Nature's Window
Here is a composite of two images: one an image of opening among tree trunks and another of a juvenile shikra (a raptor). Used the lasso tool to clear the opening in the first image and moved the shikra image into it. Reduced the opacity of shikra layer a bit. Both images had the sunlight pouring from the right, shikra was peering straight into the camera and felt they worked together. Would love to know your views.
regards,
ramesh
Hello Ramesh. I like the concept that you had in this one, to make a window in a tree. Very creative! There are a couple of suggestions I might make... The image feels very cramped on the right, and I would be tempted to add more canvas to move the window farther into the frame. Also, I feel that the tree trunk on the right needs more focus or definition to convince the eye that the "window pane" is in the same plane all the way around its edges. I think a little less painting on the edges of the virtual glass would be good and the opacity could open up a bit. I really like what you were doing here and would love to see some different techniques used. There might be a way using surface blur and some color tint to mimic the look of old-fashioned "float" glass, that was greenish and wavy! Good idea!!
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This really is an interesting attempt to create a window, Ramesh. I'm with Kerry on all his suggestions - it does feel cramped on the right and the tree is not quite as believeable as I feel it could be but...so interesting what you came up with!
Thanks a lot, Kerry. I was amazed at your observations and i completely agree with them. I checked my other images of the trees. Though the opening is a bit more to left, it is much smaller. They didn't give the same impact. My photoshop skills beyond the normal PP needs are very limited and wish i could implement those suggestions. If i could improve upon this, i will repost that effort. Thanks again for those insightful comments.
regards,
ramesh
Thanks Julie for your views. A bit of background info: Both these images were taken in western ghats of India and the trees here are the typical hardwood trees found in these forests. They were taken couple of hundred meters apart and the trees are very similar. I had taken the image of the moss covered tree trunks with a macro lens (105mm Micro VR) and an open aperture (f4.5) to get a very shallow dof. I wanted the view through the opening to be completely OOF. Though it achieved that effect, but the whole image didn't turn out to be good. I am glad I found a use for it here:)
regards,
ramesh
Ramesh, Not much more to add here except I think you have a great concept and would like to see you fine tune it.
I agree with Kerry's excellent critique and would add that the hawk part of the image looked as if it were shot though plastic.... The idea was a good one....
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Thanks, Denise and Artie for your views. Here is another take on this image. I added blur and tint to image in the window.
regards,
ramesh
It's very differenty but if I had to choose I'd pick the first one.
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