it's a very good forest scene, and you chose a good title for it.
I'll offer just one editing suggestion - that you try brightening the highlights a little. It's not a 'rule', but a usual practice to use the full tonal range so an image has detail from dark shadows all the way to bright highlights. If you're a Photoshop user, click 'Image>Adjustments>Levels'. The Histogram shows that the highlight side is not being fully used. If you hold the Alt key down while you move the Highlight slider to the left you'll see exactly when 'clipping' starts and detail and texture begin to disappear. For the screen shot sample edit I was able to go all the way to 200. That brightens the highlighted yellow leaves considerably. It also makes the leaves at the bottom of the frame a bit brighter - so the History Brush was used at 50% to restore the darkness there.
It's only a suggestion. We always urge photographers to trust their instincts when composing and editing. Keep mood and theme in mind as you work. That's personal style.
. . . .
Steven, senior critic
Steven T Hi Steven,
I apologize for getting back to you this late. I caught the flu and wasn't feeling well enough to write text on a PC these last days.
I appreciate your advice and time invested on my photo.
I have to say you are spot on. I thought I had to keep the picture dark, down to pure black, to give it this sense of darkness.
But looking at your version I realise that's not necessary. So using the full histogram makes sense a lot.
The leaves get more punch, the pine trees background gets more depth and when in addition I keep a bit more shadows at the bottom I all happy with the result.
I'm not a PS but ON1 Photo Raw user, nonetheless I'm able to apply similar techniques/functionalities than you to achieve the same goal.
So thanks a lot for your help!
Regards, Frank
Frank,
The best advice you became of my friend Steven, with his advice for the light, A great improvement. I have only a suggestion for a fraction better composition. And of course is this my personal vision for what it is. I used the nice presentation of Steven and did following: I made in Photshop a duplicate layer and moved the second layer a fraction to the left and made one layer . After this I made again a duplicate layer and did EDIT>TRANSFORM>SCALE and moved from above the second layer with pushed SHIFT button on the keyboard (now stretch only in one direction) to above. At last again one layer. I think you created now more depth on the right with nice leaves in front..
Theo L.
PS. I forgot the clone right below a fraction.
Theo Luycx Hi Theo,
Again apologies for replying this late, but now I'm back from dead.
I much appreciate you having taken the time to review my photo and create a new version.
I had to look twice to understand what you meant. When I compared both my version and yours
side by side, that's when I got your point.
Indeed by stretching the picture so that the branches on the left move much closer to the upper left corner and border
and by adding more dark space to the right the picture gets the "darkness" depth I was actually looking for.
Simple but effective trick. I like it very much.
Many thanks for your advice and help Theo!
Regards, Frank
Dear Sunny Lin ,
Please post your photo and request in a separate post, and remove it from here.
We're happy to help, but it should be one post per user and photograph.
Thanks for your understanding,
Mike
Sunny Lin,
To post a photo in Critique Forum . . . .
Click the blue button, 'Critique Forum', or use this link . . . https://1x.com/forum/critique
Then, click blue button, 'Request Critique'
Fill in 'Topic Title' and 'Topic Tags'
Write about your photo - and what aspects of it you'd like the Senior Critics to comment on.
Click 'Attach Photo', click 'Upload', and find the photo on your computer. After it uploads, click 'Big'.
Close 'Forum Images'
Scroll to the bottom and click 'Create Topic'
. . . . Steven T.
非常感謝
Hello, Frank
Welcome to our forum. It is an eye catching image for sure. I just advise to increase the highlights and shadows a little in the trees that are in the first two rows. I did an example in Camera Raw. I just took a brush, increased the highlights and shadows a few degrees. Then I went over to the temperature slider and increased the blues a bit. I think a touch of blue looked good. It is up to you whether you like it or not. Have good light...Çiçek
