CP900 digital camera. 35-mm equivalent settings 38-115 @ 38 mm, 1:6.6, 1/804 sec. Handheld.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), December 08, 1998

Answers

Looks like the sensor had a problem with the shadow area under the tree, but it's a wonderful image.

It would look nice on a Christmas card, gray shadows and all (which would gain contrast in printing anyway).

Good eye.

Keith

-- Keith Clark (ClarkPhotography@spiritone.com), December 08, 1998.

Yes...we truly are entering the digital age of photography... 1/804 sec!? 1:6.6!

Nice image though - It does seem to need something more in the foreground to draw you in.

Mark

-- Mark (Grafphoto@aol.com), December 08, 1998.

Thank you for the comments. I was particularly interested in the identification of the fact that the shadows under the tree were insufficiently dark. The camera's AE system produced a somewhat underexposed original image. I brightened it somewhat. That likely resulted in the lack of contrast in the shadows. My dilema was that I had posted a different picture taken on the same day on the Photo Critique site. In that case, the snow was found to be slightly underexposed (I had not brightened it to the same degree). One solution could be to select the area of shadow and darken it slightly to offset the brightening of the overall scene. I've read the debates on degrees of acceptable manipulation and believe that that would be an acceptable route to take.

In response to the comments on the "digital age", I agree that it seems strange to see numbers like 1:6.6 and 1/804 sec. Such exposure information is recored as part of each image file. I use a program called Picture Information Extractor (PIE) to retrieve that information and include it for sake of completeness even though, in truth, it is beyond my direct control in this camera. I look forward to the next generation of "full control" digital cameras.

Thanks again for your input.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), December 09, 1998.

I think the picture is lovely. It's emotionally nice...I feel the irresistable urge to take my friend's children up to the hill to build a snowman.

The gray shadow adds to the cool, light feel of the picture. Anyways, this picture seems to be about texture and light, not "accurate" contrast...all the colors (including the branches and sky) seem drawn towards a gray-white shade anyways. I actually wish the pines in the background were either covered in snow or just gone, they are distracting.

The placement of the tree and hill balance well, although a little more space on the left would be useful.

I really disagree that this particular image needs a foreground element, the subject and focus are clear. That said, there is a little more space up front than desirable...I like the image even better with the bottom 5% cropped.

Garry, if you keep posting these darn things up, you're going to force me to buy a CP900s! :)

-- Andrew Y. Kim (andy_roo@mit.edu), December 10, 1998.