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Julie Kenward
07-05-2008, 09:10 AM
I'm not totally sure this belongs here so let me know if this is to "macro" to be considered a landscape.

This is a photo of the manmade pond at Powell Gardens here in Kansas City. Yesterday's weather was gorgeous and it helped me compose this image. Does anyone know why I got a green cast over part of the water (near the RHC?) Was it just my choice of angle?

Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
f10 @ 1/60th, handheld
ISO 250 / partly cloudy

Processed in camera raw with tweaks to levels, curves and saturation.

Roman Kurywczak
07-05-2008, 09:27 AM
Hi Julie,
I think it's fine here.........as for the LR.........did you have FG grasses you were taking this through???.....Could be OOF ones.........was there shrubbery above the rock on the right??.........could be reflecting down. Compositionally I like it .......maybe a bit more room on left of grasses and bottom to avoid clipping........but would considered darkening this overall. the grass against the darker shadow area would pop a bit more and the rocks wouldn't seem as harsh. You have strong shadow play.........enhance it a bit more..........my guess aout 2-3 on the black slider in levels and around 8 down on the midtones should make it stand out more. Exploring the grass and reflection only with a vert comp ........without as much rock next time you are out...... may also yeild other pleasing comps.

Julie Kenward
07-05-2008, 09:52 AM
I tried your suggestions Roman but it felt really dark so I did a bit of very selective lightning (the white stripe in the rock, etc.) Does this look better?

As for the LR, you're probably right...I probably had a reflection from another plant bouncing in from the right that I didn't see until pp. Bummer!

Roman Kurywczak
07-05-2008, 10:34 AM
Hey Julie,
Definitely pops now.........maybe just a hair more on the U shape in the upper part.........and I don't find the green in the LR that distracting.......especially now that it's toned down.

Paul Marcellini
07-05-2008, 01:01 PM
Definitely improved after suggestions. I like the comp and only nit is the visible pot, but not much you can do about it. As far as the green, I bet its just from seeing into the water. It happens to me in the Everglades alot. Yellow bottoms, or water take on that tone.

Douglas Bolt
07-05-2008, 05:37 PM
Hi Julie,

I really enjoyed your reflection image. The composition was what caught my attention. However, like others, the green in the lower right did detract from the balance of the overall image. I used Hue/Sat on a gradient to reduce the yellow, green and cyan. I also increased the saturation with a Soft Light layer with Opacity of 20, pluse a slight bit more sharpness.

Anyway, great image to look at as presented and a fun one to tinker with in CS3.

Julie Kenward
07-05-2008, 06:06 PM
Very nice, Doug! Thanks for the help...I never thought to try that.

Robert Amoruso
07-06-2008, 06:36 PM
Many excellent comments and suggestions for this image. May I add trying a reverse s-curve to lower overall contrast.