This is my first time posting in the forum. Not quite sure how it is supposed to work but figured I'd give it a shot. This is an image that I uploaded in my gallery a little over a week ago. I am just not getting the critique that I am looking for. You can only here "Oh, thats nice" so many times. I am looking to grow as a photographer, which means I need to see my strong points and weak areas. ------

This image is of my get-away spot. The original capture, taken on my Digital Nikon CoolPix 4300, did not capture the mood I was looking for. I adjusted the hues in PS until I came up with this. What do you think?

Well - I've gotta pick some real fine points here - most of them are made up. The photo is excellent as it stands - but I'm seeing subject matter that would look really cool with a bit more mist - flattened out a bit. the tree in the foreground is really strong - almost like it's guarding a passage to someplace - but it's a bit too defined, and the "destination" is a bit too defined as well (if the "mysterious" feel is what you're going for?). A touch of mist or fog (perhaps partially obscuring the path?), to me, would add a lot of weight to this image - would make more of a "story" of it. Like I said - I'm really having to scrape to come up with creative suggestions - and the suggestions I stated are for a particular "look" for the image - which may or may not be what you were looking for. BTW - I really hate it when people "quote" every other "suggestion" they "recommend" - don't you! :^)

Very nice image! I think that maybe in the greytone areas would benefit from a very very slight greenish tint....the path and the tree. but just barely tint them. hmmm....not much else I can come up with. Oh yeah...welcome to the best forum on this site.

I don't want to just say great image, although it is. I think the thing that were to get to me were I shooting it is the brightness of the sky through the trees. I would like to see it with an ND filter or something to darken it up just a bit. I think it would make it a bit more moody. Another idea is to shoot the same shot early in the morning or late in the evening to give the shadows great lines and contrasts. Great image though. And nplus is only half right, the is the best forum on the net! Magick Michael

Wow. Could it be? Am I getting real suggestions. Nice. -------- Alright, I have a confession to make. This image what actually inspired by the movie "What Dreams May Come." It casts Robin Williams and it is kind-of New Agey. Have you seen it? Anyway, the colors in the film are so rich. The trees are satured with bright yellows and deep purples. It is breathtakingly beautiful. As I said before, this is "The Lake"----my get away spot. Wolfsnap, and others, you guys are right. I am looking for that dreamy feel- the place where your imagination is free to roam. I like some of the things suggested here but I am not sure I know how to do them. I would like to experiment with the "mist" look, as noted by wolfsnap, and the pathway does need some work. How can I do this? Another thing that is annoys is a few leaves in the top left corner- about the same height as where the tree branches out. Somehow the leaves got whacked out when I adjusted the hue. As it with be said in the South..."that needs a fixin." Still learing the ends and outs of PS. Please be patient with me.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12379&Form.ShowMessage=1162604

Welcome to the Forum, Reflect. This topic comes up periodically. The Forum is a better place to exchange ideas than the Gallery. [Ah! I just read your follow-on post (after I wrote most of this). You have exactly the right idea!] Wolfsnap had a great suggestion awhile ago. A problem facing everyone making critiques is that we can explain what WE would do, like, dislike, etc., but these may not be the things the photographer is really wanting to do. It helps a great deal if we are first given some sort of "context," what you were trying to accomplish, where YOU think you've succeeded of fallen short. Very specific questions usually get very specific answers. Also, over time, we can see the direction your individual style is going, and can make more meaningful comments. Now... Great purple coloring. It does indeed give the whole image an un-worldly look, and shows creative imagination. I suspect you selected a leaf with the magic wand, and then used the Find Similar menu? Since there are only a few leaves left out, I'd just use the magnifying glass zoom tool to go in really close, and use the wand to select them individually. You should be able to repair just those, and not start over from scratch. I think the path, and the stark contrast with the foreground tree, are perfect already for the mood you are trying to create. As for adding fog... I've not ever had too much luck trying to fake this in photoshop. Since this lake is one of your favorite places, I'd suggest you go back in the early morning. May need to repeat trip often. http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?ForumID=12379&Form.ShowMessage=1162604

I don't have any recommendations or suggestions....I think those before me have done a great job with that. But, I did want to say welcome to the forum! :~)

everyone else has already said a lot. With that, there are two bits I'd change if it was mine and I'd actually noticed them. 1: at the back near the center of the image, there's this wierd greyish rectangular shape with what looks to be golden leaves on top of it, kinda looks like a mushroom cloud to my eyyes... anyways, I'd nix it. 2: as per wolf's suggestion of adding mist or haze, i believe the effect would be conveyed well if the two trees in the far back (in front of that would-be mushroom cloud) weren't as visible as they are. If they were to be blown out by the light behind them, with only the subtlest hint that they exist, I feel t would be all the more powerful. ry

Ok, I am going to try a few things and I will repost when I am done.

"The original capture, taken on my Digital Nikon CoolPix 4300, did not capture the mood I was looking for" My advice is go back at diffrent times of the day, sunrise and sunset are the best times I find. Also diffrent times of the year. hope this helps and welcome to the forum

These are the adjustments that I made. Please compare the first image with this one and comment on the individual changes: 1: I fixed the leaves previously commented on (the ones that missed the hue adjustment near the top left). 2: I closed in the hole in the top of the tree. (Recommended by a friend). Not sure about this. Side Note: If you look closely there is a heart carved in the tree. Of course you can see it more clearly on the larger image. I wish there was a way to bring it out. Suggestions? 3: I tried adjusting applying an unsharp mask, but didnt really notice any difference. 4: I looked for the "mushroom cloud" that was mentioned above but I am unsure of what " ficticious" is referring to. 5: I wanted to try Wolfsnap's recommendation of adding fog, but I am unsure of how to do this. However, I did try... 6: I applied a ligting effect to the background to balance the whole in the trees (which revealed the lake. Not sure on this one either. Let me know. I am really indifferent about some of the changes that I have made. I stared at the image until I got tired of it. Let me know what you think.

I wish that I could post the images side-by-side for easier viewing, but file size was too long. I am posting the original pic, just for kicks and so you can see where I started. Thanks for commenting.

Welcome to the forum! :-) (*

oh wow- i missed the heart the first time round! i like what you've done in your adjustments- i'm sure it looks even sharper posted bigger so not sure if i'd recommend anymore sharpening or not glad to see you've made it to the forum!!!! :D

hi, don't have any crits or comments, just wanted to say "hi and welcome" :-)