March Challenge is a Tree or Trees-Post Here

[Dbl]

The voting is in and the challenge for March is a Tree or Trees

Remember to review the rules before posting, ONE entry per month please, the shot must be taken in March of 2008 and if you want C&C please indicated that in your post. Lets see what we get this month, happy shooting! This topic is now un locked but will stay sticky-ed at the top. At the end of the month it will be un-stuck and allowed to fall down the threads.

Please only photos and critiques and comments in this thread. If you have questions start a new thread to ask any questions so we can keep this clean with entries only. Remember this is open for everyone, not just owners of DSLR's. Point and shoots, disposable cameras... equipment does not matter. This is about learning new skills and getting you looking at a subject in a different light possibly. Choose your entry wisely, remember you only get ONE entry. Thanks and good luck to all!

[Steve Foss]

Cool! Thanks for voting, everyone. Lots of fun possibilities here. The topic is meant to be broad. In other words, use your imagination in any way that suits you. There are an awful lot of different ways to handle "A tree or trees."

[LeeKen]

Sure, let a newbie screw-up first.

C&C please.

[finnbay]

I love the character of these old trees. Black and white is, IMO, the best way to go with this shot. I like the view going up the trunk. I think it's well done. If I could adjust one thing, it would be in blending the exposures enough to lighten some of the upper branches just a bit.

And hey, welcome!

[Steve Foss]

LeeKen, the way this tree looms over us is intimidating to me. A great sense of foreboding here. The tangled, gnarled branches in the top 2/3 of the frame are well balanced by the trunk extending through the bottom.

I have spent many a lunch hour propped against just such an old tree, but I can't help but be reminded of the accounts of those ancient trees in the Old Forest bordering the Shire in the Lord of the Rings. This is not a place the average Joe would want to be caught at night.

Very nice work!

[LeeKen]

I was excited about the Challenge. I'm on the road for awhile so I thought I'd spend some time on this now. Thanks for the comments.

Finnbay, blending exposures is still a bit over my head but I'm hoping to get smarter, then get better software.

Steve, my son read what you wrote and said "As soon as I saw it I thought of the apple trees in the Wizard of Oz"

Thanks for letting me play along.

[Dbl]

You have done a very nice job with this IMHO. I agree with Ken the B&W treatment is perfect for this shot. I love that low angle looking skyward. My one and only nit-pick would be that Pine tree on the lower right, if that was cloned out it would not make my eye wander toward it. Thanks for being the first to jump in there. I'm waiting for some warmer climate trees myself

[Steve Foss]

LK, there's no thanks needed. In this board, and in this topic, we are all playing along.

So thank YOU for joining our pickup game.

[Write-Outdoor]

This is my first posting in this area but your honesty on C&C is much appreciated. Honesty is the best policy!

[DeeDee]

LeeKen - I too am reminded of the Wizard of Oz, but I have an urge to climb it.

WriteOutdoors - I like your too, it reminds me of Christmas when I was little.

I'm a beginner to as you will see with my picture, but I couldnt ask for a better group of people to critique it for me.

[DeeDee]

Here's mine

[DeeDee]

Sorry for the size AGAIN

[mountaindew]

LeeKen - That is very spectacular! I love the way the thick branches go! Very good! I love it! I'm still waiting for the right time to take pictures of the trees. Let it warm up a bit too!

Great Job!

[mountaindew]

WriteOutdoors -

That's great! Did you use a macro lens for that?

[mountaindew]

DeeDee-

Wow..Never seen anything like that before! That's so cool! It's almost as if they look like icicles hanging off the tree! Great pic!

[DeeDee]

Thanks Mountaindew I'm glad you like it. I like the way they changed photobucket, I had a frame and everything to looked really cool. But when I tried to save it, it kept giving me an i/o error. ???

[yakfisher]

LeeKen- I like that shot, however I do agree that the pine in the lower right could be removed to improve the picture. Just reminds me of a big wind twisted tree from a the farm groves of my youth. I want to climb it too.

WriteOutdoors- I like the frost on the needles too kind of a "can't see the tree for the needles" sort of thing, it's cool. Nice macro work, was that with your p&s?

DeeDee- I like your angle too, I think the picture is a little washed out though. The moss is a little too bright and I think it loses a little texture because of this and the greens come across a little flat too. The way the moss hangs in that cypress swamp in cool though, definitely a great picture

[DeeDee]

Thanks Yakfisher, I agree about the colors. I cant wait to get newer photoshop

[mountaindew]

DeeDee-

Sorry I'm not much of help. I'm not familiar with photobucket...I have my own web hosting where I upload my pictures. So that way I have complete control over it.

[finnbay]

WriteOutdoors,

I like the concept. Good positioning of the main focus point. Really draws me right to it. Looks like you had some difficult light to shoot it - strong in the background and not so bright on the focused part of your subject. I thought you did very well with that. Only criticism I have is that the foreground white balance looks a little on the cool side (and maybe you did that to emphasize the frost), but IMHO, I would like to see that warmed up a bit (would make the "green" a little more green).

[finnbay]

DeeDee,

You're killing me with these soft water photos! -11 last night and supposed to be -15 tonight! Brrr! Anyway, I like the shot. As has already been mentioned, it does look a little washed out. I would try some levels work to begin with - I think all the versions of Photoshop have that. Well done!

[LeeKen]

Thanks Dbl, Yakfisher-- I hope to learn something each time out. I never even looked at the pine tree, but you guys are right on, it should be missing.

mountaindew- This is MN March. What do you mean right time, and warmer?

[DeeDee]

 Originally Posted By: finnbay

DeeDee,

You're killing me with these soft water photos!

LOL, I'm sorry. Next time I'll take a picture of my freezer. But remember when you guys have those beautiful 75 degree mid summer days and cool nights I'll be here in the suffocating 98+ days and 90+ nights with 85% humidity.

As for the picture, the moss, limbs and trunks are all the same color. Could that be where the wash-out look comes from? I dont have photoshop yet, I thought my daughter had it but not, so maybe next week.

[finnbay]

 Quote:

LOL, I'm sorry. Next time I'll take a picture of my freezer. But remember when you guys have those beautiful 75 degree mid summer days and cool nights I'll be here in the suffocating 98+ days and 90+ nights with 85% humidity.

Right now it's hard to believe we'll ever get back to that. They've just updated our forecast to -23 tonight.

Check your email - sent you a message.

finnbay

[Royce Aardahl]

somebody shrink that baby