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Haakon


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: A Single Tree (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
Location: Otay Lake, Chula Vista, California
Date: Sep 8, 2006
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 100
Shutter: 50 seconds
Galleries: Nature
Date Uploaded: Sep 10, 2006

 My first entry! :-)

The original concept I had for this challenge was completely different, but I was having a difficult time trying to represent my idea the way I wanted. I ended up taking this shot on a whim while walking along the edge of a lake with some friends late one night and decided that the simplicity and tonality of the image was more in line with what I really wanted to share than my original attemps were.

It's a 50 second exposure shot at ISO100. The light illuminating the low bank of clouds is not the sun but actually a prison on the other side of the mountain ridge. I had my friend shine his flashlight on the trunk of the tree to give it separation from the otherwise engulfing darkness.

After the challenge:
=====================================

Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on my image - this was my first challenge entry and the process was very interesting.

I fully understand those who felt the image was too dark - aside from the fact I've found it does look different on different monitors, I do accept that art is subjective. :) I tried adjusting the levels a bit before I made my final submission, but I just felt that making it any brighter sapped all of the feeling from the photograph. Ironically, I didn't do much post work to it - just bumped the saturation a little and cloned out some branches I found distracting - most of the vinetting was not me going crazy with a black paintbrush but rather a simple result of the fact that it was shot in near complete darkness. The shutter was a long 50 seconds, and the result was what you see here.

I feel the picture really represents a feeling I wanted to express at the time, and I'm glad that some people were able to share in that. Interestingly, the shot that took the blue ribbon has a very similar approach, though certainly the style and emotion is much different. I am honored to have averaged over 6 on my first challenge photo and the start of my DPC journey!

Statistics
Place: 46 out of 251
Avg (all users): 6.0195
Avg (commenters): 6.2381
Avg (participants): 5.8085
Avg (non-participants): 6.1982
Views since voting: 1435
Views during voting: 309
Votes: 205
Comments: 27
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 03/12/2007 07:44:52 PM
Nice result for an elegant photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/29/2006 12:09:43 PM
Great entry haakon man
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/19/2006 03:29:53 AM
Congrats. Now you have both the highest rated Rebel XTi shot and the lowest rated. That's pretty cool.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/18/2006 03:07:59 AM
First entry on DPC with the Rebel XTi, impressive shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/17/2006 09:30:57 PM
Would have been better with more shadow detail.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 08:10:53 PM
I love compositions like these and I typically like them to be a little on the dark side, but the vignette here is too overpowering even for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 11:03:56 AM
dramatic! great job capturing a mood!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 07:50:16 AM
a bit dark...would like to see the tree highlighted more at the top - hard to see if it's a single tree or more.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2006 03:03:40 AM
Gorgeously dramatic!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2006 11:46:49 AM
Too dark. The tree doesn't show up enough to be the subject of the image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 11:23:37 PM
Nice use of shadows and light
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 09:12:17 PM
IMO a little too dark
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 08:53:41 PM
Simply beautiful. Good luck. You have my vote...9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 02:22:27 PM
This is very nice. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 08:44:36 AM
love the mysterious feeling in this one !!! Shadows are good part of this feeling ! grats...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2006 12:39:18 AM
Very powerful image and well presented. I like and wish you the best of luck.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 08:26:47 PM
i like the spookiness and you weren't afraid to be simple a subtle. Nice to look at.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/13/2006 03:34:01 PM
Awesome picture - abosolutely love it! Very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/12/2006 07:42:28 PM
I like this shot a lot...real mood setter.....would be great in as an illustration
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/12/2006 04:04:41 PM
you've closed it off quite a bit, but what's left is interesting to look at. the part I like the best is flat that just has a little color and the whispy grass silhouette. hope your not getting killed with this photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/12/2006 12:48:28 PM
Nice simple composition. I like it quite a lot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 12:21:33 PM
Simple to the point of almost nothing. But for that probably better. Less is more in this case. Nice work. 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 12:03:40 PM
A little too dark... I can't make out much.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 09:05:11 AM
Looks nice, but it just seems a bit too dark.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 08:56:08 AM
Super colors. They blend so smoothly. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 08:55:28 AM
Beautifully done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/11/2006 01:12:20 AM
I think the vignette darkens it a little too much. I do like the composition and the deep orange colour. However, overall too dark I'm afraid, sorry.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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