Reflections, Shadows & Light

[Brownbear]

I'm still working on improving my landscape images, along with my post processing skills. These were all taken with my wide angle lens which I'm still becoming familiar with.

This scene is of Rice Lake on the North Shore of Vancouver, Lynn Canyon park. It's a beautiful area with miles of hiking trails and back country, frequented by at least one eagle and black bears. (I have yet to see a bear)

The following images are just basically variations in composition and post processing. Hence I would be most appreciative of receiving some feedback for improvement on. As simple as advising on the preferred composition and/or processing and why will suffice.

Aperture priority f/16 ISO 100 focal length 10-14 mm.

1.



Note: The different light on the scene attracted me to the image but I lightened the trees on the right hand side thinking they were a bit dark.

2.




Note: I'm thinking that the pier in the immediate foreground doesn't work because the reflection is sufficient foreground interest?

Lower viewpoint and processed more contrasty

3.



4.



Thank you.

[nimitzbenedicto]

I'm still working on improving my landscape images, along with my post processing skills. These were all taken with my wide angle lens which I'm still becoming familiar with.

This scene is of Rice Lake on the North Shore of Vancouver, Lynn Canyon park. It's a beautiful area with miles of hiking trails and back country, frequented by at least one eagle and black bears. (I have yet to see a bear)

The following images are just basically variations in composition and post processing. Hence I would be most appreciative of receiving some feedback for improvement on. As simple as advising on the preferred composition and/or processing and why will suffice.

Aperture priority f/16 ISO 100 focal length 10-14 mm.

1.



Note: The different light on the scene attracted me to the image but I lightened the trees on the right hand side thinking they were a bit dark.

2.




Note: I'm thinking that the pier in the immediate foreground doesn't work because the reflection is sufficient foreground interest?

Lower viewpoint and processed more contrasty

3.



4.



Thank you.

Hi Christina,

Nice.

I do agree with your comments for #02.

[Brownbear]

Hi Victor,

Thank you. At the time I was thinking the pier rail might work but in hindsight it is a little odd, and I appreciate your comment to let me know.

I also can see that #1 is crooked. I will straighten it tomorrow.

[FrankMi]

Hi Christina! An object in the foreground can work if it is complementary to the rest of the image and particularly if it helps frame the image or tell a story. In image #2 it is cutting off some of the reflection. It might work well if it were positioned so that it was in the notch formed by the two reflections?

I think if I were to try that approach I might leave the top of a fishing pole leaning diagonally against one of the rails, with a line attached to a red and white bobber just a little ways out to help tell a story. Hope this helps!

[DanK]

I think #1 is by quite a margin the nicest. the lines from both sides draw me to a focal point, which is the gap between the trees. I don't know whether you intended this, but on the horizontal plane, it fits the rule of thirds. I agree with you about #2. The railing doesn't really fit, and I find it distracting. Neither 3 nor 4 has as clear a focal point as #1. Just IMHO.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

Some very pleasant scenery and love the reflections in that still water;

No 1, - I think needs a smidgin more sky at the top, easily cloned I suspect and the slight clockwise rotation. There appears to me to be a bit of distortion with the outer trees appearing to be leaning out towards the edges especially when compared to No 2.

No 2, - As Frank has mentioned the rails would have been better to the right but that may not have been an option. Is there any way that the bright area of the sky at the 'V' could be toned down? Good foreground sharpness here, it may be worthwhile noting how/where you focussed for future reference.

No 3, - Would it be worth considering cropping half of the water (between tree tip and bottom), just seems to improve it to me.

No 4, - For some reason, as with No 3 I find that it's too central vertically and would be improved with either more sky or water.

As for a 'preferred' image I'll go for No 1 but followed extremely closely by 4

Grahame

[Shadowman]

I like the pier but it does as you say kill the reflection, but in combination with #1 I think it works. #3 and 4 are very nice also.

[JBW]

1 and 4 work the best for me. 3 is just too narrow. My favourite because it invites me to ask: 'what is around the bend' is 1.

[rtbaum]

Christina- I'm with you in the learning curve with going from telephoto to wide angle, it is a new kettle of fish. I can't help but think that a neutral grad filter would have helped with the transition between sky and reflection.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Christina

I like #1. I agree with Grahame about rotating the image a bit clockwise. I also agree with Grahame about adding some more sky if possible and balancing the upper and lower parts of the image because it's a reflection image. So you might need to crop from bottom if it is not possible to add some more sky to the top.

IMO the composition in #2 is not very inretesting , because the foreground subject doesn't add to the image and I prefer #1.

IMO compositions of #3 and #4 are too tight , all I can see a lot of green and branches. I think reflection photos need wider angles . I would prefer #1 and #2 for the angles they were shot.

[Brownbear]

Hi Frank,

Thank you for advising. When viewing the images with the pier included I could see that something seemed odd.

Great idea! I don't fish but this lake is frequented by fishermen so perhaps one of them will lend me their fishing pole. I wonder how you knew that people fished here.

Hi Christina! An object in the foreground can work if it is complementary to the rest of the image and particularly if it helps frame the image or tell a story. In image #2 it is cutting off some of the reflection. It might work well if it were positioned so that it was in the notch formed by the two reflections?

