David Terao
December 2024 - Century Plant
Original
About the Image(s)
I shot this early morning image in Manhattan Beach, California. Walking along the bike path, I saw this unusual plant standing about 5 feet tall. I composed the image with the almost-full moon in the branches. I thought this image might work for a "minimalism" photo competition coming up later this year. Shot with a Ricoh GR IIIx. Exposure was 1/200 sec @ f/2.8 and ISO 100. Minor processing in Lightroom to crop and accentuate the colors. Did I overdo the colors?
8 comments posted
You did not overdo the colors; I think they are right on. Nice silhouette of the plant with great detail in the plant. Great background.
To my eye the moon does not work, it is a bit of a distraction. It is too small. This might work if you do a double exposure. Step to the side using a long lens shoot the moon by itself. Zoom in so the moon is large with detail on the moon's surface. Then move back to shoot the plant using the lens you used before and the same settings. I would try this again I think you would be surprised what you could come up with.
I did a flip of your image and feel it gives the image a little better composition. I also removed a speck on the upper corner.
I did this sort of thing with moon over Pittsburgh. This happens one time a year where the full moon is in the right position with the downtown buildings. I shot when the moon was in the perfect position but did not like the size of the moon. After the moon was up, I did a double exposure of the moon and then the buildings. It was much better.
Posted: 12/04/2024 03:17:53
To my eye the moon does not work, it is a bit of a distraction. It is too small. This might work if you do a double exposure. Step to the side using a long lens shoot the moon by itself. Zoom in so the moon is large with detail on the moon's surface. Then move back to shoot the plant using the lens you used before and the same settings. I would try this again I think you would be surprised what you could come up with.
I did a flip of your image and feel it gives the image a little better composition. I also removed a speck on the upper corner.
I did this sort of thing with moon over Pittsburgh. This happens one time a year where the full moon is in the right position with the downtown buildings. I shot when the moon was in the perfect position but did not like the size of the moon. After the moon was up, I did a double exposure of the moon and then the buildings. It was much better.
Posted: 12/04/2024 03:17:53
Thanks for your detailed feedback, Dick. I like your suggestion of flipping the image horizontally, and I didn't notice that speck on the side. I'm still debating what to do with the moon. Because this was intended to be a minimalist shot, I didn't want the moon to be so prominent. Without the tiny moon, the image seemed to lack a point of focus or attention. Posted: 12/04/2024 10:57:12
Great minimalist image. Your perspective made the plant seem to be very tall. Love the silhouette of the plant against the pleasing colors in the sky. The colors are perfect. I don't think you need the moon. The subject has enough strength to stand alone. Nice capture, David. Posted: 12/07/2024 16:12:08
Thanks for your feedback, Barbara. That's two for deleting the moon. Posted: 12/07/2024 16:36:55
Great minimalist image. Great background. The colors of the sky are perfect. If you leave the moon in the image, it give it a point of focus. I like the plant with the moon and without the moon.
Posted: 12/16/2024 01:44:21
Posted: 12/16/2024 01:44:21
Thank you, Diana. I'm leaning towards leaving the moon in. When I took it out, the image just seemed to be missing something. Posted: 12/16/2024 01:54:42
Hi David,
I love the patterns of this plant-I believe it's the same one I found three years ago at my local beach. It's the flower of a grey cactus that grows several meters high and forms a beautiful structure of branches.
I really like how you've captured it as a silhouette, highlighting its intricate design against the beautiful colors of the sky. The addition of the moon adds another point of interest, but I agree with Dick's comment regarding it.
Posted: 12/19/2024 13:03:47
I love the patterns of this plant-I believe it's the same one I found three years ago at my local beach. It's the flower of a grey cactus that grows several meters high and forms a beautiful structure of branches.
I really like how you've captured it as a silhouette, highlighting its intricate design against the beautiful colors of the sky. The addition of the moon adds another point of interest, but I agree with Dick's comment regarding it.
Posted: 12/19/2024 13:03:47
Thank you, Maria. I'm keeping two versions of this image - one with the moon and one without. Posted: 12/19/2024 16:35:33