Mark Bargen
About the Image(s)
I found this colorful dark patch of biological soil crust but a short distance off the main Dune Shacks Trail among the Province Lands dunes in the Cape Cod National Seashore, two and a half hours’ drive from my home. I spent several hours hiking in the area; I found this scene within an hour of arrival.
Also known as cryptobiotic crust, this crust is a living ecosystem largely comprised of algae and bacteria; it is extremely fragile. The American Beachgrass in the distance is hardier, but slow growing and spreads slowly. The seemingly dead shrub in the foreground appears to be beach plum.
Captured on Canon EOS R5 with RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM lens. Shot at 1/1000 second at f/8.0, ISO 100, 35mm portrait orientation and cropped in post to field of view roughly equivalent to 60mm landscape.
Post processing in Adobe Photoshop in too many stages to count, most of it consisting of painting in small curve adjustments in the LAB color space. Also some Unsharp Mask sharpening in the L (lightness) channel. The main aims of the adjustments were (a) add dimensionality and a sense of depth; (b) manage the subtly variable color balance; and (c) increase the color separation, especially in the sand and in the patch of crust. I did also engage (back in RGB land) in a lot of frequency separation / clone stamping to eliminate footprints on the slope to the left. (I’m thankful that no one, including myself, had trod on the crust.). Finally, back in LAB world, I pushed the overall lightness to make it as high key as I dared without losing a sense of depth.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
10 comments posted
I am impressed with the time you take in post. In general I like the composition you have a great s curve in the crust. Just my opinion is I find the shrub in the foreground is a distraction. I how you don't mind I removed it so let me know what you think. I like the spot color of the grass.   Posted: 09/08/2021 18:04:56
Of course, I don't mind! And I appreciate that you took the time and expended the effort.
For myself, I think the dark shrub, crouching on the edge of the dune, forms a continuation of the S-curve down to the lower left corner. Also, again for myself, I actualy like the tension: is this about the shrub? or the crust? or ...?
Of course, I may come back to this in a few months and feel quite different about it.   Posted: 09/08/2021 19:28:52
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225731902_Biological_Soil_Crusts_of_Sand_Dunes_in_Cape_Cod_National_Seashore_Massachusetts_USA
  Posted: 09/19/2021 18:10:32
I am not comfortable with the way the grasses on the upper part of the image has been cut off. As the ridge line takes my eye up to that area I believe the photo would be helped if it would lead to a specific item of interest.   Posted: 09/22/2021 09:48:08