Semiahmoo at night

dls

Taken last night at Semiahmoo State Park, WA. Same comp but different DOF and shutterspeeds. Thoughts and preferences?

1.


2.


thx.

Merlin_AZ

I like the first one better-I think the background adds to the photo.

ian408

I like the second because it emphasizes the tree. The background isn't lost either. That's a nice effect.

Thwack

I like the background trees not being out of focus as in #1 but prefer the detail in the clouds from #2.

coscorrosa

Thwack wrote: »

I like the background trees not being out of focus as in #1 but prefer the detail in the clouds from #2.

I'm the opposite, I like the narrow DOF, but like the cloud motion!

Isn't it great when you ask for feedback and everyone disagrees on their favorite?

kdog

First one all the way. Love the crispness of the overall shot, and the colors are unreal. The second shot hurts my eyes wandering around trying to pick details out of all the blurriness.

davidryan

I'm torn... like the focus in the first.... but number two makes me dizzy! I guess I'll go with number 1... because overall its better and I won't pass out.

redleash

#1 for me--I also felt a bit of a dizzying effect with the narrow DOF in #2. The tree makes a nice foreground subject in both, but I prefer the lighting it has in #1. Nice find!

TreyHoff

Definitely #1.

Is that a telephone pole or wooden cross in the photo? I keep focusing on it. Can you take it out? (of the photo I mean )

annnna8888

#1 for sure. Love the blurred clouds. Beautiful light!

Ana

dls

Thanks for the input! Good to know that I am not totally nuts for being waffly on which one I like. When I first looked at it initially, I liked the second (clouds, punchy tree), but the first one with its streaky clouds grew on me quite a bit and might even be partial to it now. And yeah, will likely clone out the telephone pole in the near future, given that I do not own a chainsaw .

Toonartist

I really like #1 but I like the clouds in #2.... first one has it overall though.

Alpha_Plus

kdog wrote: »

First one all the way. Love the crispness of the overall shot, and the colors are unreal. The second shot hurts my eyes wandering around trying to pick details out of all the blurriness.

I am with kdog. I prefer the first one because of the detail in the background. Because the stump is in your face enough, the detail in the background doesn't distract the eye too much.

Just my opinion..

WillCAD

I like them both, but #2 is a clear winner with me.

I can't really give a reason, but I like the narrow DOF better. It's an emotional reaction with no real reason behind it; I simply like the way that the blurred background brings the stump into sharp focus and immediately draws my eye to it. That's one I'd hang on my wall.

Of course, the incredible color palettes in the sky and the trees really make both shots.

Can you give me some shooting info? I.E. shutter speed, focal length, your actual distance to the stump, whatever you might have? I'd like to try a shot like this myself sometime.