Early Morning in Alabama - C&C Please

redleash

I shot these on our recent trip to Alabama. These were taken at Point Mallard in Decatur, at the edge of a golf course. I tried to capture some of the morning mist. I processed these with Aperture 3, which I just bought this week. I'd appreciate suggestions/comments.

I couldn't decide on a crop for #1. I have more room to play with on the right and the top and bottom. I know the skies are really blown out--I should've bracketed but this is one of the rare times I didn't. Not sure why.

Thanks,
Lauren

1.


2.


3. B&W version

rhondavid

Hope you enjoyed your trip to Alabama and Point Mallard. Love #1 and #2 best; the B & W conversion just does not reach out and capture my attention. The softness of the light from the mist really adds to these two shots IMHO.

Come back and visit again.

redleash

Thanks, David. I see you are in B'ham. My dad grew up there and I visited family during this recent trip. My in-laws are in Decatur, my stepsons went to Auburn, and I was stationed at Maxwell for 6 years in the AF--not to mention graduation from high school in Montgomery when my dad was at Maxwell . . . .so, many ties to Alabama! Maybe we can go shooting next time I'm over there.

Cheers,
Lauren

Eia

I like the color version - very nice...the fence seems to go on forever in the 2nd one! It looks so serene.

redleash

Thanks, Eia. I appreciate your commens. Lauren

ront

I love the first one Lauren!!

I also like the second one, but the sky kind f pulls my eye away from the rest of the picture.

Looks like it was a beautiful morning!

Ron

Flowerman

IMO the first shot is the one with the WOW factor. Great capture. The B&W IMO does not add or detract - just nothing.

chrisdg

Looks like a wonderful spot on a great morning. I love #1, but am very curious to see if it could be even more dramatic with a tighter crop on the most compelling part of the photo, which is the warmth of the sun hitting the grass, mid-distance trees and fence. To me, a lot of the drama and color in the center gets lost as you get higher up into the white sky and road on the left.

If you're interested in giving it a shot, perhaps try a square crop starting from at or near the lower right corner and then going up and to the left until you reach the road or thereabouts. You said you have more room to the right in the original, then you may need to bring that into play so that your square crop can go higher. Then post the results BIG in the Xl size or larger

run_kmc

Nicely done. I thought #1 would be the winner... then I saw #2. Even better. I love the mood. Nothing quite like a Southern morning.

redleash

Two square versions, XL size as requested:

1.


2.

Flowerman

I like the original #1 better because the road on the left becomes a distraction in the revised edition.
IMO the fense loses some of its importance in the revised edition because the eye is distracted by the road.
ED

chrisdg

oh actually, I was thinking something more like this crop:

redleash

I see, Chris--that's nice, thanks. I'll rework these when I get back from my trip and post again, with a few others from Alabama.

Thanks everyone!

Flowerman

chrisdg wrote: »

oh actually, I was thinking something more like this crop:

Chris - you nailed it right on the head - perfect - beautiful.

ED

www.photoman74smugmug.com

bendruckerphoto

The edits of the first one are great. What makes the shot is the soft yellow lighting in the background. I don't know if there's any detail in the leaves of the tree in the foreground. If there is, I think bringing some of that out would improve the shot. It doesn't look like there's much though, but even so it's still very well done.

redleash

Thanks, Ben