Canalscape

[Ed Vatza]

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s1/EdV_02/0908_LehighCanalscapeHDR_001-Edit-E.jpg

Image made this morning along the Lehigh Canal between Bethlehem and Allentown, Pa. As we were were walking along, I was taken by the light rounding a curve in the canal. We were in a deep shade and just at the bend was an opening and a patch of very bright sunlight curving downward and reflecting on the water. The range between the deep shade and the bright light seemed to suggest trying a HDR composite which is what I did.

I'm have to say that I am not sure what to make of the result. When I lean back in the chair and look at the whole image, I like what I see. When I lean forward and try to look at it closely, it looks way too busy. I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Canon 30D; Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens; tripod=mounted.

5-image composite at 1-stop intervals (+/- 2 stops from 1/10 sec @ f/11; ISO 100; 0 EV). I shot this sequence using Sunny WB and again using Shade WB and found I strongly preferred the Sunny WB.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Ed,
I think most of us have come across a very similar scene with the sun breaking through the trees......and most of us try to photograph it with very limited succes......I feel you have capetured it well and the HDR work looks excellent and I think it helped too! Like you I wasn't quite sure about it.....so I went to the old reliable tool and went for a crop......I felt the LH side was effective at framing the sun.....but a bit too much. I was going to stop there but felt taking some off the bottom.....just so it wasn't a mirror image....would help. I took a sliver off the right.....brighter leaves peeking in......but you could just as easily clone/patch them.......and if you print it......mat will cover it. I find it a bit more effective......what do you think? 59 quality on repost jpeg. no other corrections.

[Bruce Murden]

I think Roman found what the "busy" part was. My eye keeps being drawn to the lit area in the photo, and the mass of darker trees on the left of your original pull away attention because of too much detail in the branches on the left. Crop does the trick for me, and I think you'll enjoy the whole view much better. No need to touch your other work, the lighting and sharpness work wonders for this scene.

[Lance Warley]

I think your original is beautiful, and Roman's crop makes it even better.

As Bruce says, the crop removed a ton of the business and really makes it pop.

[Ed Vatza]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback and agree that the crop makes it pop a bit more. Again, thanks.

[Ed Cordes]

Crop is better, I agree there seemed to be too much detail on the left.

[kevinmat]

Like Roman's crop, beautiful image!