Maple Sugar Time

[tameigh]

I have been trying to give this image more dimensionality than my past stuff. How'd I do?



Mostly I punched it up in ACR, then applied a light opacity overlay adjustment layer. I feel like the colors might be too much, but I took the picture ten mins before sunset, and the light was very colorful.

Raw:
_MG_0021.CR2 - 13.5 MB

In order to get the free service, they make you wait 30 secs, before making the download available.

[MiniChris]

I went in and cropped to the same area, etc but found I lost too much because as the pixels were reduced, the flatness of the image increased. I would strongly recommend shooting that shot and not trying to extrapolate five small buckets from a forest of strangled imagery. I find that it lacks "roundness, depth of image and of color...it's just too minimalist to my liking.
From what I saw in the original file, I am not sure I see where you punched it up, and quite contrary, I found it not white-balanced or even color balanced properly prior to the layering effects. Work on achieving the best possible image prior to leaving ACR for PS, then if needed, tweak accordingly.

[tameigh]

Thank you, you should charge.

[MiniChris]

Sometimes, even for a crumudgeon, I give a decent critique...

There are two intertwined concepts to this forum. The first and foremost, this is a place to learn. If each of us is not putting forth some type of critique to our fellow photographers, then it sort of becomes "just another forum."

The second part of this forum that goes hand in hand with this teaching concept, is learning. Through constructive criticism, we should all be learning sommething new, everyday. By showing our work, we give confirmation to the efforts of others to guide and in turn, at some point, pass our knowledge on to the next person.

This is the whole of the difference between this forum and any other I've ever been a part of - well, in fact, other than one I am using with my students for the time being, I've withdrawn from all the others.

I make it a point to learn something new every day and today, I learned that maple buckets can be found most anywhere in Vermont and not just on some major supplier's farm. Kind of novel for a Florida boy. So, Tim and anyone else, everyone else, put forth your best effort, learn from your mistakes and grow as a photographer and as a colleague to CiC.

[tameigh]

I value the theads where I get the most criticism, because I learn the most. But not fixing the WB was a rookie mistake I shouldn't keep making.

BTW, maple buckets are not that easy to find anymore, I will post a pic of how they do it now when I go back and reshoot. The trees are wound up with permanent tubing, purple colored tubing. It is not picturesque. This farm has an old timer living there, no doubt.

Probably the reason you didn't know that maple buckets can be found along the side of the road is the desire for the most picturesque crop ends up ditching little details like stop signs, parked cars, etc.