what's in the forest problem

[mapgirl]

I originally took this photo because I was interested in how the bark of these trees looked in the winter lighting. I was going to crop just for them, but then I got interested in the reddish grasses below and the evergreens at the left side. I've looked at it too long now and am wondering if it's just boring. Would it be better if I'd gotten the trees all the way to the top? Cropped in closer? What do you all think?
Thanks for the help.



ISO:800
85mm
f/ 5.6
shutter speed: 1/125

[ShutteredDreams]

I really like this photo. It has a quiet serene feel to it. I do think that if you would of changed the perspective a bit it would change the dynamic of the photo. Possible shooting up and capturing the canopy top along with the lines moving upward from the trunks. Possible a low shot as well to capture more of the movement of the forest floor. Either one would give you a different perspective but the one you chose gives the feel of standing there and looking on, which is nice to. I do think that focusing on either the top or bottom would be nice as well though. Just my thoughts

[mapgirl]

Originally Posted by ShutteredDreams

I really like this photo. It has a quiet serene feel to it. I do think that if you would of changed the perspective a bit it would change the dynamic of the photo. Possible shooting up and capturing the canopy top along with the lines moving upward from the trunks. Possible a low shot as well to capture more of the movement of the forest floor. Either one would give you a different perspective but the one you chose gives the feel of standing there and looking on, which is nice to. I do think that focusing on either the top or bottom would be nice as well though. Just my thoughts

Thank you, ShutteredDreams! Yes, I think what this lacks is a real focal point. The eye doesn't know where to go. I've had this happen before and, clearly, it's something I need to work on. I'm fine with close-up compositions, but once I pull back, I get a little lost.

[Michael_2010]

Those type shots are tough, but you did a pretty good job separating the tree of interest from the others. I have no advice, because I have had little success with this type of subject. Always looks beautiful to the naked eye, but I can't get that to translate into a few megapixels.

[Krusty79]

I think you're going to have to pick one aspect of this view and compose your shot accordingly. If I had not read your paragraph, I would not know if the subject was the tree trunk or the branches in front of it. I would not try to direct the viewer's eye towards other subjects because you end up with an image with several elements competing for the viewer's attention and the viewer's eye does not know where to go. One subject is enough. Your eye naturally tends to go to the lightest area of a shot, so my eye goes to the whitish branches in front of the tree in this shot.

Another thing is that most of the image seems to be slightly out of focus. I don't know if you were going for this type of effect by using a wide aperture.

[mapgirl]

[QUOTE=Krusty79;1152693
Another thing is that most of the image seems to be slightly out of focus. I don't know if you were going for this type of effect by using a wide aperture.[/QUOTE]

Actually, the shot was in focus, but I used the "clarity" slider in Lightroom to get a kind of glow/watercolor effect in the midtones.

And thank you Michael_2010 for your comments. You are right that what looks good with the uncamera-ed eye, doesn't always live through the digital process.