What’s Your Preference?

psykon99 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 03:47 AM

Another shot from the forest preserve. This tree has a very interesting bend right in the middle of it.

psykon99 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 06:49 PM

Shameless bump...

jiminyClickit · #3 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 07:05 PM

psykon99,

Shhhh, don't tell, we'll pretend it's your own assessment of the shape. I hoped someone would have gotten to it before now, but it is a sort of difficult sight to get excited about. Technically it's OK, a little light in the sky and snow. If it were a square knot shape, I could rave on and on. Maybe I'm too close to it? Seeing it the way you did at first might make it more inviting to me now. "Would you hang it on your wall?" is our local test for "Interestingness." I like to add, "Would you only notice it if it fell crashing to the floor?" You are the one who answers those questions, in the end.

Nathan deGargoyle · #4 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 07:23 PM

I think blurring the background with a large aperture might have brought out the bump a bit more but the snow on top would probably still blend in to the background. Good idea though.

P.S. the comment "this tree has a very interesting bed in the middle of it" invites the sort of sarcastic comment that I wouldn't lower myself to.

Nathan deGargoyle · #5 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 07:41 PM

Blurring the background brings it out slightly but...

jiminyClickit · #6 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 07:58 PM

N dG, did you darken b/g while it was in your shop (as an experiment, more than it is?)

Nathan deGargoyle · #7 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 08:16 PM

Yeah, cut it, desaturated, gaussian blurred, overlayed and played with opacity. should have blurred the edges of the tree. looks a bit too sharp.

jiminyClickit · #8 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 08:34 PM

N dG,

It is lifting out a little, 3D-like. That b/g was grabbing a lot of attention before.

psykon99 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-28-2007, 09:55 PM

Ok, so I took the feedback and ran with it. How about something like this:

I know color on black and white can seem kind of odd for landscapes, but now the tree stands out. I think it also emphasizes the texture of the tree too - which in addition to the "curve", was the point.

I used layers. Converted to Black and White. Adjusted levels. Erased the tree so it was back in color. Then used gausian blur on the background.