Not the famous "world tree" (which is of course an Ash) but this Beech caught my eye on a rainy day. The capture gave me an excuse to try using brushes in CS5, though--any feedback on what works in your PP workflow (especially brush selection/settings) will be greatly appreciated!

[AlexBW]

Cool shot! I think it looks great.
By posting it in the Critique section of the forum may get you more critical opinions.
I don't know much about CS5, but I'll give my thoughts. Cropping-away the left-most 1/5th would focus the attention more on the tree/roots and make it look bigger (Yggdrasil is supposed to be immense). On the left hand side, I think more shadow at the upper part would make it stand out even more. I like how some of the leaves are almost golden - maybe this would look even more so if lightened slightly?

[CreationBear]

posting it in the Critique section

Thanks Alex--I'll probably throw several in the Critique section once I'm (fairly) sure I could follow what people suggest do.


Otherwise, I like your cropping ideas--it's something I need to get better at before I trip the shutter so I don't lose so many pixels, but as you allude, it really makes or breaks the picture.

[robgski]

Otherwise, I like your cropping ideas--it's something I need to get better at before I trip the shutter so I don't lose so many pixels, but as you allude, it really makes or breaks the picture.

The downside of digital for me is that I am too hasty to frame or compose the picture, figuring I can fix it in PP, or taking more than one shot in hopes that the law of averages would yield one perfect picture. When I shot film, I shot sparingly, and more slowly know I only had 24 or 36 shots, trying to make each one count.

[CreationBear]

I only had 24 or 36 shots

Ha, and if you were like me you had to wait to payday to send them off at the drugstore.



That's a related problem I have with CS5--too many sliders!

[GeoJerry]

That's a cool and unusual shot! Nice low key style with earth tones, I like it!

[CreationBear]

Thanks for comment! Keitha McCall and others make "brush work" look easy, but I'm still a bit cackhanded--I'm not one to blame my tools, but I've made it known that a Wacom tablet would make an excellent Christmas present.

[dcmsox2004]

you've taken a mundane tree and creatively transformed it into an evocative piece... well done, dave m

[CreationBear]

Thanks! I'm fighting exposure "transitions" right now--it definitely takes a lighter touch (or more patience with a low opacity level than I have.)