Soft Sharp Red-crowned Cranes in River Mist, Hokkaido, Japan.

[Arthur Morris]

Red-crowned Cranes in river mist well after sunrise

From the recently concluded Japan in Winter IPT, a 2-frame multiple exposure.

This sharp/soft double exposure was also created at the Otowa River Bridge in Tsurui on the Japan in Winter IPT with the Induro GIT 304L/Mongoose M3.6-mounted Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens at 400mm and the mega mega-pixel Canon EOS 5DS R. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/640 sec. at f/6.3 in Av mode. WB: 10000K.

Center AF point/AI Servo Expand/Rear Focus AF on the closest line of cranes in the center and recompose. Clickhere to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to see a larger version.

Learn more and see a sharp version here.

As for the image, don't be shy; all honest comments welcome. a

[Dennis Bishop]

I'm convinced . . . The sharp/soft focus multiple exposure is a great technique. I like what you did with it, and the colors make it even better.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Dennis. It pays to experiment: which direction--clockwise or counter-clockwise, and how much you turn when you de-focus.... I am pretty sure that this technique was first used with flowers. a

[Mitch Carucci]

I like this OOTB version better than the "sharp" version. Lush and silky, the processing is perfect for a Japanese scene.

[Arthur Morris]

Hey Mitch, Thanks. Not much processing, just my NIK CEP 25/25 recipe on the trees :)

[Cheryl Slechta]

Artie - I love the image and the technique. The soft, ethereal look and the combination of soft blues and browns is simply beautiful. With trepidation (but I know you won't mind) I am posting another vision - I used a slight gaussian blur on the sharpest bunch of cranes in the lower left, cropped a bit from the bottom and G. blur on the bottom of the water.

[Judy Howle]

This is one of my favorite OOTB images of all I've seen! Well done Artie! I like the full view better than cropped at the bottom because I think it needs that space and blue water but blurring the water works for me.

[Diane Miller]

Cool! Like an Orton but with some camera movement. My eye goes to the brightest part, which seems a little too bright.

I always do this sort of thing as two separate exposures as layers in PS instead of in-camera, for flexibility.

[Arthur Morris]

This is one of my favorite OOTB images of all I've seen! Well done Artie! I like the full view better than cropped at the bottom because I think it needs that space and blue water but blurring the water works for me.

Thanks Judy. I too like the compositional balance of the original post better but Cheryl's GB worked out nicely. NG for the BBC contest on that however :). I entered this one and the sharp version last week... a

[Nancy Bell]

Glorious golden colors in this! The technique captures the misty mood extremely well. My vote is for the OP, with the more complete blue water. The soft alternating layers of water, cranes, snow really capture the eye as it leads back into those golden trees with a subtle vertical texture component that keeps the eyes moving up and into the misty distance. Sounds like winter Japan was another fabulous success.

[gary ellwein]

I love the image Artie. As Dennis pointed out in a recent critique, a Z pattern is most effective. To my eye the swans are distributed in such a pattern. Others have appropriately commented on the rich color palette and soft glow of the image. The repeating patterns of light and dark in the brush on the right keep catching my eye. If mine, I'd try to reduce the pattern if possible.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Gary, Any idea how to reduce the pattern in the right hand trees? a