Little Pigeon River

Joseph Bautsch

New member
This is another fall color shot I got up in the Smokey Mountains. This is the Little Pigeon River that runs along US highway 441. EXIF: D90,18-105mm, ISO 200, Focal Length 21mm, f/22, Shutter Speed 1/3, Auto WB, Aperture Priority, CPL Filter, PP Aperture 3, Photomatix HDR.

_DSC5630 (1).jpg
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Joseph I love the composition and way it draws the eye to follow the water! I really like it!! Have you considered darkening the center background and the bright tree center/right a bit? That might also make the red leaves pop.

Any more from this spot?
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Eduard, thanks for the nice comment. Unfortunately what you see is about the best I can get out of it. I took the shot when the sun was at around 10 o'clock and right into the lens from the left. Even with the 1 1/2 ND effect of the CPL the sun was still very intense. I should have gotten the shot about two hours earlier in the morning. This is the only shot I was able to get, not enough time. I know exactly where it is, I have the GPS. Maybe next year when I have more time to plan out the shot.
 

premc44

Senior Member
I agree with the comments, but then as you have pointed out, you should have been there two hours earlier. Right place at the right time?
None the less, it is still a wonderful composition
As for the two images, I still feel the original looks more natural, the image after correction by Eduard looks too dark, especially the rocks in the foreground
 
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Joseph Bautsch

New member
Eduard, it's a little too dark. Thanks for trying. I will give this one another try next year with more time to plan I should get a much better shot. I have the GPS location in the EXIF data.

Premc44, trying to be there at the right place and time seems to be the story of my life.
 
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fotojack

Senior Member
I prefer Josephs first shot, as it looks more natural. It's basically what his eyes saw, so the camera reflects that. Eduard, your version was a bit too dark IMHO. As for the shot itself, I agree with Eduard in that my eye wants to follow the river into the trees in the background. I should get out more and try to find shots like that! :)
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Thanks Fotojack. I was driving and happened to look off the side of the road and saw the shot. I had to turn around and go back to it. I also had to climb down a large pile of very big rocks to get to the rivers edge. I don't live but a half day's drive from the Smokeys so I'll try again next year.
 

ohkphoto

Snow White
Joseph, I really like your original photo. Love the feeling of being drawn into the background by following the river. I might darken it and up the contrast just a tad only and after that lighten the foreground rocks just a tad (kind of a third of the way between Eduard's adjustment and your original). I'm learning with these hdr processed photos that really minute adjustments make a world of difference.

I think we all want to be in the right place at the right time, but as photographers, we use our skills and talent to make it happen anyway. I got up at 5:00 AM one morning to hopefully catch the a full moon setting in the west with a bit of a sunrise glow. Guess what. It clouded over to the west and the moon disappeared and so did the sunrise . . . sigh . . . so nature doesn't always cooperate. So I've learned to not do a lot of "bemoaning". Too many other moments to capture!

Best Regards
 

Eduard

Super Mod
Staff member
Super Mod
Beautiful composition, I do like the topaz adjust but would prefer the image a little lighter, maybe it's my monitor.

Now that I'm home at my desk I agree that it is way too dark. I was on my laptop which has a matte screen. Now that I think of it, I was on battery which cuts brightness too. YIKES! Good idea but poor implementation. Sorry Joseph.
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Eduard, no problem. I'm going to try Helene's suggestions as well as apply the red curve adjustment to see if the red will come up. I'll keep experimenting and see what works and always learning. And thanks for being my friend, that's cool.
 

Carolina Photo Guy

Senior Member
_DSC5630 (1) - Version 2.jpg

Is this what y'all had in mind?

Fiddled with in Aperture 2, without permission.:(

Syn Loi Mai Toi

Pete

BTW, beautiful original shot, just seemed to be a little washed out.
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Pete - No problem with the rework in Aperture 2. I like your version it seems to have more detail and color in the center where the river is flowing. It's still a little dark. Gaining detail in the center it also loses some detail in the foreground. Even so it looks good. I'm still working on it.
 

premc44

Senior Member
Yes to be there at the right place and time. Joseph , is it not the same story for most of us?. Still, I think you are lucky that you were there at such a beautiful place. No doubt, we will be able to see a better picture of the same place next year.
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
This river runs parallel to the road for seven or eight miles. I saw numerous possible shooting sites that would take a couple of days to explore. I've got it on my to do list for next year. Attached is the version using Helene's suggestions. At this point I don't think it will get any better. We have squeezed as much out of as we can. Thanks for everyones input. It was a great exercise in post processing.

_DSC5630.jpg
 
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