Sunset Blossoms, a photo from District of Columbia, South

Photographer's Note

These are some of the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC during the Cherry Blossom Festival a few weeks ago. It was said that the 29th of March would be the peak this year so that's when I went down. It was during the week and I didn't take the entire day off from work so I ended up going down later in the day than normal. This was a happy accident with the backlight and the beginning of the sunset in the background. The path on the right follows the Tidal Basin and the sidewalk on the left leads to the FDR memorial (Franklin Delano Roosevelt). Last year right in front of me was a one of my favorite areas because the canopy of pink and white blossoms completly covering your head but this year it wasn't quite that good. Taken close to 5:30pm.

I had a lot of problems getting this one under 200kb and that shouldn't be a surprise when you lack a sky. I had to use heavy compression but I don't see any ill-effects.

weswang, ramesh_lalwani, Jeppe, aznegrao, ChrisJ, jhm, alvaraalto, nwoehnl, Tue, plimrn, Galmeida, MarekP, aloyho, john_c has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

PJE (20758) 2006-04-12 21:34

Well well I see its not just taking a photo of sa blossum tree but with extra details included... a couple sitting on the grass and some more folks in the distance along the walkway. I like how you managed to capture a little highlights with the sun shining through onto this tree too. Nice work and thanks for sharing!

[2]

snuggleaphagus (4146) 2006-04-12 22:37

the blossoms seem to almost be protecting the couple beneth them. You have captured really pretty light here. (i'm not too crasy about the set of legs on the left bottom corner).
I like the framing too

[2]

ramesh_lalwani (3213) 2006-04-13 2:41

Hi Steve
Golden light of setting Sun is doing wonders on cherry blossom tree on right.It is rare to see human beings in your photos.TFS
Ramesh

[2]

Jeppe (18654) 2006-04-13 2:55

Hi Stephen

A fine time of the year which not to be seen around here yet. Im not sure about the trunc (tree) at the right side - but I do like the "picnic people" at the left.

I some times mask out the foreground only for sharpen - just to save some kb - and yes - no wonder this image gave you problems - lots af details.

Thanks for sharing - and which you a plesant Easter.
Jeppe

[3]

besnard (59196) 2006-04-13 4:39

Bonjour Stephen
Joli clich� de tous ces arbres en fleurs.
Merci pour le partage.
Amiti廥
Nicole

feather (51130) 2006-04-13 5:19

Wonderful shot Steve; the light on the blossom creates a lovely effect. I've had compression difficulties too when there are lots of details, leading some people to think it's over-sharpened. Jeppe's idea sounds like a good one I'll try out in future.
Kath

[2]

aznegrao (10316) 2006-04-13 6:40

Hi Stephen!!
Esse angulo valoriza e da dimens緌 a esta imagem, e que belo lugar heim!!!. Gosto das cores e tons naturais.
Greetings.
Freind.
aznegrao.

ChrisJ (171146) 2006-04-13 8:44

Hi Stephen

Good color, sharpness, lighting, & pov. Maybe I would clone out the legs protruding from the tree at right, but that's just a minor nitpick. Good work overall & tfs!

huynt (5081) 2006-04-13 9:45

Hi Stephen
Wow. It is wondeful in the light of sunset with its peak of cherry blossomt. You made me rememeber our souvenir on this way. Thanks. Huy

jhm (211734) 2006-04-13 12:19

Hi Steve,
Every year come the splendid cherry blossoms in our nature, you play perfectly with sun and shadows, so we can see two colours pink and white, I think every one enjoy of the beautiful environment.
Very well done!
Thanks a lot,
John.

[2]

Cormac (26565) 2006-04-13 12:55

Hi Stephen - It looks like the cherry blossoms are a popular subject these days, and this is a great addition to the theme. You captured the beauty of the scene and the mood as well, with the people sitting under the trees enjoying everything. Well done!

[2]

alvaraalto (42804) 2006-04-13 17:31

Hi Stephen,
Lovely cherry blossoms. The sunshine gives a orange glance in the centre of the picture. Here we are at the moment a month too late with spring.
Groet Rob

[2]

weswang (18247) 2006-04-13 19:26

Hi Mr. Steve, A nice capture of the against low angle light picture. I enjoy the partial transparent feeling of the flowers. Nice contrast of the colors facing the sunray and in the shade. Good framing. It is fun to see the couple enjoying their picnic on the side of the busy traffic path. I enjoy this picture to see the hype of the cherry blossom crowd.

