Mr fonz funked up

[corkneyfonz]

A fine example of how not to shoot snow in digital. Any advice on how to avoid and or rectify ( I also have the RAW file) would be appreciated. The shot was metered off the leaf at f9, iso 320 with 70-200 f4l at 1/400 shutter at minus something degrees. Thank you for viewing.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4243203162_49ac204a53.jpg

[Living Daylight]

What do you not like about it?

[Photon Phil]

At this size it looks creatively correct to me.

[corkneyfonz]

Thank you for the replies, the problem I'm seeing is blue snow in the shadow areas which looks unlike the original scene which was nearer to black. I've done a threshold test in CS3 and all values are 0 and 255 respectively in the R, G AND B.

[Flo]

I say be thankful they are blue and not black..keeper.

[Living Daylight]

I think that an attractive final result is more important than a realistic final result. You have an attractive shot here and I quite like it.

[Grimage]

I say be thankful they are blue and not black..keeper.

I agree with this! :)

[jetcode]

it's natural to see blue light in shadows and in this case is complimentary to the leaf color --- mask off the leaf and desaturate blue to change it

[corkneyfonz]

Thank you for all the comments and advice. I've taken Jetcode's advice to bring back the darker shadows. Here's a revised edit which resembles my original camera view. However, the so called wrong image has a certain je ne sais pas.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4246186102_1c556c773b.jpg

[PETERSYMES]

Looks better to me with the Blue cast.
Underlines the cold feeling IMHO :D

Nice shot BTW

[illrooster132]

the first one is better. it has the white snow where the light hit it.

[Q-Man]

First one is much nicer and looks much more natural and pleasing. The second is too harsh.

Q

[AustinWilliams]

First one is nice. The blue lightens the shot a bit, gives it more of a crisp feel.

[Darkwand]

First one looks better to me as well

[jetcode]

I didn't say anything about darker shadows I said most shadows, particularly with white in a scene will render blue or sky color. I thought your first image was just fine. You could have desaturated the blue if you wanted to but the original exposure looks good.

[GMHY]

the first one is better. it has the white snow where the light hit it.

+1 for # 1

[JimMcrae]

I agree with most others in that the original is best. A good shot as is.

[PBeeee]

You're right, your eye probably didn't see that blue, it saw the 'revised' shot. I am correcting some similar issues with white sand looking too blue. White balance issues, mosting correcting in LR with temp adjustments. The second one looks 'better' to me but at the moment that may be because I am tuned into things 'looking too blue'!

[patlannon]

The blue shadow in the original shot is a reflection off the sky, and is the color it should be...IMO

[corkneyfonz]

I must apologise to Jetcode for suggesting that he was in any part to blame for my reimagined second image. I wanted a little blue to remain but I chose a linear burn blend mode which sent things a little crazy. Thank you to everyone who has viewed and or commented, the original has grown on me and there's probably enough space for next years greetings card text.......

[jetcode]

no need to apologize corkney ... I didn't think your 2nd image was all that bad either but I still like the naturalness of #1

[cololeo]

Maybe just a touch less processing?

[1Twist]

--------- that is a neat image .... gold star for you today --------

[Grimage]

I must apologise to Jetcode for suggesting that he was in any part to blame for my reimagined second image. I wanted a little blue to remain but I chose a linear burn blend mode which sent things a little crazy. Thank you to everyone who has viewed and or commented, the original has grown on me and there's probably enough space for next years greetings card text.......

I know the feeling when you have a "perfect" image idea in your head and want to achieve that by any means... but then you forget to look at your image as it is.. and appreciate for being as it is.

[xxtnxx]

use the zone control system..

meter for the detail you wanted in your shadows then push (sorry for using darkroom terminology) your shot for the highlights. You were pretty close to zone 5 in all your shadows on the snow which is 18% grey.

[Living Daylight]

use the zone control system..

meter for the detail you wanted in your shadows then push (sorry for using darkroom terminology) your shot for the highlights. You were pretty close to zone 5 in all your shadows on the snow which is 18% grey.

Could you expand a little on this, please? I have never heard of the zone control system.

[tonydee]

It's over-sharpened... notice the glowing pixel around the edge of the leaf? It's brighter than either the leaf or the background - clearly unnatural. Having an unnatural blend between leaf and background makes the leaf look pasted on, and seriously compromises the result.

Cheers,
Tony

[corkneyfonz]

Many thanks for the extra comments and alternative edit. I was trying to let this thread die a natural death. However, if you've made it this far, here's a completely new photo taken on Wednesday.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4256221234_99e32d35e9.jpg

[tonydee]

An interesting shot in some ways, but too unsettled with that perspective and no grounding for the plants. Really draws the eye downwards, with questions popping up: how far away are they? how big? , what would I be standing on? is something going to fall on me? Snow or something spiky? Normally - a thought provoking shot is a winner, but these aren't the right kind of questions! At least, not for me... :-).

Cheers,
Tony

[corkneyfonz]

Thanks for the bonus critique on my 3rd pic, tonydee. The shot was tlken eos1ds mk2 at 24mm using 17/40 f4l at f16 and 1/250 sec iso 320.
Here's the original view which I thought had too many diagonals, white corners and a central subject, hece why I cropped.

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss308/corkneyfonz/WR3E0867.jpg

[PBeeee]

Well your crop and processing are an improvement (and well done) but I'm afraid other than as an exercise in getting snow right, there is not much else there. Couple spots where the blue seems over done.