Fall colors

zweiblumen

Found some nice colors on the ground today, and set them. Would love some feed back on them.

1. On the Right


2. Top Down


3. Top Down Redux (reshot of #2 as I was told the leaf was too close to the edge :dunno )


4. Group Shot

rustic

Hey Travis,

I was trying to do the same thing the other day and didn't have much luck.

I'd say 1 and 4 are my favorites, but to be honest, none of them quite do it for me. The shallow DOFs in 2 and 3 seem kinda distracting, with more of the image out of focus than in. I think I would try to stop it down a bit more.

I think that for #4 the light might just be a little too harsh for me, especially in the shadows of the leaves and the texture of the wood on the left.

Hope that didn't come across too harsh! As I said, I was out trying to do this the other day too and didn't even come up with anything worth posting

zweiblumen

rustic wrote:

Hey Travis,

I was trying to do the same thing the other day and didn't have much luck.

I'd say 1 and 4 are my favorites, but to be honest, none of them quite do it for me. The shallow DOFs in 2 and 3 seem kinda distracting, with more of the image out of focus than in. I think I would try to stop it down a bit more.

I think that for #4 the light might just be a little too harsh for me, especially in the shadows of the leaves and the texture of the wood on the left.

Hope that didn't come across too harsh! As I said, I was out trying to do this the other day too and didn't even come up with anything worth posting

Not at all too harsh. How can it be? It's how you feel! I'd rather know that my shots fall short rather than they don't make any impression at all. I really appreciate the feed back. I'm still SO very new at all of this.

For the lighting, I am really attracted to the high contrast. I really dig those sharp edges in the shadows where it's in focus. Probably going a bit overboard in the PP though

As for #2 and #3 I definitely see what you mean about the DOF, I agree that I probably should have stopped that down at bit.

Thanks for the feed back, it REALLY helps me take another look at my shots!

schmoo

I think my biggest bone to pick about this set is that the BG is very similar in tone to the leaves. A b/w conversion may do the trick, but then you lose the striking red of the leaves, so....

For #2 and #2 perhaps a slightly less shallow DOF might help. It's great that you are aiming to emphasize the leaf, but you lose a lot of the leaf other than that one edge, and that causes the rest of it to melt into the wood.

What I like most about #4 is the pattern of the grain in relation to the leaves. They provide a wonderful horizontal counterpoint that compliments them so well!

It's trixy trying to make something this simple so creative. After all, what about these leaves drew you to photograph them? Was it their shape, their color? Since you have the liberty to set up the scene, make sure whatever it was is in your final message. But these are a far, FAR cry from the stuff you were putting out even a month ago so keep it coming!

pathfinder

Travis,

I love shots of the color of fall. However, it seems to me that in this image, the color has to compete with the intense texture of the background, and I get confused as to what to look at. The leaves are not really in focus either.

I know you were wanting the hard shadow effect here, but I would suggest you try this with a much softer light source, either a flash with a softbox type diffuser and maybe a 1/4 CT gel, or even the soft light of an overcast sky. I like the low angle of the lighting here. Maybe more of the leaf and less of the background to compete for my eye's attention?

Here are a couple of my attempts at something like this

http://Pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/11665449-L.jpg

http://Pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/6969519-L.jpg

http://Pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/167655788-L.jpg

Skippy

zweiblumen wrote:

Found some nice colors on the ground today, and set them. Would love some feed back on them.

1. On the Right
2. Top Down
3. Top Down Redux (reshot of #2 as I was told the leaf was too close to the edge )
4. Group Shot

Hi there zweiblumen, I see you've had some great feed back on your shots.
I can't say any of them really take my eye.

Experimenting is the way to go shoot post and ask for comments,
great way to learn

Keep Posting .... Skippy
.

zweiblumen

Schmoo - Thanks for the feedback boo. I really over did the DOF on these.

Jim - Thanks for the lighting tips. We still are working on getting lighting, our list is getting more refined.
I really like your third shot. Thanks for sharing!

Skippy - Shooting is the only way to get better well, some reading and studying might help too, but Schmoo is a really good role model for me. She helps out and even puts up with helping me chimp

pathfinder

Travis,

I have one other comment that I think I noticed earlier, but did not know what exactly was bothering me. It seems like your focus is on the boards, or behind the plane of the leaves, and not on the leaves themselves, as I think it must be. I think that is why I find the images frustrating, or something.

Do you notice this also, or am I just whacko??:D I seem to see this in all four images. I think that is why I notice the texture, more than the color, even though the warm orange tones should really grab my eye.

zweiblumen

pathfinder wrote:

Do you notice this also, or am I just whacko??:D I seem to see this in all four images. I think that is why I notice the texture, more than the color, even though the warm orange tones should really grab my eye.

Now that you point that out, I see it also! So, while you may be whacko, you are spot on with that observation :ivar

Thanks!

Marc Muench

Travis,

Good exercise of a subject. I would say that you ought to keep the same subjects or similar leaves and keep exploring the background and light till you get it right. Here is some inspiration from one of the best ever

Cheers
Marc

Giphsub

I actually quite like number 1

My first thoughts on 2 and 3 were, as others have pointed out, too much out of focus area which is really distracting overall. Less DOF would be better, but may not completely save it. Kinda feels like the leaf is too far in the distance.

m_granite

4 for loving. It's very patterned. The texture is special. What cam did you shoot with?

loi

love the detail:)