Weekly Assignment #101: Sun behind leaf

NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
edited May 28, 2009 in Assignments
You know what I'm talking about: that chilly crisp winter morning, low-hanging sun, one of the last leaves still grasping the dried up branch. At any rate, unless you're in a total desert or behind of one of the Polar Circles, you gotta have all three important ingredients: some sort of leaf to fill your frame with, an unobstructed sun to provide the back-lighting, and the camera to capture this whole thing.
Fresh pictures only, moderate PP (b/w or duotone is OK), multiple entries OK if they are substantially different.
Let's get some sun-back-lit leaves!
"May the f/stop be with you!"
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Comments

  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited December 12, 2008
    *looks outside* *bookmarks this for spring when the leaves return*
    //Leah
  • Ann McRaeAnn McRae Registered Users Posts: 4,584 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    Do pine needles count? As someone
    behind of one of the Polar Circles
    , I can't plan on sunlight or leaves for a couple months.
    I do have some not very old shots from Napa tho - wanna see them?

    ann

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  • davevdavev Registered Users Posts: 3,118 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    Must be a south of the Mason - Dixon line type of thing.
    There hasn't been any leaves here for over a month.
    You gotta get out more NIk.:D
    dave.

    Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
  • baldmountainbaldmountain Registered Users Posts: 192 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    I managed to find some leaves even though we had a ice storm yesterday and lost power. (We live just outside Boston.) I used some on camera flash, (the awful popup one), to fill the leaves a bit. I messed with exposure and flash composition until I got something not completely awful. Yes, that is the peak of my house in the background. 11doh.gif

    435741430_7ZpQS-L.jpg
    geoff
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    Ann McRae wrote:
    Do pine needles count? As someone , I can't plan on sunlight or leaves for a couple months.
    I do have some not very old shots from Napa tho - wanna see them?

    ann

    OK, a thick bunch of the pine needles will do!thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    baldmountain wrote:
    I managed to find some leaves even though we had a ice storm yesterday and lost power. (We live just outside Boston.) I used some on camera flash, (the awful popup one), to fill the leaves a bit. I messed with exposure and flash composition until I got something not completely awful. Yes, that is the peak of my house in the background. 11doh.gif
    Very nice picture! thumb.gif Did you try it w/o flash though? The idea was to get the translucency of the leaf..rolleyes1.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    davev wrote:
    Must be a south of the Mason - Dixon line type of thing.
    There hasn't been any leaves here for over a month.
    You gotta get out more NIk.:D

    Nov 9.
    Come on, Dave, baldmountain could do it, why can't you mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • davevdavev Registered Users Posts: 3,118 Major grins
    edited December 13, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Come on, Dave, baldmountain could do it, why can't you mwink.gif

    It sure won't be for a few days.
    We're on the east edge, central Minn. waiting for up to 10 inches of snow.

    435940009_DM69K-O.png

    (You know I'm just playing right?)
    dave.

    Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
  • egieskeregiesker Registered Users Posts: 27 Big grins
    edited December 16, 2008
    Back lit leaves
    First post... here goes...
    3080935753_76506a9b62_o.jpg
  • egieskeregiesker Registered Users Posts: 27 Big grins
    edited December 16, 2008
    Back lit leaves #2
    3115214800_4a135b84e7_o.jpg
  • egieskeregiesker Registered Users Posts: 27 Big grins
    edited December 16, 2008
    Back lit leaves #3 and last one
    3116682263_9a9555992c_o.jpg
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 17, 2008
    Thank you, egiesker! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • JDEORTAJDEORTA Registered Users Posts: 144 Major grins
    edited December 19, 2008
    Just found this assignment thread, NICE!!

    Here's my entry for this one.
    439646239_buRUq-XL.jpg
    Jose D.
    Canon 40D
    EF 28-135 IS USM
    Speedlight 580EX II
    www.deortaphotography.com
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 19, 2008
    JDEORTA wrote:
    Just found this assignment thread, NICE!!
    Here's my entry for this one.
    Thank you Jose! thumb.gif
    But how about a version with the sun *directly* behind the leaves? mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 19, 2008
    408587949_TkEUX-XL.jpg


    I thought I had a lot more, but not truly backlit.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 19, 2008
    pathfinder wrote:
    I thought I had a lot more, but not truly backlit.
    Thanks Jim! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 25, 2008
    I found another

    408591307_L5CWK-XL.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 25, 2008
    And another - back lit leaves have always been a favorite of mine - who knew?!


    442834864_kcYmc-XL.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2008
    Oooo... love the last one pathefinder ^

    Here's one from the series of "iced leaves" I took for the challenge a few weeks back:

    iceleaves-3s.jpg
    facebook | photo site |
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2008
    Annndddd... another

    starleaves.jpg
    facebook | photo site |
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2008
    WHOOPS - forgot that it was fresh images only.... ne_nau.gifbow

    Delete them if you need to - sorry about that! (However I too am fresh out of leaves in this part of the world right now - we haven't had any for at least a month....)
    facebook | photo site |
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2008
    divamum wrote:
    WHOOPS - forgot that it was fresh images only.... ne_nau.gifbow

    Delete them if you need to - sorry about that! (However I too am fresh out of leaves in this part of the world right now - we haven't had any for at least a month....)
    No worries! Happy Holidays! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 26, 2008
    I'm on a role - Here is another, all shot in the same late afternoon light

    442850203_yFGfb-XL.jpg

    I like the leaves in ice shots. They are cool!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 26, 2008
    pathfinder wrote:
    I'm on a role - Here is another, all shot in the same late afternoon light

    I like the leaves in ice shots. They are cool!
    Very cool, I agree! thanks, Jim!
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    Spent a little time at the Huntington, today.

    BacklitleavesDSC_1107.jpg
    Lee
    __________________

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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Spent a little time at the Huntington, today.
    Nice! :-) Thank you! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    Okay, a lot of time. . . .

    BacklitBambooDSC_1114.jpg
    Lee
    __________________

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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
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  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    Well, maybe I spent too much time there today. :D

    Backlitleaves2DSC_1122.jpg

    Last one for this assignment . . . promise! :D
    Lee
    __________________

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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Well, maybe I spent too much time there today. :D
    Last one for this assignment . . . promise! :D
    You did have too much time rolleyes1.gif and not a single shot directly matching the assignment with the sun directly behind the leaf? mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    You did have too much time rolleyes1.gif and not a single shot directly matching the assignment with the sun directly behind the leaf? mwink.gif

    eek7.gif

    The word "directly" is in neither the assignment title nor the description. deal.gif

    To avoid lens flare, I did the same as most everyone else and placed the sun behind and slightly to one side. I did add some fill flash (and curves) to preserve detail in the shadows, but all three images are backlit by the sun, and each bunch of leaves contains at least one leaf is not backlit and shows direct reflection from the sun.

    As an example, please study the bottom leaf in my third post. You'll see three things: 1) backlighting on the lower right edge 2) direct reflection on top and 3) also on top, shadows on the camera side of the veins.

    So there. :D
    Lee
    __________________

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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
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