[Leica] Album

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Okay, Mr. Ted, this is where we temporarily part company. If I have a
'complaint' about this one it's that it does lack a traditional
'subject,' on the other hand, the lack of subject may BE the subject. My
eye went immediately to that frosty mid-ground; and the out-of-focus
foreground makes sense to my eyes, and my brain - this really is what I
envision when I think frosty field, morning, woods, etc....I think you
may be seeing this one from too much of a PJ's perspective, rather than
simply seeing it as an evocative image.

But what do I know - so far I'm out-numbered two to one, and by heavy
guns... :-)

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Ted Grant
Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 9:10 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] Album


Peter Dzwig  showed:
>>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/My-album/FrostyMorningR11b7001_020<<<

Nathan Wajsman offered in comment:
>>> I was really attracted by this one
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/My-album/FrostyMorningR11b7001_020
> when looking at the thumbnails. But when I opened the large image, I 
> was put off by the large area of unsharp vegetation in the foreground.

> The light in the image is beautiful but this unsharpness in the 
> foreground bothers me.

Hi Peter & Nathan,
I agree with you Nathan no question. The out of focus foreground is much
too distracting and basically blocks one's eyes from going beyond it.
Besides there isn't anything in the background strong enough for one's
eye to lock on and jump by the out of focus area.

What happens when a human looks at a scene like this, our eyes are
changing focus so rapidly as we scan the scene, we don't see the out of
focus area as it appears in the photograph. Therefore when we look at
final shot on film here's this big "blob" of distracting area spoiling a
wonderful frost effect scene.

Peter this scene has wonderful possibilities with all the backlit frost,
but it's also a tough subject to make it work well. Either by stopping
down to capture the frost covered grass to the trees in the bckgrd, a
macro or tele lens for separation of sparkling frost from black
background..

I would've tried for a tight shot on some heavy frost covered blades of
grass or branches, macro or close to that. With the background
completely out of focus and the foliage sparkling against a dark
background due to the backlighting.

A tele might've worked by making your shot out of the grass/shrubs upper
right side almost at the edge of the frame against the black bckgrd.
Probably a 400mm or in that range. Or walk closer and use a 200 might be
alright. Or a 400 with a macro adapter...... like wow!!!!!! ;-)

Sorry mate but that's the way it goes sometimes.
ted















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