As many of you guessed, I went back to my very favorite tree. After my recent new PB in the Poe challenge, it got kicked out of my top 5, which made me a bit sad. So I gave it my best to try and get it back there, but it didn't work unfortunately.
So, I left home early in the morning, for the same 5 hours trip than before. Obviously, it was much quicker to find the tree this time. When I arrived there, I was immediately overwhelmed by the light and colors: I instantly knew how I wanted the final photo to look. Of course, the image is not depicting how it really looked like, but it is very accurate to my own vision of it, my remembered feelings. I am quite happy about the result I must say.
Technically, I took 3 bracketed photos (0, -2EV, +2EV). Processing the picture was quite complex:
- The background comes from the +2EV photo exclusively
- The foreground, trunk and branches comes from a first tonemapped HDR
- The leaves come from another tonemapped HDR, with different settings (higher exposure, more saturation).
Then I blended everything together manually (yes, masking the leaves was a nightmare). I also spent much time finalizing the mood and tones, until I reached what I had in mind. The result is exactly what I remember of that day: dazzling light, incredible gold-orange colors, and of course, the dark majesty himself, bathing in the sun.
While the photo isn't of course original, I still wanted to do it again, to capture it in a different mood. I strongly disagree with the persons who voted very low because of that. Doing the same thing several times is a good way to get better at it: voting low for that reason is like telling someone "you shouldn't try to improve".
As for my photo, I did try several other angles, but I preferred that view again. I think I like this photo even more than the spring version. Also, expect to see it one more time if snow reaches the area one of these days.
Thank you all very much for the fantastic comments and votes. I am very grateful, and happy I was able to share my joy of going there.
Thanks for the reply, I get that its a starting step. My specific issue is with noise. Even at 100 ISO, i end up introducing more noise with my raw stuff for some reason. i got to look into it i suppose - thanks for the input!
I notice you mentioned you HDR'ed the three raws directly and this looks better than what i can muster. Do you think this could come from the difference in programs (Photomatix vs HDR Efex Pro) or is there a secret sauce i m missing?
Thank you for your comment. I don't think the tool you use is that important at all, I'm quite confident saying Photomatix could have been used there (as long as one knows it well enough). Moreover, to my knowledge, these tools do not work directly on RAWs anyway, at best they import 16 bits images out of them and start to work from there (TIFF usually). What is important to know about the processing of that particular image, is the fact the tonemapped HDR resulting image was merely the beginning, not the final result in any case. I simply used the HDR plugin to obtain crispy texture and details on the trunk and foreground, but there are like 30 other processing layers above it, in order to reach this result. In fact, I just used the HDR tool to enhance the dynamic range of my camera, not at all to create some kind of special effect, that was not my point.
Very nice picture.I can't imagine the time the individual leaves might have took.
I find it cleaner to make HDRs of jpegs. I notice you mentioned you HDR'ed the three raws directly and this looks better than what i can muster. Do you think this could come from the difference in programs (Photomatix vs HDR Efex Pro) or is there a secret sauce i m missing?
I would love if you could set up a tutorial on how you did this. I just think this photo is fantastic and would love to learn how to do some really nice HDR
Thanks, glad you liked it!
The main editing steps are described under the photo. I'm afraid more details would not be very useful (like values and parameters for each step), because they are very specific to the photo and to what you want to achieve. The main HDR itself was done in a very classical way: 3 RAWs, HDR Efex Pro, some quick adjustments and that's it. Done in 3 minutes (really!). However, tone-mapping the HDR was merely the beginning, and the result is all about many local tweaks (more saturation here, more light there, more detail in the darks here, change the color of that, etc.). This is what took the longest by a large margin (editing-wise). Feel free to PM me if you want specific information.
I would love if you could set up a tutorial on how you did this. I just think this photo is fantastic and would love to learn how to do some really nice HDR
What a beautiful shot. I so admire your tenacity and dedication, knowing how far you have to drive to get to this tree! Great to have a photographer like you participating in these challenges and raising the bar for us mere mortals.
Hi Christophe
I like the creative "HDR" concept you used for the background. Instead of "fixing" the overexposure you have exaggerated it by using a +2EV shot.
You may be right in regards to score being affected by subject repetition. That was my case, but I still gave it a 7 :-)
Congrats on your Ribbon. I have to say I admire your dedication and talent, and I agree with you about improvement. I'll be looking forward to see your take on this one, again during winter.
I like this one just as much as the other one. I hope you do it again in the winter...and even the summer. This is a magical place and you capture that magic so well. Congrats!!!
I think you have conclusively shown this tree, from this angle, tone-mapped and blended, scores 7.7476, +/- 0.018, which is pretty fascinating, really! Will be interesting to see how it scores when it snows.
Congrats on the excellent shot and ribbon. Your processing skills and attention to every detail are amazing. When I posted your Calendar entry to the Tree thread I had not yet voted the HDR challenge, so I had no idea you had reshot it for this challenge. I posted it because it was one of the most memorable pictures of a tree I had ever seen. I can add this to that group.
I love the difference between the foreground and background. Great idea splitting the two up and doing different processing for each.
To me this is great use of HDR. Not overly heavy or obvious*, and mastering light.
Well done!
* it's obviously processed, but not 'classic' HDR to me.
When I saw this I thought somebody went out and copied you since I did not think you would use the same tree and the same comp twice. It remains a great shot and congrats on your Blue with this image. Same recipy, different flavours
Congratulations, you thoroughly deserve the blue. Man, I love your work because you put so much effort into each shot and we here at DPC have to thank you for sharing it with us.
NB: There is the botany and tree challenges, hope you used your time well! lol
Great use of HDR! I have the feeling the HDR actually contributes to the message you want to convey instead of it being a fancy trick to make a picture more interesting. Well done!
While this is a truly fantastic image (easily one of my favourites) I find it a shame that you've entered what is essentially the same image as that of a previous entry:
Only circumstantially (as far as when challenges appear at least) at a different time of year. While originality is hard to judge most of the time in the hundreds of photo's that appear on this site I do believe it to be very important for the challenges and my voting (where it can) reflects this. There's no denying you have some of the most creative (and appealing) photographs on this site, however unfortunately this isn't one of them and so I must give this image (that would have otherwise been a 9) a 7.
I hope you consider this fair, 7's still a ribbon winning score after all =).
Even if I don't like very much using the same places in similar ways I must say that this one is better than the other - wonderful! I predict another ribbon ;-)
Brocéliande forest, Bretagne
An all encompassing place.
This fantastic tree did not change much since spring. And a good thing too.
Great thing is to plop one's easel/tripod every month in the same spot.
Something is odd with the processing though. Are you adding little leaves in photoshop? Looks as if it has tiny gold coins attached to the branches.
Am wondering what the unprocessed shot looks like.
Worth the 5 hour drive.
Weirdly awesome! I've come back again and again, my first impression was arghh too bright, BUT now that I've studied this, I love it, the composition is stunning! The actual light enhances the imange and the hazy glow makes it very moody! Lesson Never vote on your first impression! LOL
Great drama and perspective. Love the sunstar. Good use of HDR blending. Wonderful color in the leaves. Normally, the leaves would be total silhouette with no color in a shot against the sun. I'm impressed.
Nice to see this tree a bit later in the season, Christophe. The leaves are pleasing, looking far more like a painting than a photo. I like the effect, though others may surely disagree. The placement of the sun is also very nice. A very pleasing shot (not voting).
November
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
