Mary and I stayed at the Airlie Hotel in Northern Virginia last weekend.  One morning, the fog had rolled in and we walked around the resort before breakfast searching for subjects.  In the middle of a small lake was this “tree island.”  Here are a few ways I processed this great subject.

Here is how we first saw it.  Lucky for us, there was no wind and the lake was very glassy.

I like this effect because it clears away a bit of the fog so you can see the tree and reflection, but keeps the foggy sky.  It also de-saturates the colors giving it a gritty old film look.

As I was searching Color Efex, I came across this gold tone recipe.  Again, I thought it worked great in this situation in highlighting the details in the trees, but still maintaining the foggy morning sky.  It also brings out some green in the trees.

Yes, “f/8 and be there” matters more than ever.  You have to capture a good or great image to make a final photo.  However, learning and using creative options can help all of us create a unique perspective all our own.

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