Frosted Tree

There was ice fog in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone last Friday and everything had a coating of hoarfrost. I don't know which of these comps works best or if any of them work at all.

Tight crop.


Horizontal.


Original showing environment.

Steve Robinson said:

There was ice fog in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone last Friday and everything had a coating of hoarfrost. I don't know which of these comps works best or if any of them work at all

Click to expand...

Hello Steve

Wonderful - I love cold weather, when it's sunny and bright like this, must have been so beautiful, I've scrolled back and forth between these a few times, and am struggling to decide which I prefer, I think the last one, but I like it without the sky cropping just 1.5cm or so from the top, just a suggestion. Thanks for showing us these.

janet Smith said:

Hello Steve

Wonderful - I love cold weather, when it's sunny and bright like this, must have been so beautiful, I've scrolled back and forth between these a few times, and am struggling to decide which I prefer, I think the last one, but I like it without the sky cropping just 1.5cm or so from the top, just a suggestion. Thanks for showing us these.

Click to expand...

For me it's easy, the last one has context. The tree alone does not make any composition although it's interesting.

I have no qualms, with my own ictures of adding components of other pictures from the same shoot, sky for example, to make the picture a major vertical composition. Will it work here? I'd be interested in seeing the first tree replacing the tree in the last picture. Of course, there's no need to do that. Just my $0.02. The tree is remarkable as it is. The question always is whether or not one can take advantage of what has been recorded to build what you might imagine represents your view of things.

Asher

Any of these shots in isolation would prevoke a strong reaction but looking at them in a set, I reckon the first one is by far the best.
For me, it's a portrait of the tree, looking resplendant despite the inclement weather trying to snap it off at the base.

The others are nice landscapes, really nice, but the tree showing off at centre stage is quite exquisite.

Thanks Janet, Asher, and Andy. Your comments are why I was struggling to come up with a good composition. I now think that the tree in isolation would have been much better if the whole background had been the dark green fir trees to show off the crystal white of the frosty tree. For the environmental comp I may have compromised it by tightening the crop a little too much. So here is the original full frame which may be the best of all.

Much more impressive. Now you must print it and tell us how it really is in presence on a wall!

Asher

Steve, I prefer the first two. Shows the courage and resilience of the living against the elements of nature.

A pioneering spirit ( accurate in this context ). If it bends it might survive, if not maybe it will be gone
but remembered for its individualism.

Lovely.

Thanks fahim. As I said I really struggled with the comp.

Asher, I'll make a print, hang it on a wall, and take of picture of it!

Steve - I have to agree with Fahim, its the 1st 2. Asher always wants to see the big picture.

Steve Robinson said:

Thanks fahim. As I said I really struggled with the comp.

Asher, I'll make a print, hang it on a wall, and take of picture of it!

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Steve,

I mean you must look at the print on the wall (or send it to me , not needed really) and tell us how it works for you and friends who look at it. Finally that is where it must be observed or else in the pages of a book. If it's just meant for the computer screen, then I'd like it about larger than it is so we can look at it on a big screen.

The picture must work for us in two ways. First, the tree, it's essence itself, must have a demanding presence. Secondly the background, of the large amount of landscape, (made up of layers of snow, blue-gree trees and thin rim of blue sky), must play off it or against it in some satisfactory way. It's hard for me to evaluate the second part with a small picture on the screen. How large will it be printed?

Asher

Think nothing, unless you are utterly honest, of adding more sky to your own taste. I promise you it was there!

Steve- The third one is my favorite, and I do think that the frosted tree does get enough attention when the other trees are shown. However, I do like all 3 photos. Would you mind if I displayed your photo as my screen saver?

Hi, Steve,

Steve Robinson said:

There was ice fog in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone last Friday and everything had a coating of hoarfrost. I don't know which of these comps works best or if any of them work at all.

Click to expand...

This one (No. 1) works best for me.

Weighting the elements in a composition.

Steve Robinson said:

Thanks fahim. As I said I really struggled with the comp.

Asher, I'll make a print, hang it on a wall, and take of picture of it!

Click to expand...

Hi Steve,

It's not just a matter of printing the image. Then every item in the image is equally weighted and we hardly ever want to do that. With the image enlarged and printed, one should be able to bring out the tree in finishing the file for that print. That means one would optimize the contrast with curves and the sharpening of that tree preferentially. In that way, the full tree can be enjoyed more intimately simply by getting closer as one does with a person.

However, the picture as a whole will work and the tree has its context. That way one has the benefits of the crop and the larger landscape, both of which we like.

Asher