Inspiring Photo: Along the Fence #9311775

Along the Fence

Uploaded: November 01, 2009

Description

I wonder which is more of a deterrence, the fence or the prickly cactus behind it?

Exif: F Number: 5.6, Exposure Bias Value: -1.00, ExposureTime: 125/10000 seconds, Flash: did not fire., ISO: 400, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 26.00 mm, Model: NIKON D300

Comments

Dale Hardin November 01, 2009

Welcome back Joan. You've captured a nice view here with a very cool fence leading us into the image. I like that you've chosen a panoramic crop for this.

The color choice is a bit unusual though. I've seen cactus with traces of this color within them but this seems to have been altered and appears unnatural. Also because of the color choices it leaves the image flat without a lot of contrasting interest.

Try this. (these suggestion are from a starting point of this posted image,not from your original) Apply a hue/saturation layer and select magenta from the drop down where it says RGB. reduce the saturation on the magenta about 1/2 and then adjust the hue slider to the right until you get a good balance between the rose colors and green.

Then add a brightness/contrast layer and increase the contrast. Lastly, select the sky and add some light blue. You can select it with one click by using the magic wand with the tolerance set at 20.

These changes will result in a brighter image with more color variations and lots of contrast. By the way, I really like your POV as well. This image has lots of potential.

#1199456

Rita K. Connell November 01, 2009

Joan nice to hear from you, I agree with Dale, the color just doesn't look natural. at first from the thumb print I thought this was wood pile, to my surprise to find them cactus. looking forward to seeing dale suggestion #8094689

Joan E. Hoffman November 01, 2009

LOL... I am unfortunately on the world's worst connection.... but I will watch for the break... and upload the original... this is a pink/purple cactus... they are all over the place here... This was taken at daybreak facing west... with the sunrise at my back which perhaps intensified the colour a bit, however it is not too far from the actual colour I see?? #8094752

Joan E. Hoffman November 01, 2009

here it is I hope! #8094770

Joan E. Hoffman November 01, 2009

nope... scamming a signal.... so incredibly slow... Dale I will try in the wee hours to email you a copy. #8094784

Dale Hardin November 01, 2009

Wow, that's interesting Joan. Have never seen these with solid color and not just tinted here and there. What really threw me was the fact that the dirt and the fence and the background all have this same tint.

That being the case here are different suggestions to add a bit of impact to the image.

Use the shadows/highlights tool with a setting of 25 for the shadows and 100 for the darken highlights. Then adjust the contrast. Try increasing to somewhere between 25 to 35. Then add a bit of high pass filtering using the soft light blend at about 50% opacity. #8094786

Joan E. Hoffman November 01, 2009

You know, we are generally very lucky in getting a great signal, but at the moment I am EXTREMELY frustrated. But not laughing, as we are here... paid up... for 5 months. Apparently a T1 is installed, but all of a sudden it is $27,000 on a three year contract for the park owner, must be equally frustrating for him, but will see what happens over the next week or two. In the meantime I am stuck with the sorry connection I have :___(

Dale I did the shadows highlights tool.. but at 100 for all.. tried a mutliply but was too dark so ended up using a lighten blend at 25 % #8094812

Dale Hardin November 01, 2009

Joan, you're right, a multiply blend would be too dark. That is why I recommended using the shadows/highlights with the shadow set at 25 and then adding some contrast on a separate layer. You then do not need to lighten further.

The only blend would be the soft light blend but ONLY IF you add some high pass filtering.

I understand and sympathize with your connection. I'm blessed with high speed cable hookup so I'm spoiled. #8094986

Christie R. Bielss November 02, 2009

I feel for you Joan. Every time I visited my parents, I had to deal with their dial-up connection. Very frustrating. Luckily I talked them into high-speed last year and now it's a breeze when we visit.
I have seen cactus this color before and it threw me even when I saw it with my own eyes! You've captured the color very much like I remember it, but WLTSDS - especially with the added contrast. Like the panoramic crop on this too. #8096161

Aimee C. Eisaman November 02, 2009

Wow..these are cool! I think the crop is just right for this, but once you are done with all your adjustments I would add a 1px stroke around the whole thing to box it in for online purposes. The sky leaks into the white background here on BP. I too thought you must have made some major color changes to this.....really neat that they are real colors. I do think it has a mono tint type feel though. I'm curious to see how Dales suggestions pan out. :~) Sorry to hear about your horrible connection. I hope they can get it worked out at the campground. For 27,000 it better be dang good! #8097526

Teresa H. Hunt November 02, 2009

I too thought this was a pile of wood until I saw your description. I'd have to say . . . I'd have no problem hopping the fence . . . I would think twice about the cactus. :)

I don't really have any suggestions. I think the color is odd too. But if it's the natural color . . . well that's too cool. I myself have never seen a real cactus . . . unless it was a tiny one, in a pot, on a windowsill. :) #8098111

Debbie E. Payne November 02, 2009

I believed the colors, Joan. I think a lot of our Phellos are not from that particular part of the southwestern part of the country, though so I can see where they are "confused". A nice "sharp" image to be sure, Joan!!!! Pun definitely intended.

How interesting how they are all smashed up against the fence. I'd say leave the color of the cacti alone but would intensify the sky because I see a promise of yellow and pink in the sky and would like to see more.

Try not to be frustrated as it sounds like there is not much you can do about it. Just be happy that you can spend more time finding interesting things like this to take pictures of. So glad you are back on the Phellos "bandwagon". #8098198

Joan E. Hoffman November 03, 2009

I actually ended up starting over with the raw file, changed the camera setting from vivid to normal, which did de-tensify (word??) the colour a bit. I am still messing with it and will post the result when I am finished. I played with the sky a bit, but cannot achieve a result that looks "normal". (I too liked the pink/yellow tones which is why focused in that direction)! Maybe I will simply try reshooting this... LOL. Might be the easiest!! Thanks all for your comments and suggestions! Oh and Aimee... I agree with the 1px frame. I did try it but in duhhhh WHITE. Doesn't make much of an impact on BP's white background!! ROFL. #8099480

Michael Kelly November 03, 2009

Like the POV and your choice for crop on this on a lot. The color of the cactus is amazing - like I said Arizona has some great photo opportunities.

I like the shot, but think some of the suggestions made will improve the contrast and the sky. PS if you are shooting in raw the camera settings should not have make any change at all in the shot as these are process settings and should only impact jpeg photos. #8100835

Ellen H. Robertson November 05, 2009

Joan what a cool shot. A man made and a natural fence. They are really an interesting color. Would really like to see Dales suggestions. #8107258

Susan M. Reynolds November 12, 2009

Hi Joan!
Like Ellen said it would even be a great natural fence...The colors are so vivid. We have this type of catus here in Cali too but they are always green and just the fruit turns redish. Would like to see your edit when you get to it :) #8126077

Liz blahh November 19, 2009

Hi Joan
Great capture! I have these "Prickly Pear" cactus in my yard and they are this purple color just more muted and not so rasberry looking. #8145061

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