MN Sunset

Dogdots · April 1, 2012

Sun is kinda bright, but I really liked it when I was viewing it so I grabbed a couple shots. Is it a pass or fail because of the sun?

RyanS · April 1, 2012

I don't mind the sun at all. Personally, I have an issue with the trees. If you think about the image as a layer cake it helps. What you've got is the brush foreground as one layer, that dark soil as another, and the sky/sun as the top layer. It even has a candle burning.

The issue for me is that the middle of the trees lose a lot of detail with the dark soil background mid-layer. So, it breaks up an otherwise super-strong silhouette. I may be wrong, but this might have been stronger had you gotten lower. I believe that would have brought the foreground closer, eliminated the dark mid-layer, and given a very sharp silhouette of the tree against the sky. A graduated ND filter might have helped make the cloud texture pop, not sure if you were using one here.

Azzaro · April 1, 2012

Nice shot MARY K. .....I LIKE IT:D

Dogdots · April 1, 2012

RyanS wrote: »

I don't mind the sun at all. Personally, I have an issue with the trees. If you think about the image as a layer cake it helps. What you've got is the brush foreground as one layer, that dark soil as another, and the sky/sun as the top layer. It even has a candle burning. The issue for me is that the middle of the trees lose a lot of detail with the dark soil background mid-layer. So, it breaks up an otherwise super-strong silhouette. I may be wrong, but this might have been stronger had you gotten lower. I believe that would have brought the foreground closer, eliminated the dark mid-layer, and given a very sharp silhouette of the tree against the sky. A graduated ND filter might have helped make the cloud texture pop, not sure if you were using one here.

I'm happy to hear the sun isn't an issue. I understand what your saying of the trees. Lower would of been nice. I should of gotten down on the ground where I was standing. Couldn't of gone in that grassy area with snow. That is a slough and I didn't know how deep it was or if it was even froze enough to walk onto.

No filter was used. I don't have a graduated ND filter. I was hoping the clouds would filter the sun enough for me and I could keep some texture in the clouds.

I'll play with this some and see if I can lighten the area where the tree trunks are in the field area. Maybe recover them somewhat so they at least look visually separate from the dirt. Since this place isn't too far from me I can return often.

Thank you for your thoughts on this. I greatly appreciate it

Dogdots · April 1, 2012

Azzaro wrote: »

Nice shot MARY K. .....I LIKE IT:D

Thank you Gary. I wasn't sure if I should post it or not since I just wasn't too sure of it. But I did want some insight into what I could do to improve it and also if the sun as ok.

Glad you liked it

Juano · April 2, 2012

RyanS wrote: »

I don't mind the sun at all. Personally, I have an issue with the trees. If you think about the image as a layer cake it helps. What you've got is the brush foreground as one layer, that dark soil as another, and the sky/sun as the top layer. It even has a candle burning. The issue for me is that the middle of the trees lose a lot of detail with the dark soil background mid-layer. So, it breaks up an otherwise super-strong silhouette. I may be wrong, but this might have been stronger had you gotten lower. I believe that would have brought the foreground closer, eliminated the dark mid-layer, and given a very sharp silhouette of the tree against the sky. A graduated ND filter might have helped make the cloud texture pop, not sure if you were using one here.

This is a very good comment, thoughtful and constructive. This should be the reason we ask for CCs when we post on DGrin.

Good shot Mary, but I think Ryan is right.

Dogdots · April 2, 2012

Juano wrote: »

This is a very good comment, thoughtful and constructive. This should be the reason we ask for CCs when we post on DGrin.

Good shot Mary, but I think Ryan is right.

Ryan was right -- I'm so glad he took the time to offer his suggestions

Next time I'm out his suggestions will be helping me along. As you said .. they were thoughtful and constructive.

Thank you for commenting Juano

Eia · April 2, 2012

I'm learning to use a filter and it's fun. It does make it easier to expose for sunsets and brings out the color more. So for me the investment toward an ND filter was a good one. Just learned lots from Ryan too.

Dogdots · April 2, 2012

Eia wrote: »

I'm learning to use a filter and it's fun. It does make it easier to expose for sunsets and brings out the color more. So for me the investment toward an ND filter was a good one. Just learned lots from Ryan too.

I had bought an ND filter and returned it. Might need to rethink that again

Spotzo · April 8, 2012

This is a really nice shot. My suggestion would be to move the horizon off of the center of the picture. I'd probably move it up to emphasize the grassy foreground, but not so high that I lost the sun. That would also move more of the bare trees into silhouette. But to answer your question about pass or fail, it's definitely a "pass"!

Dogdots · April 8, 2012

Spotzo wrote: »

This is a really nice shot. My suggestion would be to move the horizon off of the center of the picture. I'd probably move it up to emphasize the grassy foreground, but not so high that I lost the sun. That would also move more of the bare trees into silhouette. But to answer your question about pass or fail, it's definitely a "pass"!

I think your right in your suggesting to move the horizon

Thank you for your input and glad to hear it passed

MN Sunset

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