[2] +

nwoehnl (122) 2006-04-14 3:05

Hi Steve. This is a pleasant view and as I've seen a lot of this stuff (and am still seeing it) here in Japan it is very nice to see your local variety of the cherry flowers. I understand what you say about the sharpness, I'm having the same freaking problem with many of my photos - this one came out nice to that regard. The streak of afternoon light hitting the blossoms gives a pleasant touch to it, nice shot.

I didn't comment on your previous photograph, because I wanted to be nice and spare you from a zero-point rating - contrary to the usual suspects who find every photo just bloody brilliant without criticizing anything, I wasn't able to detect much of a composition and not even a lot of the advertised sharpness either, sorry mate.

Greetings from Hiroshima.

PixelTerror (0) 2006-04-14 5:17

Hi Steve nice to see them from the other side, looks nice too and we can even see some enjoying hanami, the light ray in the middle works fine too greetings from Hong Kong JY

Tue (91488) 2006-04-14 12:32

Hej Stephen,
Great shot with a very nice and relaxing atmosphere. The light on the cherry blossoms is wonderful. Well composed too, good work!
Hilsen,
Lars

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danyy (0) 2006-04-14 13:38

Bonjour Stephen,
pas mal de photographes nous proposent ces arbres magnifiques, symb犨es du printemps, avec leurs couleurs si tendres.
Il faisait d嶴� doux au mois de mars l� bas et cette promenade pleine de vie t幦oigne bien de la douceur du climat.
Un cadrage que j'aime dans un moment bien choisi.
Best regards.
Daniel.

plimrn (21344) 2006-04-15 2:57

Hi Steve,
As many have commented; your framing of this photo is outstanding; especially the light shining through the blossoms. I also like the contrasts you've presented in your compo: the couple sititng together in quiet privacy contrast sharply with the crowd on the walkway. The slim young tree gilded by the sun stands next to a huge. ancient knarled tree. The excellent detial in this compo is proven my your being able to crop a section of the photo and post it the following day in a post that several described as a macro.
Amazing work. Pat

Galmeida (12559) 2006-04-15 16:25

Hi Stephen,

Spring blossoms to all and this picture fits well with your wonderful sunset title and splendid capture. All in one!!!

Excelent your approach and enquadrement view to this nice t scenery in a eye catch perspective, good light, colors and sharpness. Very well seen, captured and composed in a clear and simple picture composition with a lovely foreground and a near distance depth so well taken.

MY congratulations in your excelent post, have a happy Easter time and All the best.

TFS and excelent work!
Fernando

MarekP (4750) 2006-04-15 17:57

Hi Stephen,
Wonderful spring in its best. It's a difficult, quite busy composition, but you succeeded to express fine spring mood in it. Well done.

Thanks,
Marek

aloyho (6798) 2006-04-17 4:33

Hi Stephen,
The evening rays definately make a difference to the mood and atmosphere of this scene. I enjoyed the relax atmosphere due to the two figures under the trees and the kind of admiration that the crowd is showing. The most striking is still the evening rays that created different hues and tones on the blossoms. Congratulations!! Regards.

john_c (24666) 2006-04-17 12:00

Hi Stephen,
A superb and rather unique composition because of your framing and POV. I like the heavy trunk of the tree on the right that helps cloak the scene to allow primary focus on the blossoms. The two people sitting are most enhancing and provide balance. I see no ill effects from the compression. The backlighting is indeed a real feature. Well captured, Stephen.
John

capthaddock (28790) 2006-04-17 13:02

Aaah spring in DC, briefly and in the right locations holds its own against japanese landscapes, great profusion of blossoms, and I really like the ray of light illuminat5ing the center ones.

Mishe (3533) 2006-04-19 14:07

Hi Steve!
Extraordinary picture.Bravo!

coco (30439) 2006-04-26 17:46

Hi again, Stephen.

The flowers looks nice in the picture, but is the people what makes different the photo. Also you managed very well the light.

Carlos.

quantabeh (5205) 2006-08-07 0:38

Hey Steve, I had totally missed this shot. This is so beautiful. really a superb shot. I enjoy the fullness of it.
ps. congrats on your published photo. that's great!
Behrang

Kenny10pin (19301) 2006-09-25 15:32

great blossoms here, reminds me of Japan, very good composition and also the colours are great, well done