Coombe Wood, Latest Pics

I admit to having found photography in this sort of woodland environment quite difficult. I find you can have a sort of focal point in the foreground, but the wider view is so easily a tangle and mess of conflicting elements as there's no order in the scene. Also contrast is hugely challenging and if there is any sky visible it is difficult to keep the exposure under control and still get detail on the ground and shadow areas.

Anyway, here's my latest attempts - all with the K7 and Samyang 14mm f2.8, all shot at f8.0.

Coombe Wood is near Croydon, along the tram line running towards New Addington.


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Please tell me how I've done this time !

You've done very well indeed this time. These are very pleasant woodland shots, with good lighting and good colour!

I'm very glad to hear that, thanks! At least I know that past efforts and mistakes were worth it.

The problem I always have with these sort of shots is that while I totally appreciate the beauty when I am walking in these areas, photographs like these, even if technically spot on, rarely capture the 'essence' of the place for me.

I have a similar woodland area near me and have tried and failed many times to do it justice, nothing wrong technically (sometimes)just always feel totally flat with the images.

Same with these (sorry) except the last one - which I think works very well with the inclusion of the light on the steps. Gives me a feeling of anticipation, almost waiting for something to happen - like this one a lot.

Carl

Thats what I have been finding as well Carl, although overall I'm much happier with these results .... Glad you like the last one, yes I see what you mean about the steps - it is exciting to go up those actually!

Of course we could just go the other way and zoom in to details - but that misses the point of what we are trying to capture, which is a sort of atmosphere, a feeling of the whole place - that is difficult photographically I am finding.

Nice rich colours; I like all except number 2.
Last one wins it for me.
Number two is spoilt by the recovered(?) sun.
First one is a challenging scene, handled well. I have no problem with dense shadows - that's what woods are about

agree with Carl completely, i am in the same situation some lovely woods all around our area yet i cannot for the life of me get the camera to see what i see. well done Nigel

I agree with Mark, Nigel - all very nicely done except #2, in which the sky/cloud colours do not look quite right to me.

Cheers.
Philip

Thanks Mark, yes No 2 had blown hotspots up on the clouds, pulled them down as much as possible. I decided to allow the exposures to go a bit lower than usual. Thanks also redbussa99 - I love to be out in the woods!

Thanks also Philip. The highlight recovery process did introduce a yellow tone on the clouds which I did reduce, but left a bit on the top left corner thinking it looked like the sun poking through Glad you like the rest! Thanks for commenting again.

I've almost given up with woodland shots, Nigel. As you say, what looks lovely and sylvan to the naked eye is a confusion of trunks, branches and leaves. Paths winding through offer a structure of sorts if you can control white balance and dynamic range.
The ferns in the last couple are quite nice.

Quite nice? Quite nice??? ... I'm not having it! They are nothing less than the absolute BEST woodland ferns in the entire London Borough of Croydon

Carl sums up the difficulty in making scenes like this come to life in a photograph. I often have the same problem making landscapes work too. The most marvellous view seems to go flat in the photo.
Having said this these are very effective on the whole Nigel. The ferns work well for me because you've gone in closer to pick out detail.
David

PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

I enjoyed looking at them, they are very easy on the eye. Of course nothing compares to actually being there. #3 is my favourite with #4 having me ask "how do I get to those steps"

No.2 is my favorite despite the burn out in top left. You could actually crop that off down to the top of the left tree without weakening the image IMO.