Contrast

[Gordon Craig]

These are mature Eastern White Cedar cones placed on a piece of wood used for a fire. The picture was shot with a Canon 5D, 100mm Canon Lens. The Aperture was F32 and the shutter speed was 8 sec. The ISO was 100. I used a Canon Speedlite 430EX as the sun was starting to go down at a -1 flash exposure.

[Bruce Murden]

Hi Gordon! Good placement and I like the contrast in colors. To further improve the image, you may want a little more angle on the cedar (not quite so close to vertical), and you may want to try earlier in the evening, or in the shade or on an overcast day, so the burned wood can stand out more -- it dies back a bit with the flash, even with the 8 sec exposure to get some ambient lighting.

[Ed Vatza]

Very interesting composition that you created here, Gordon. Very nice detail. Great color combination here. And I love the background. I guess I am saying that I like it a lot. My eye runs from upper right to lower left. To that end, I do feel that I would like to see more green leading into the cone and less running out. That's a personal preference.

[Mike Moats]

Hey Gordon, good contrasting image, with good details. I would try this again with with out the flash and shoot it in the shade, or use a diffuser if the sun is hitting it.

[Julie Kenward]

What a great variety of texture in this. I think a different lighting would be nice, also, as it would probably pop some of the details back into that dark wood. Beautifully seen, though. It certainly holds my view.