• Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 20, 2024, 8:41 p.m.

    Agreed Xpat. It's the repetition of the lines in the branches by the shadows on the ground that makes this shot such a success and the left/right colour gradient is a further joy.The small patch of brighter leaves on the right balances the brighter golds on the left without distraction because both frame the vertical lines that take the viewer down the road.
    A 5 star landscape.

  • Members 382 posts
    Oct. 20, 2024, 9:21 p.m.

    This photo has a certain depth and beautiful colors that really draws me in.
    The other one is good too, but I like this one much better.

  • Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 20, 2024, 10:08 p.m.

    Kumsal's comment got me looking at this shot further. While I still prefer 2, there's a lot to admire in 1. A completely different composition with a base of brighter leaves that extend upwards along with the verticals of the trunks. Beautifully exposed to maintain highlight and shadow details while creating depth.

  • Members 1517 posts
    Oct. 20, 2024, 11:55 p.m.

    I checked out "L'empire des lumières." Yes, Kumsal's photo stirs up a very similar response.

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 1:39 a.m.

    And a nice dig. These sort of historical snippets often expand our understanding / perception of people / events / places, and the photos become much more than the rendition of a scene.

    In later years he showed a human side not quite evident during his term in office. I am happy for that if only because my view became more positive.

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 1:49 a.m.

    My perception here is that of a prepackaged tour where drinks are possibly included. I don't get the feeling that the "bartender's" income is dependent on sales - he appears too relaxed. Tropical paradise for some.

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 1:55 a.m.

    Agree 100%. We could see 100s of glass building reflections without the impact of this one. I like the way the unknown black and white reflection continues in shadow.

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 2:13 a.m.

    I had to look up Bates Motel but I was pretty sure I already knew the psychological / horror / thriller genre. The colours in this fairly dark scene present well and there is a real sense of depth (both palette and 3D) to the image. The touch of blue in the sky contrasts well with the yellows of the artificially lit areas - and I think that's what makes this a really good photo.

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 2:47 a.m.

    I went looking for the exif to see what format camera these were taken with, guessing FF (because I can't normally get scenes like this with my m43 but that is perhaps lens related). No info in the exif other than image size. Only 500 px on the long side for both!!! There is a lesson there that we don't need huge image size for good looking shots if all the other requirements are met. Of course it helps, but tick the other boxes and we can be on our way...

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 2:57 a.m.

    Yes that would be far more interesting than as is in front of an indistinct blob that could be anything. The difficulty of obtaining the shot gave it more weight in my mind than what I see now - it was a touch breezy making getting him centred over the moon and in focus quite challenging.

    We have the set from Kumsal...

  • Members 219 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 8:38 a.m.

    Click on the file thumbnail at the bottom of the original post for the original image, they were about 2k x 3k in size. The viewer uses a thumbnail I think. Don't know what happened to the Exif, might be a setting I used the PS Export box, I'll look into it.

    Nikon Z5, Zeiss Milvus 35/2.
    Shot 1: f7.1 1/125 ISO800
    Shot 2: f7.1 1/200 ISO800

  • Members 1173 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 9:45 a.m.

    Which is what I normally do... Somehow I have r clicked the displayed image not the full one - which I may have got into the habit of doing just to get the exif without loading the whole image and never noticed the change in size...

  • Members 929 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 3:17 p.m.

    These are both beautiful !
    The first has incedible depth. Those bright warm coloured leaves trace a gentle curved path inside the foreground space and they lead your eye up to explore the rest of the image where the background is darker and bluer.

    The second gives you the impression of light coming from the left side and lighting up all the leaves on the left and leaving only the shade on the right hand side.
    The bright green leaves in the near foreground on the right are also catching the light and stand out against that darker background, They seem to add in even more depth. Then the path leads you up and on to a bright space at the end of the tunnel.
    Great stuff!

  • Members 382 posts
    Oct. 21, 2024, 8:12 p.m.

    Such an interesting photo immediately catches my eye!
    Very well done and I like it!

    The path leads the eye through the photo.
    The blue balls along the path make it even more interesting.
    This is what makes the composition and the photo so good!

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 2:30 a.m.

    Nice moon images but the spider in front of the blurry moon is really a cool creative shot. A giant egg-sack for Halloween? Great details on Mrs Spider, and the sepia toning works well.

    You could have some fun combining those images with blending modes...

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 2:35 a.m.

    The wattle bird looks like he's an interesting bird and was well captured, but he seems over sharpened in post, giving him a bit of taxidermied look. There's some halos on the bird and the sticks.

    The fairy wren is very pretty, well captured, in a great position, and doesn't seem as harshly sharpened as the other, more natural appearing. I really like her a lot. Well done.

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 2:37 a.m.

    Thanks. The color version of the one with the flower is kinda ok, but the other two were awful in color (think of olive oil mixed with water), so I just converted them all.

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 2:45 a.m.

    An interesting and creative photo. I'm not usually a fan of perspective distortion but it works for this photo. The complementary colors of orange/blue enrich the image and cause me to examine all the details which are considerable. There is a clear compositional line from the moon through the vanishing point between the two middle structures and on to the back of the station wagon. The motel seems like a setting for a horror movie. It is a little quirky but it is an image that sticks to me. Well spotted and captured.

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 3:02 a.m.

    These are quite beautiful. The depth of the images is striking with the lights brought forward and the darks receding, the way a forest would appear to one walking into it. The fall colors are rich. In the first, the leafy branches extend toward the viewer, enhancing the depth while allowing the viewer a space on the lower right to move through. The trees and their shadows in the second one form a receding set of nested L's, a very strong compositional device. Excellent forest photos. Forests are one of the hardest natural things to photograph well, and you've done it masterfully.

  • Members 154 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 4:15 a.m.

    It looks like a spider with eyes. I just want to stare back.

  • Members 816 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 1:03 p.m.

    I agree.
    The horizontals are just diagonal enough to suck the viewer into the image, pulsating forward on that path.
    Very effective!
    (And the harmonious balance of bright and dark does the rest.)

  • Members 219 posts
    Oct. 22, 2024, 1:49 p.m.

    Err, before you get too carried away with my "genius" and attributing everything as an absolute property of the image and it's composition... 😜

    Composition and balance certainly, but also your memories, It's also reminding you of the familiar. You may imagine walking down the path because in similar views you have. Those shaded beech avenues as the sun shines through the golden autumn leaves is an iconic view, one that sticks in the memory.

    Thank you both.

    What may not be apparent in the first image is that Glen Banvie is a small but quite deep ravine, so standing on the path you look through the closer ground detail and leaves straight through to the canopy behind. There is no forest floor, or sea of tree trunks, just this striking backdrop of autumn colour. I took a whole series at different spots, the one shown is by far the best.

  • Members 1647 posts
    Oct. 23, 2024, 2:04 a.m.

    I understand what you're describing, now that you explain where you were, because strange as it might seem for an old lady from Mississippi, I've been there, though in August rather than October. It is the perception of an autumn forest path that becomes a reality for us, created by what's there and how you've caught and presented it. We aggregate your cues and draw our conclusions. Fine work.