Bruce Kocen  


Sunset in the Trees by Bruce Kocen

June 2021 - Sunset in the Trees

About the Image(s)

This image is made with a 3image HDR. I then tried my had at masking and painting in more light, structure and clarity into the trees and grass. The sun is still a little too hot and blow out even after trying to tone it down a little.


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




Stuart Caine   Stuart Caine
(Group 42)
It is a very nice image. My only suggestion is to crop some off the bottom.( to much dead space) I cropped some off the bottom, which brings the trees closer in.   Posted: 06/09/2021 17:52:43
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Kirsti Näntö-Salonen   Kirsti Näntö-Salonen
(Groups 26 & 47 & 54)
Hi Bruce! A beautiful image! Is it the HDR effect that makes the grass look so natural that you can sense how it feels walking through it? There is a wonderful sense of depth with the trees almost in sharp silhouette in the foreground and the mountains in the horizon. I think that the tighter crop makes it more intense. I was wondering if a little more reddish hue in the clouds would make the contrast with the blue sky even more attractive. I tried the color picker tool in Capture One for the yellow and adjusted the hue and saturation just a tad in that direction. What do you think?   Posted: 06/13/2021 23:44:38
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Hi Bruce, this is a very nice image which creates immediate impact. I really like the composition. Your post processing has done a good job of showing us detail in the trees and grass. I agree that the Stuart's crop and Kristi's color adjustments are very helpful. I tried to darken the sun but it did not work. The only thing I can thing of for future shots is to try a 5 image bracket, or wait until the sun is just below the mountains.   Posted: 06/17/2021 15:59:44



 
Bruce, for me the trees are just a frame. My eyes go right to the sunset? sunrise? Just captivating. Thank you for sharing. Sort of like a mystical place just waiting to awaken.   Posted: 06/22/2021 10:44:12



Joan Field   Joan Field
(Groups 3 & 18)
Bruce,
Are those flowers in the foreground with the grass? Myeyes are not very good, but they almost look like blue blossoms. Even if not, I agree that the foreground is a bit too dark and could use some judicious cropping. If those are flowers, I would have tried to lighten the foreground considerably. I do like the softness of the grass blown in the wind, does make you want to walk in it in your bare feet. Again, I do think that the foreground could be lightened, maybe using a layer using Levels and painting in the areas you want lightened. You wold need to lighten the whole image using levels, then using a soft, large brush with a black mask on the levels layer, paint in using white and whatever opacity you think would be good, so you can really see that beautiful grass.
  Posted: 06/23/2021 15:29:20
 
Sounds like a good idea. I"ll give it a try.   Posted: 06/23/2021 23:13:48



Joan Field   Joan Field
(Groups 3 & 18)
Here is one attempt to lighten the foreground. What do you think?   Posted: 06/23/2021 15:37:55
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Rick Finney   Rick Finney
Hi Bruce; Nice moody photograph. I've read all the above comments . I like Joan's last comment enlightening the foreground. Her image works for me.   Posted: 06/26/2021 13:17:39