Critique Welcomed One Tree Hill

[Lesley Jones]

I would appreciate any advice on this one. I tend not to fiddle with images. At the moment I am working my way back through older stuff because I didn't know how to use PS properly, but that is another matter.

No... I mean if an image doesn't happen naturally, then I tend not to pursue it, but for some reason I keep coming back to this. It was taken at the end of a long ten mile circular walk a couple of years ago. I was in search of some autumn trees, but this was the only candidate. Hanging at an angle of about 45 degrees off a steep hill in the woods, it caught my eye. I have three colour versions and I can't make up my mind about any of them. Yes... I have the autumn colours, but for some reason it's not doing it. I think I prefer this converted and toned one better, but I'm not sure.

I don't think I will do a new version and I don't much feel like tinkering with this one any more. Feel free to say what you want

 

[adrian jordin]

Actually, I like this version...
The tones give it the feel of an old book illustration, a lthograph or something similar.

I can imagine the colour versions not working, they mght end up a little too busy, but this works nicely.

 

[Lesley Jones]

Many thanks Adrian. The colour versions are too busy and too colourful. Turn the colour down a bit and they just don't look right. I think I might hang on to this one. I appreciate your opinion

 

[Pete Askew]

I like the composition and the foreground very much but the autumn leaves lack contrast with the trunk / branches and the background. But I reckon a filter will sort that out. Depending on the colour of the leaves, try a green filter applied in SilverFX.

 

[Lesley Jones]

Great minds think alike. I already got an enormous amount of separation doing just that. I have also painted in brighter contrast and darker contrast selectively and then gone back to Color Efex to lighten/darken. An earlier Topaz version did add contrast to the leaves, but it made the whole thing rather heavy. I've gone off Topaz Adjust anyway. I don't like going over the same image - I have little enough free time as it is. I shall probably keep this version and think of it as an old book illustration. I hadn't intended that, but it's the best I'm going to get