Garden Impression

[Adhika Lie]

I hesitated to post this on this forum since there is not much OOTB processing involved here. But I borrow the concept from Monet when shooting this picture and I really don't mind putting a lot more processing on this picture. I would like to hear your thoughts about ways I can improve this photo. This is from Los Angeles's Descanso Gardens. More specifically, this shot is a reflection in the pool seen here. I shot from that corner of the bungalow towards the other end of the pool.

This was shot at 200mm, f/6.3, 1/160 (ISO1600; I wished I had shot this from a tripod, but I was at a very weird position to shoot this). I rotated the canvas to get the tree upright and then processed it on LR to get the tonality right and increase the WB temperature. There were some hot areas in the reflection that I tried to tame a little bit via quick masking and curve adjustment. The harsher one, I just cloned out. The ones left didn't really bother me.

As I said, the inspiration was really Monet's waterlilies. I am trying to get something along that line that is truer to the photographic medium. I am wondering if you guys would have some thoughts to improve this image. Does the focus bother you? I probably should've focused in the middle to get most of my depth of field but the details on the tree was really cool and for some reasons, I focused on them when I pressed the shutter button. I remembered trying f/8 but 1/160 at 200mm is as slow as I could shoot handheld standing on an awkward position.

Thanks so much!

[Dennis Bishop]

I like your idea, and that tree is a good element for an image. Making it look like a Monet waterlily painting wouldn't be impossible, but I think it would be difficult because there's no blue in the image. Making it look like an oil painting, though, only requires the right software. Both Dynamic Auto Painter (by Mediachance) and Impression (Topaz) have specific Monet presets. Although it is more general (but highly customizable), Alien Skin Snap Art is capable of good oil painting simulation. Corel Painter is a good stand-alone program that would work, but it's more of a commitment in terms of both cost and learning the software. There's also oil paint capability in Photoshop.

[Adhika Lie]

Dennis, thanks for the suggestions! Topaz has been mentioned a few times here. I should give that software a look.

I guess the inspiration is not really the color or style but more on the composition for this one. One of my favorite Monet water lily has this pool reflection as well. Of course he has water lilies to anchor it but I really liked that concept of shooting a reflection off of a pool with the intention of creating a complete image from it alone. Now, you mentioned about the water color effect, I would definitely keep that in mind in the future shots!

[Diane Miller]

Nice idea! I shot this sort of thing whenever I can find it, but it isn't easy. I think some sort of "painting" filter might work well, although I rarely use them so can't make any recommendations.

There must be some good water lilies in the LA area, but the right setting might be hard to find, with reflections. I saw some a few yeas ago at the Norton Simon, but didn't have the lens with me to get them. The Huntington must have some, and the Arboretum in Arcadia... I'll be spending a couple of weeks in the Pasadena area in early May -- I may have to try to find time to revisit some of those places.

Will love to see what you do with this!

[Anita Bower]

Adhika: You received some excellent recommendations above. I like your image and have played with it a bit, hope you don't mind. I don't know if I went in the direction you had in mind. I imagine the Topaz filters would work really well, but I wanted to try filters that you already have or are free.
I used Nik Color Efex Pro filters Detail Extractor, Sunlight, Glamour Glow. I darkened areas selectively and used Levels to tone down blown out areas. I then experimented with PS filter Stylize >Diffuse >Anisotropic.
The Nik filters are currently being offered for free: https://www.google.com/nikcollection/

[Anita Bower]

Here is a link to a photographer that has done a series of lovely reflection photos: http://brucelewisphotography.tumblr.com/

[Adhika Lie]

That's a nice repost, Anita, although not in the direction that I would like to go. I am thinking of a softer, more muted image; but this is lovely nonetheless. You are on point about using what we already have. I do not have fancy processing software yet, but I am looking into adding those into my collections. I will keep on experimenting with this one.

Here is a link to a photographer that has done a series of lovely reflection photos: http://brucelewisphotography.tumblr.com/

This is a really interesting collection. Thanks for sharing!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Adhika, I love doing reflections and I like the muted tones of this one. I have quite a few shots of water lily reflections from our Botanical Gardens here in town. I took the liberty of flipping it horizontally which I think I like better but I like your post also. I would remove the in focus blades of grass which are on the edge in the center and also on the edge upper right on your image. I always try to keep the floating leaves but will eliminate anything else that detracts from the reflection. And I might take a sliver off of the bottom but I would leave enough of the trunk so that you include it before it branches.

[Adhika Lie]

Cheryl, that's a very interesting flip. I went the tree going from left to right because that's what feels intuitive. But going the other way round is also very interesting.

I finally found the direction that I want to go with this image; more like a watercolor type of processing. This is done using the "Waterlogue" app on the iOS.

[Anita Bower]

I like your last version. The yellows unify the image, the tree takes one's eyes throughout. The process eliminates the unevenness of the OP. Good work. Did you process this on an iPad?

[Adhika Lie]

Hi Anita, I did this on my iPhone. The app has the ability to save the original image resolution up to 3500 px on the longest side if I am not mistaken. It's a pretty easy to use app, I wish there is a Mac version of it (as there is a Windows 10 version already).

[Anita Bower]

Hi Anita, I did this on my iPhone. The app has the ability to save the original image resolution up to 3500 px on the longest side if I am not mistaken. It's a pretty easy to use app, I wish there is a Mac version of it (as there is a Windows 10 version already).

Thanks.

[Cheryl Slechta]

I love the repost!