Some of you may remember my posting a similar image in the past. In 2019 I was driving through Quabbin Park on a workday and just had my phone. I made an image that I liked but it wasn’t suitable to be enlarged for a print. That was with the old iPhone 6 so a small file and lesser camera. I bemoaned missing a great opportunity at that time. Forward to October of 2020 and luck was with me. I found the same conditions in the location and this time had the 5D Mark IV and captured almost the identical image. At that time I processed one of the portrait mode files and shared it here.
Yesterday I decided to reprocess it using a few new tools and skills plus decided that landscape format more fit my visualization. Some of Lightroom’s new masking tools and a few of TK’s actions allowed me to achieve what I had hoped for at the time of capture.
One little touch in Lightroom was to use Enhance to uprez the file so I will have more to work with for a large print. While the portrait format might encourage movement into the frame, I like the overall balance of this and feel it still invites the viewer in. For the final print I might darken the edges just a touch.
I’ve still not “warmed” to winter photography but will give it a shot tomorrow morning. I’ve become comfortable with my winter weeny status. 😀
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Nice to see your post, Steve. It has been pretty darn cold lately, so I can’t say I blame you for not going out. This is a lovely shot… a golden path of light ascending through the center.
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Thanks, Eliza. I hope that light invites you to walk in.
Although I’ve never been fond of cold weather in the past I always overcame that. I’ll try again today. 🙂
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This picture comes across with a softly pleasant glow. The path serves as a natural counterpart to the yellow brick road that Dorothy was told to follow.
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No wizard back there but well worth the walk up the path. Thanks, Steve.
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Great image, the lighting is perfect.
I’m also not a fan of Winter photography (when I say not a fan, I’m not a fan of going out in the cold). Looking forward to Spring & Summer.
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Yeah, cold weather has some downside going for it but many love it and I always tolerated. We’ll see what comes. Thanks, Ryan.
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It’s like liquid sunshine, distilled from the leaves. I went back and looked at the previous version and this seems far more inviting to me. The two slender trees in the center look like a couple out for a stroll.
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Strolling trees sounds like a good title. I saw them as offering a hug. I couldn’t believe that light happened twice. Probably happened even more than twice but that I saw it twice amazed me.
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I would surely be tempted to walk in the woodlands you’ve presented here. There is an inviting warmth about it. Like you I am not a fan of the cold or winter. I too, have gone missing the last few weeks… and mine is because I’ve had to travel north to Nebraska to help my siblings with hospice for our mother. No telling how long this will go on, but I’ve had just about enough of the cold temps up there. I brought my warmest clothes and footwear and I’m STILL uncomfortably cold.
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I am so sorry about your mom requiring hospice, Lori. End of life can be as hard on the survivors as on the one facing it.
Sometimes cold weather gear just isn’t enough. I’ve heard good things about what folks carry in flasks.
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I would also be enticed to walk down that path. After being away from real winter for 40 years, I tend to photograph every snowflake when I see snow.
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It is a lot more appealing when a novelty, I guess. We’ve not had all that much snow here so getting a bit antsy for a good storm. There have been a couple but just not in our location. Maybe I should be careful what I wish for but it’s been years upon years since a good old fashion 18-24″storm.
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This is a very nice dive into the archives, Steve. I love the soft inviting look of it. I’m with you on the weenie front~perfectly content to paint from my own archives, snug in my studio.
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Thanks, Melissa. I’ve made a few attempts at going out but the couple of days I have the light has been poor and uninspiring and the ice hasn’t been as interesting this year either.
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Oh, darn. Uninspiring light is something I’m very familiar with. I have to admit now that I have a puppy that likes to greet the dawn I’m seeing a lot more pretty mornings, but by the time I grab the camera everything has changed. I’ve resigned myself to just standing In awe. Which is never a bad thing. 🙂
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If you had not told us that this was a processed photo, I would have thought it was a great painting. Well done, Steve!
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Thanks, Peter. WIsh I was a good enough painter to create something like this.
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My first impression was of two large trees with a screen hanging behind them a few feet. On the screen was projected the scene with two thin trees. My mind made it look like a 2-D surface. The ‘trail’ ended there. Now, I see it differently in 3-D. Funny how the mind can play tricks.
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I can understand the 2-D impression although I did try to create some pull into the background so you’d walk into it. I’m glad you eventually got the depth.
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Yes. It was a momentary thing. 🙂
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Warm and inviting, that’s a truly gorgeous photo, Steve! I second Peter’s comment–it looks a bit like something Turner would have painted.
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What a nice comparison. Thanks, Tina! I thought there was a little of his influence but also the Hudson River School.
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I really like this new interpretation of the scene. It works very well, that foggy yet warm feel. And I agree, it does still invite you in with the needle path and that little bit of red up front. And I think I’m right there with you on winter photography. I’d very much like to do more of it, but it so rarely works out. I’ll keep trying, though, at least when we have what others might recognize as winter scenes.
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You’ve actually, I think, had more winter-like weather in the south than we have up here, at least in my neighborhood. Thanks, Todd.
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I can see why you wanted another opportunity! So inviting, but mystical too. Delicious colours into the bargain 🙂
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Thank you, Allison! Second chances don’t happen often in landscape photography so I consider it a gift from Mother Nature.
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Both photographs are ver pretty. Very natural and I like the muted colors.
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Thank you, Alessandra.
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Very Nice Steve! Like the “mood” of the image!
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Thanks, Reed!
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I love the mood! So how big will the print be?
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Thanks, Denise! My buddy does canvas printing and has done a few for me. If I go that route then 20×24 or 24 x 30. My printer can do 17″ so that limits it. Being a portrait format limits the height for wall hanging.
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It’s fun to see different versions and I think I prefer this format. I’ve been thinking about returning to images and reprocessing with the new LR tools but it seems that even in winter I have so many current images that I never get back there to the older ones. If I could, I would send you some of our typically 45 degree days but then you wouldn’t have any ice to play with!
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Unfortunately, this winter I have really succumbed to my dislike of cold and done very little photography. So that is the reason for all my reprocessing. 60 degrees today will be nice but back in the freezer later.
The scene seemed to call for a portrait format, which does work, but I felt landscape seemed a better fit. Thanks!
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I cowered inside yesterday – Joe went for a walk but all I did was get in the car and go to the bookstore & bank! 😉 Don’t feel bad – maybe next year it’ll be better, maybe it won’t, but in any case, it’s only a small part of the year. And you’re still doing something valuable with your time. 🙂
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Next year? Who knows but it seems there is always something lurking around the corner. Now we have to worry about what Putin’s attack on Ukraine portends. I am sure one reason China is cozying up to him, in a way, is what Russia is doing in pursuit of reacquiring Ukraine as a part of their territory would encourage China to go after Taiwan which they have coveted for decades.
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Yes, for sure. More bad ideas. 😦
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