Bob Wills  


Riverfront Park by Bob Wills

April 2021 - Riverfront Park

April 2021 - Bob Wills

Original

About the Image(s)

This image was taken at the PSA Conference in 2019 (the last conference forever!) in Spokane WA. I think I was attracted by the sunlight reflecting off the tree, but I probably should have narrowed my subject. I guess that is the problem when I go with my wife, as she usually has a different agenda, and definitely a faster style.

I shot this with my XT-2, 16-55mm lens at 16mm, 1/2000 sec@ f6.4, ISO 200 and handheld.

I processed the auto tone and cropped in LR, and then took it into PS for color and effects. Let me know what may be a better composition and other changes I should consider. Thanks
Bob Wills


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




Robert Knight   Robert Knight
(Group 45)
Hi Bob, your final picture is a big improvement on the original, firstly because you cropped out the building at the front and secondly you have really made the scene "pop" with the vibrant colours in the tree and background. You have turned a very ordinary image into an interesting and enjoyable one. I think the only thing I would have done is to remove the vapour trail in the sky.   Posted: 04/07/2021 17:12:11
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Excellent suggestion, Robert. I think I do go vivid in many instances trying to add a "wow" factor, but I also try to keep the tones correct, changing luminance values. I sometimes have to lower the vibrance to get an image subdued enough to post. Maybe I can get a suggestion from the group on a better solution to my color issues. Thanks   Posted: 04/08/2021 09:15:20



Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
I like your cropping and enhancement of the tree trunk and branch warmth. My own approach to color enhancement is to put the image in Lightroom on my most 'true' screen (I use two screens for document comparisons, and one screen is quite a bit more true to the colors than the other) and play with the tone curve, watching the histogram. When I get the best use of all pixels then I watch the tone curve change as I adjust clarity, vibrance, and saturation. And I watch the photo on the 'good' screen to see what looks like I remember -- or even better. I tend to aim for the recollection of what I actually remember seeing. You probably do all of this in PS already!   Posted: 04/08/2021 17:15:48
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Good process, Zina. Thanks   Posted: 04/09/2021 09:22:32
 
Wow! That's amazing, Zina. You're very thorough.   Posted: 04/16/2021 15:11:09



 
nice picture! very nicely cropped.

color also good. i happen to also like high sturation. Learning to diversify.
  Posted: 04/15/2021 23:31:20
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Thank you, Wendy.   Posted: 04/16/2021 09:20:06



 
I think the sunlight coming through the tree is lovely. I, too, am attracted to trees and sun dappled light. I find trees so beautiful and majestic. However, I think they are quite challenging to photograph. Especially in an urban setting. I think it's a shame that there is a high rise behind this tree, which takes away from the tree and the effect I think you were trying to create. I don't think there is any way you could have captured that tree and blurred the building without taking away from detail in the tree. So, ultimately, I probably would have focused on some detail in the tree or cropped the photo to remove the high rise.

As for colours and temperature, it often comes down to personal taste I think. I think the blue of the sky is great -- and realistic. In my personal opinion, your oranges, yellows and greens are too saturated. I probably would have desaturated the yellows in the green a bit, but not too much because while it may make for a more pleasing green you don't want it to look unrealistic. Unless that's the aim, of course.   Posted: 04/16/2021 15:24:59



Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Thanks, Elizabeth. I seldom intentionally try to make my images unrealistic, but sometimes. The dynamic range in this image was beyond my camera, so adjustments are required. The conference hotel was in the background.   Posted: 04/16/2021 16:14:45