Live Oak in Bluebonnet Field

redleash

I saw this tree and loved it! I plan to go back and shoot it again, as there are more bluebonnets out just since Friday. Is there anything I could/should do to improve this shot? I'm thinking it might be a wall-hanger.

Lauren

mr peas

morning and sunset shots would look amazing on this!

Chrissiebeez_NL

agree, that would be killer with the blues of the flowers!

Scott_Quier

Sunrise, sunset, shooting 90° from the sun with a CP mounted. Oh, and if you can order up just a few less clouds (or a bunch of really dramatic ones) - that wouldn't hurt either.

No matter how you cut it, shooting at a time other than between 10:00A and 2:00PM can only help the shot in that it will add a lot of depth. And do use a CP - that will help with the saturation and seperation.

zoomer

Lay down on the ground and take it so those brown spots are not showing.
Then you will have a carpet of blue leading up to the tree.
Take it very early or very late in the day, this looks like high noon light.

Get closer and put the tree in the bottom/middle of the frame not the top, with the bottom of the frame being the carpet of flowers, then just a little sky above and in some space to the right of the tree hopefully with some nice white clouds.

Lots of potential with this one.

Scott_Quier

zoomer wrote:

Lay down on the ground and take it so those brown spots are not showing.
Then you will have a carpet of blue leading up to the tree.
Take it very early or very late in the day, this looks like high noon light.

Get closer and put the tree in the bottom/middle of the frame not the top, with the bottom of the frame being the carpet of flowers, then just a little sky above and in some space to the right of the tree hopefully with some nice white clouds.

Lots of potential with this one.

I like the idea of getting on the ground! I saw the brown patches and just couldn't think of a way to eliminate them - I'm going to have to remember that!

redleash

Thanks, everyone--great suggestions all! I'm planning a late afternoon/sunset shoot today and will go back to this tree. I'll take a blanket so I can get low (loads of burrs in these fields). This is a fenced field so I am limited in my access, but I will take a variety of lenses.

Watch for more shots tomorrow!

Lauren

acowan

Nice scene...it does have lots of potential if shot in the ways already suggested. Nice find!

shniks

Yep- a sunrise or sunset shot (or twilight) would be awesome. But it's such a good shot nonetheless. Excellent...



Cheers,

redleash

I went back out yesterday but I was too early (5pm) for sunset or dusk light. I also discovered most of the roads and fields run east-west, so it will take some more exploring to find a good angle for sunset.

I had a tough time getting much lower in the shot because of the fence and berm. I did manage to get a little more blue and less dirt, and fewer clouds. Didn't notice the foreground branch until I saw it on the screen. When I go back I will look more carefully.

1.


Here is another shot from yesterday, sort of in between the original and the lower angle shot.

2.


Any thoughts on these versions?

Scott_Quier

I'm really liking the first of the second set. That's well done. The lighter clouds make a very nice background for that beautiful tree.

Since you are planning on going back.... do you have a circular polarizer filter (a CP)? If you are shooting to either your left or your right (i.e., you are shooting approx 90° from the sun) a CP can really help out the clouds. It can also add a bit of richness to the colors of the flowers and foliage.

redleash

Scott - Not sure why it doesn't show but I did use a CP that day. I use one regularly for my landscapes. It is possible I didn't put it back on for this shot, because I was switching lenses fairly often. I will double check when I go back, hopefully in a couple of days.

On the subject of filters, is this the type of shot and time of day you would use a grad ND? I'm planning to buy one but am just wondering if it would be useful in this type of situation.

Thanks for your comments and help. More to come from this tree . . . .

Scott_Quier

A GND is most useful when the dynamic range of the shot exceeds the capabilities of the camera. For example, if you are making an image where the foreground is a bit dark and the sky above is quite light - that's a time for a GND. Or if the sky is over-cast.

But, they are usually only useful when the division between the bright and dark areas are something of a straight line and there is nothing from one region intruding into the other. For example, if you have power poles (or trees) that start in the foreground and rise up into the sky - not going to work so well as the GND will darken the tree too much and it will look a bit strange.

acowan

I, too, really like the first one of the second set. Nicely done...

D'Buggs

acowan wrote:

I, too, really like the first one of the second set. Nicely done...

2nd'ed.

redleash

Thanks, everyone! I'll have some more trees and bluebonnets to post this weekend.

Scott - Thanks for the GND info, it's helpful!

zoomer

Wow, that first one, what an improvement.
Take just a very small crop off the bottom.
Very nice photo.

Numbers Guy

Wow, shot #1 from the 2nd day is an altogether different photo from what you captured the 1st day. Transition from snapshot toward art. Great work given the 5pm sun.

redleash

Thanks, Doug--one of the few times my work has been called "art" so that is very encouraging!

More to come soon--