I drove around the country north of Toronto and encountered this clearing in a forest. Decided to practice some in-camera techniques. This is the result.

JMR

#3 is outstanding!!

#1 in the bottom 3rd of the image it has an almost 3d effect, but overall it is unsettling to look at.

#2 The technique is spot on but the particular subject arrangement is not that great.

#3 is excellent – another one for the portfolio.

I really like #1 and 2. #1 was almost dizzying in it's three-dimensional quality. Great effect. #2 reminded me of a pointillist painting by someone like Seurat or van Gogh. Nice job.

Thanks for the commentary. It is hit and miss with these type of images. You just have to practice and work at it.

JMR

Thanks for the comments. I agree, the tree shots often give a three-D effect. No-2 really is hit and miss. If you go to fast, the image ends up like No-1; too slow and it ends up as soft mush, or worse, sky!

JMR

How did you do #2???

It's a simple vertical pan - up and down - motion. If you have between 1 or more secs, you can pan slower. If you you have between 1/15 and 1 sec, you have to really move the pan, almost instantaneously with the shutter. It hink I panned No-2 slower because of smaller DOF and longer exposure.

JMR

I've never been a fan of the "zoom" shots, so #3 doesn't do much for me. I like #2 quite a bit, it has an impressionistic look that suits the subject well I think. I'm not sure about the first one; I find it interseting, but for some reason it looks a bit more like a graphic illustration than a photograph, not sure how I feel about that.

John, Usually when I see photographs like these I ask the photographer if he's dropped his camera recently, but I'm intrigued by all three. Number one especially is non-specific enough that it's outside the realm of photography and into the realm of good abstract art (if there is such a thing). I could see that one hanging in my local museum. But if you hang it in a museum, for heaven's sake don't do what most absract artists do and accompany it with a bunch of BS about its deep meaning.

Rest assured, I will work on it ;-) It seems I often get critiqued for doing too much PP, but as I often tell people these are the same techniques that were used by film photographers long before digital. So either one likes them or not. I will agree, regardless of technique, the image has to have good visual design and be appealling. At least to me ;-)

JMR

Cool! It is a very nice effect. If I get some free time this weekend I’ll do some tests. Thanks for taking the time to share your images and how they’re made.

John, Here's another thought: You might want to pick up a copy of Color magazine -- a brand new publication by the publishers of Black and White (B&W). They have an annual portfolio contest and a single photo contest. I've been a subscriber since the first issue -- 2 out now and a third on its way. I also advertise in the magazine. The kind of stuff you're doing is right up their alley.