Larry Treadwell  


Pine Glade Sunset by Larry Treadwell

October 2018 - Pine Glade Sunset

October 2018 - Larry Treadwell

Original

About the Image(s)

I thought I’d make my first contribution to this group an image from my backyard as a sort of introduction. I live in south Florida, an hour from the everglades. I’ve come to think of the everglades as my photographic studio. It is one of the hardest places to photograph I have ever come upon. It is and endless sea of grass with no elevation (the highest point is 4 feet above sea level) and a never ending sameness. You have to really look to find compositions. My never ending quest is to show others the beauty and serenity I have found in this haven of mosquitoes, alligators, high heat and 100% humidity. So, this is what is known as Pine Glade Lake. One of my favorite places. It is not on most maps. Every time I go the mood of the so called lake seems to shift. This was taken on what, for Florida, serves as a winter evening in January. The rains had soaked the glades all day leaving a moisture and cloud cover that saturated the natural colors. I was on my way out when I saw the break in the clouds and took a chance on finding a sunset at this lake. I used a Nikon D810 camera with my 24-70 mm lens. The focal length was 24mm. I was actually sitting in the muck and reeds along the shoreline to get this intimate angle of view. I wanted to draw the eye of the viewer from the reeds into the setting sun but I also wanted to make them feel the dark mystery of the ‘glades. I liked the stillness (which is the everglades) the dark mood caused by the storm clouds and the hope expressed by the distant light. I used ISO 64, f22 and an exposure of 1.6 seconds. I added a 3 stop GND filter to bring down the highlights of the sky. I cropped off sky at the top because due to the flatness of the terrain there is always too much sky and thus turned this into assort of pano. In post I brought down the highlights, and opened the shadows to reveal some detail in the trees on the left. I also increased clarity and set a white and black point. Post work was done in Lightroom 6. I am often told my images are too dark, but to me this is the mood of the ‘glades and as close to what I saw as I can get. I’m open to your thoughts.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
21 comments posted




Barbara E Miller   Barbara E Miller
(Group 5)
How lucky you are Larry to live so close to the Everglades. I have been down from my home in Palm Beach County a few times, but not often enough. I cannot add anything to improve/change this image. The colours are magnificent. One very small suggestion--although the horiz. line is not dead centre I would still move it up or down a little by either cropping a bit off the bottom or the top.   Posted: 10/01/2018 20:03:15
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
I'm not sure where I could crop more without losing part of the mood. If I crop from the bottom it would just move the horizon more into the middle. If I crop from the top (which I already have) then I will lose the dark clouds above the colored part of the sunset. I wanted to keep some dark above the sunset to create the feeling of the sun trying to break or force its way through the gloom. I actually thought about moving the horizon out of the center and did move it just a bit in an attempt to honor the rule of thirds. In your opinion, from which end would you crop more -- bottom or top?   Posted: 10/04/2018 06:41:48
Barbara E Miller   Barbara E Miller
(Group 5)
Larry it is such a great image perhaps it is not worth playing around with. The blue in the FG echoes the blue in the sky and what you did from the original is stunning. If you REALLY wanted to crop it an inch off the bottom would suffice, but it's a moot point   Posted: 10/04/2018 13:27:31
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
Thanks for the idea. :-)   Posted: 10/04/2018 14:28:17



Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
(Group 32)
Looks great to me. How about showing us your original, so we can see where you started in order to get this stunning image.
I very much enjoyed your fine discussion of your intimate relationship with the 'glades. It is such discussions that add so much to the DD groups.   Posted: 10/01/2018 22:30:34



Richard Matheny   Richard Matheny
I like the image Larry. Florida is one of my favorite places to shoot. I make several trips there every year,just not down to the Everglades yet. I like the secrets hidden in the calm waters that can be found there. You are correct that is can be a hard find. I may have cropped this a little different but that is my personal thing and would not be far from what you have done. In an image like this I think the environment is part of the story. I think the Sunset is the main subject of the photo but without the surrounding environment It's just another sunset. I like the Glassy surface of the water and the colours work well.Good Job.   Posted: 10/02/2018 18:41:24



Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
The recently uploaded original was a raw file.   Posted: 10/02/2018 21:42:53



 
I really like this image. Compared to the original, you brightened it nicely but kept the mood of the evening sun breaking through the gloom of the storm. I've been to the Everglades NP on a rainy day, so I know that grey gloom. The photo is crisp and alive - great shot!   Posted: 10/03/2018 07:07:01
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
When I shoot scenes like this I always error on my exposure on the underexposed side. There is always detail in shadows there is none on blown highlights. Thanks for the compliment.   Posted: 10/03/2018 14:39:58



Dr Isaac Vaisman   Dr Isaac Vaisman
(Groups 4 & 15 & 58 & 59 & 72)
Hi Larry, and welcome to the PID DD discussion groups and for taking the role of administrator. I do too in groups 58 and 72. As always, your images are outstanding, well thought and very well processed. This is not exception. I am looking forward to see more of your work, and also come to visit.   Posted: 10/03/2018 20:41:39
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
As always, you are most kind.   Posted: 10/04/2018 14:47:31



Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
(Group 32)
Now that you have shown us the original, I must say I prefer something closer to the original, with its deep evening mood, more than the finished image. This is personal, but I prefer that an image never announces "I am post-processed." What do you think about a midpoint of enhancement?   Posted: 10/04/2018 13:34:38
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
I had not thought about that. What did you have in mind?   Posted: 10/04/2018 14:25:13
Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
(Group 32)
Something along these lines, but this is very personal to me, and just for discussion. Thanks.   Posted: 10/04/2018 14:57:57
Comment Image
Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
Got to laugh when I saw this version. I am often accused of making my images too dark. But often this is the feel I fine in the everglades so it leaves me feeling confused. With this image I thought I would open some of the shadows (especially on the water) to get rid of some of that "darker" feeling. At first I thought that the water was to glass like, but it sort of grew on me--the lighter version. The you show the darker version that is more in line with my first thoughts. I guess photographers look at things one way, and our audience often wants to see something else. I do agree with your comment "that it is personal" because that is how I often feel about my images. As long as I'm happy...

Thanks for the dialogue---it was fun chatting with a photographer.   Posted: 10/04/2018 15:17:10
Stephen Levitas   Stephen Levitas
(Group 32)
Hoho. You should see some of my monochrome shots--I use a great deal of pure black--just the opposite of those who say I should draw out detail from the shadows.
Keep on being completely "personal" in your approach, Larry.
Great chatting with you, too.   Posted: 10/04/2018 22:27:42



Michael Weatherford   Michael Weatherford
Wonderful post processing on this one. Wants me want to visit the Everglades again. I agree with previous comments that the sky could have been cropped a wee bit more to make the composition even more panoramic. Great colors.   Posted: 10/05/2018 10:58:58



Larry Treadwell   Larry Treadwell
Since so many folks want to see this image cropped more from the top I decided to give it a try. I think this changes the image in that the sunset glow lost its frame of dark clouds along the top edge. I don't think this makes the image bad, just different. How do you all like this crop?   Posted: 10/05/2018 13:07:55
Comment Image



Marti Buckely   Marti Buckely
(Groups 22 & 61)
I like your main image better. I agree the remake cuts off the storm clouds which, to me, adds to the image. I like the way you handled the trees and reeds so that some green shows through and they aren't total silhouettes. Also extending the colors of the sunset makes for a beautiful picture. Nice job!   Posted: 10/25/2018 16:57:43



Gloria Sprung   Gloria Sprung
Hi Larry...just discovered your group! I belong to Gr 8 and 58. Just thought I would chime in about your image. My only thought is that the main blue color in your image is more akin to a Prussian Blue and perhaps adding a bit of magenta to minimize the blue cast.   Posted: 10/26/2018 04:32:18



 
Hi Larry,

First impression looking at this image is "Wow!" Liked the composition, sharpness without noise on dark areas.

I did like your second image after cropping.   Posted: 10/26/2018 05:17:28