You're NUTS!!

[Manta]

Trip to the Glasshouse Mountains today gave some interesting opportunities for images. This is looking along a row of Macadamia trees at one of the many farms in the area. It's also a merge of two versions of the same RAW image - one with the exposure altered to best show the sky, the other with adjustments to try to eke out whatever detail I could in the shadowy tree areas.

Comments appreciated.
(PS - Didn't realise until I got home that I'd been shooting at ISO 500 all day. Not happy. )

[Oneputt]

Now that is very interesting Simon. Your PS skills are obviously much greater than mine

I know all about not checking the settings (remember leaving the lens cap on).

[Manta]

...remember leaving the lens cap on...

Haven't done that yet John. Touch wood..!

Thanks for you comments.

[marcotrov]

Manta nice perspective and leading lines. I wonder what difference it would have made to include say a strategically placed cluster of nuts (not mine but the macadamia's) in the bottom right or left hand third to give some foreground interest and rather unsubtley indicate the tree lines function or for advertising purposes, a close foreground shot of a finished packet or bottle of the produce of the farm. you know what I mean and possibly create a market for yourself.
I would have also got down a little lower and directed the lens up more with perhaps a polarizer to perk up colours etc.
Gee, once again I got carried away. Hope this is of some use? If not I'm humouring myself.
cheers
marco

[Slider]

Great Shot

Another technique to try out too

[kinetic]

Hey Manta - interesting shot(s). I really like the "tunnel" effect that you have going with those trees.
The area around the tree stumps is very dark isn't it? (Rhetorical Question). I guess the ISO thing didn't help

[marcotrov]

Second thoughts Manta I like the perspective of your image with perhaps a lower position to the ground as i stated.

Perhaps a Lovely Model with flowing skirt and her sporting a bright Red jumper and carrying a little basket filled with Macadamia and she's walking down the lane between the trees. Placement of model depends on what would look more appealing. A bit cliched perhaps
All the suggestions and tongue in cheeks aside, great image manta.
cheers
marco

[Manta]

Manta nice perspective and leading lines. I wonder what difference it would have made to include say a strategically placed cluster of nuts (not mine but the macadamia's) in the bottom right or left hand third to give some foreground interest and rather unsubtley indicate the tree lines function or for advertising purposes, a close foreground shot of a finished packet or bottle of the produce of the farm. you know what I mean and possibly create a market for yourself.
I would have also got down a little lower and directed the lens up more with perhaps a polarizer to perk up colours etc.
Gee, once again I got carried away. Hope this is of some use? If not I'm humouring myself.
cheers
marco

Some nice ideas there Marco. I forgot I had my polariser in the car (like I forgot to check to ISO).

I had the camera on tripod about 30cm off the ground.

[Manta]

Thanks Slider - really easy: open both images, suitably exposure-adjusted, then use the move tool to pull one image onto the other (they're the same image so the fit will be perfect). The second image will appear as a new layer in the first. Then grab your eraser tool and, with a nice soft brush, ensuring you are working on the right layer, erase everything you don't want. In my case, all I left in the new layer was the triangular sky section. Everything else got zapped. Merge the layers and you have a nicely balanced image.

Hey Kinetic - you're right, there wasn't much I could do with those bloody shadows. I'm blaming the ISO too 9but it was probably just a bad exposure choice on my part.

Pleased you liked it though.

[stubbsy]

Simon

I really like this. Lovely strong leading lines and taking the time to merge the exposures pays off since the sky rounds things out nicely. But I think there's just a little too much foreground which takes away some of the majesty of the trees. Maybe a small crop at the bottom. Not too much, say just below the first little pile of leaves on the grass about 20% up from the bottom.

[Oneputt]

Simon maybe you should run a PS workshop. I am sure that we would all learn something.

[Manta]

Thanks Peter. I thought this too but forgot to do it!! D'oh!

[Manta]

You're very flattering Oneputt.... it may get you somewhere!

[Oneputt]

Hey I'm serious, I want to learn.

[Manta]

We'll get together soon John - promise.

Stubbsy - you'll notice I cropped the shot. Much better! Thanks for prompting me!

[stubbsy]

We'll get together soon John - promise.

Stubbsy - you'll notice I cropped the shot. Much better! Thanks for prompting me!

And great minds think alike Simon (or is it fools never differ )

Exactly where I clumsily tried to describe. And FWIW a significant improvment of an already great shot.

[Manta]

We'll get together soon John - promise.

Stubbsy - you'll notice I cropped the shot. Much better! Thanks for prompting me!

And great minds think alike Simon (or is it fools never differ )

Exactly where I clumsily tried to describe. And FWIW a significant improvment of an already great shot.

Nothing clumsy about your description Pete - I knew exactly where you meant.

[mic]

Cool Manta, very cool

Are ya Nuts !

Mic.

[Manta]

I wondered how long it would take for you to spot the thread named after you Mic!!!

Pleased you like!