First snow of the season! Interesting framing

[MKlem]

I was so excited about the first snow of the season I had to get out and take some photos! Personally, I like this one because of framing and the way the trees have grown around each other. My specific question: are the framing trees appealing or distracting? Also better in B&W or color? And of course any other advice would be most appreciated!!!



Color photo: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/...9158810d90.jpg

Camera: Olympus SP510UZ
Exposure: 0.006 sec (1/160)
Aperture: f/3.0
Focal Length: 7.1 mm
ISO Speed: 50
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire


Thanks!

[sh0gun]

B/W is better, makes the branches seem more gnarled. Nice Shot.

[KansaiGreenie]

Originally Posted by MKlem

I was so excited about the first snow of the season I had to get out and take some photos!

Lucky you! Where I live it maybe snows once every other year. I haven't seen any snow in forever...

Originally Posted by MKlem

My specific question: are the framing trees appealing or distracting? Also better in B&W or color?

I like the way that the trees are framing the the twisted, knotted tree in the center and I think the image is more interesting as a monochrome. I think that the sky doesn't really add anything to the image, so you might play around with cropping it out.

Good image.

KG

[freezeframe03]

Looks like a great spot for some cool (no pun intented) photo ops. The twisted tree looks like it would make for an interesting subject, but I think the 3 straight tree trunks distract and confuse with the twisted tree. I had to look at it for a bit to sort out the confusion of it all and actually figure out how the trees were twisted together. It's possible that a different angle or perspective would make this a more interesting image. I also think for this perspective the color version helps define and seperate the tree trunks more than the b&w version does.

[EasternSierra]

This is a fantastic shot. No need to even look at the color to know that the B&W is a winner. Great tones and exposure, and really, a very nicely composed shot. I wouldn't change a thing.

[MKlem]

Originally Posted by freezeframe03

It's possible that a different angle or perspective would make this a more interesting image.

Thanks all for the replies! freezeframe03, any suggestions on what angle may have improved the shot? it was taken pretty much straight on, just a bit lower than eye level.

[freezeframe03]

It's hard to say whether it would be an improvement or not without taking a photo to look at, but I'm thinking from one side or the other having the twisted tree with the trunk at one side of the frame and the twisting leading to the other side.

[barabe]

I totally agree with freezeframe about the angle of the shot, play with your camera and take different shots of the subject, it may turn out to make for some very interesting shots. I also like the color version better, it actually cuts the background from your main subject to make it stronger. Right now on the BW version it almost looks like a black blurr to my eye. I would try also a tighter crop, maybe just to include the two trees as framing but nothing on either side just to see how it would look.