I think if I were to try that approach I might leave the top of a fishing pole leaning diagonally against one of the rails, with a line attached to a red and white bobber just a little ways out to help tell a story. Hope this helps!

[Brownbear]

Hi Dan,

Thank you for taking the time to give me some feedback. Yes, this was my intent as the lines of the trees lead to the gap, but as usual I found it challenging because the prettiest part of the scene is the portion of the trees/reflection that the pier ends point to. I will try that shot at a later date with my 300 mm lens.

All the shots with the pier in it will be trashed. As will # 3 after I review my post processing, and cropping. At the time the time the trees/light/reflections just looked gorgeous but now they look like a bunch of ordinary fir trees.

Thank you.

I think #1 is by quite a margin the nicest. the lines from both sides draw me to a focal point, which is the gap between the trees. I don't know whether you intended this, but on the horizontal plane, it fits the rule of thirds. I agree with you about #2. The railing doesn't really fit, and I find it distracting. Neither 3 nor 4 has as clear a focal point as #1. Just IMHO.

[Brownbear]

Hi Grahame,

Yes, it is a very pretty scene.

I am going to repost #1. I have not cloned the sky. I find cloning impossible to do well.

#2. Another perspective for the rail pointing wasn't possible, although I did try a few shots with the rail serving as a frame (parallel) instead of a leading line. I did bracket the shots, and later on I will try and merge them to see if I can tone down the bright area of the sky.

3. I've decided to trash this image because it just doesn't look pretty. But I will post another version of it.

4. The next time I visit I will see if I can find a spot further back to include more water or sky... I suspect that it is not possible without me going into the water. (:

Thank you as always for your feedback and advice.

Hi Christina,

Some very pleasant scenery and love the reflections in that still water;

No 1, - I think needs a smidgin more sky at the top, easily cloned I suspect and the slight clockwise rotation. There appears to me to be a bit of distortion with the outer trees appearing to be leaning out towards the edges especially when compared to No 2.

No 2, - As Frank has mentioned the rails would have been better to the right but that may not have been an option. Is there any way that the bright area of the sky at the 'V' could be toned down? Good foreground sharpness here, it may be worthwhile noting how/where you focussed for future reference.

No 3, - Would it be worth considering cropping half of the water (between tree tip and bottom), just seems to improve it to me.

No 4, - For some reason, as with No 3 I find that it's too central vertically and would be improved with either more sky or water.

As for a 'preferred' image I'll go for No 1 but followed extremely closely by 4

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Thank you to all for advising and sharing.

John - Thank you... Indeed at the time I could see that including the pier killed part of the reflection but for some reason I still tried it.

Brian - After mulling these over #1 is my favourite, too. Backcountry forest trails are around the bend and black bears.

Randy - Yes, using the wide angle lens is a new kettle of fish that I intend to tackle. I intend to invest in some graduated filters one day but for budgetary reasons I have to delay the purchase of these for a little bit longer.

Binnur... Thank you as always. I'm poor at cloning but I will revisit this site and the next time around I will see if I can fit more sky in the image. I am going to post a revised version of #1 which incorporates your feedback.
#3 didn't turn out as I envisioned - just a bunch of trees instead of beautiful trees. I still think #4 might have potential that I have to think on, and/or just re-shoot.

PS I see that you have added a notation that you are of the female species. LOL!

[Brownbear]

Image #1 Un-cropped as photographed and straightened.

I also felt that my WB was incorrect. Photographed during early morning and it is very blue. This time I did not lighten the shadows on the trees on the right hand side because the difference in the lighting at that point is one of the factors that caught my attention.



Another version of #4...

Not cropped and processed to keep the blue and the contrasting lighting



Another version of #3

[bnnrcn]

IMO new versions of #1 and #4 are better Christina. New version of #3 has so much empty sky that I would try cropping some of it to balance the image and I find the compositions of #1 and #4 better than #3.

BTW, yes, in order to stop complications I added a notation next to my name, because two more members thought that I was male after you and Mike were mistaken So, because we usually look at the identity information on the forum pages rather than on our profile pages, I have solved the problem this way

[Brownbear]

Thank you Binnur. Your feedback is always truly appreciated. Yes, I think new version of #3 has too much empty sky but I decided that it is better for me to post my images uncropped since I always seem to go astray when cropping.

Indeed. Another solution may be to change your profile name to "Binnurita" endearing Spanish term for little one, and the "a" on the end is female. Just kidding!

IMO new versions of #1 and #4 are better Christina. New version of #3 has so much empty sky that I would try cropping some of it to balance the image and I find the compositions of #1 and #4 better than #3.

BTW, yes, in order to stop complications I added a notation next to my name, because two more members thought that I was male after you and Mark were mistaken So, because we usually look at the identity information on the forum pages rather than on our profile pages, I have solved the problem this way

[bnnrcn]

I should add a photo of mine as avatar but I'm being lazy about it.

[Brownbear]

That would definitely work.

I should add a photo of mine as avatar but I'm being lazy about it.

[bnnrcn]

BTW Christina, do you know where Mike is? I haven't seen his comments for sometime