C & C morning at the Beach

mhbethea · Feb 17, 2012

iso 400, 55mm f 9.0 1/80
this is from this morning went to get some sunrise pics but its cloudy today thanks for any C.C you can gived me still learning

cannpope · Feb 17, 2012

I like it, but I'm wondering if I would like it better if you clone out that yellow flag.

Majeed Badizadegan · Feb 17, 2012

It's definitely a promising shot, the processing could be improved.

It looks a little grungy and there are some distractions (safety cones/flag) that cold easily be doctored out.

WesternGuy · Feb 18, 2012

I like this image, it has a certain symmetry to it, but you will get the symmetry better defined if you crop out the flag and cones as has been suggested. I am not sure how I feel about the horizon being in the middle, but it does add an additional element of the symmetry in that it cuts the image in half - not sure if this was intentional or not, but it would be interesting to see the image with the horizon along the upper third line. My 0.02¢ FWIW.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

The_Traveler · Feb 18, 2012

When people see a symmetrical shot, they expect symmetry.
In this image, the symmetry is defeated, not because you did something, but because the world is off.

And I think that is one of the neat aspects of this photo.
At first glance, it seems symmetrical but, as you look closer, that symmetry disappears and the eye hops from bench to bench down the pier, encountering new interesting things as far as it can.
This way it is much more interesting than the perfect symmetry would be.
I would crop it from the top to emphasize the lines and remove some of that boring sky.
Then a tiny vignette to keep the eye in the photo.

This would look great printed very large in a pano print.

You might even consider local contrast enhancement on the sky and flags to make them pop more.

analog.universe · Feb 18, 2012

I basically agree with what the The Traveller said about the composition. Leave the bright objects, maybe even enhance them... don't go cloning anything out. The pano crop is nice too, maybe a little bit more than I would've taken off, but I dig it.

Overall I really like this shot. Personally I would've processed it differently... the blacks are a little too black for my taste, but that's really more of a style thing.

Well done!

mhbethea · Feb 19, 2012

Thanks for the feedback I will try it and see how it comes out thanks again

lasttango · Feb 20, 2012

I like this image, it has a certain symmetry to it, but you will get the symmetry better defined if you crop out the flag and cones as has been suggested.

WesVFX · Feb 20, 2012

I like the photo very much. My only comment is wondering why you shot it at an iso of 400? Was this handheld or did you have a tripod?

Joel_W · Feb 20, 2012

Really like Traveler's crop and suggestions.

As for cloning or removing in PP, I'm totally against. I guess I'm just an old purist, but it's one thing to enhance, highlight, etc, but it's quite another to add or remove anything from the original photograph. At that point it's no longer a photo. Just my opinion, but that's how I feel about it.

The_Traveler · Feb 20, 2012

Joel_W said:
Really like Traveler's crop and suggestions.

As for cloning or removing in PP, I'm totally against. I guess I'm just an old purist, but it's one thing to enhance, highlight, etc, but it's quite another to add or remove anything from the original photograph. At that point it's no longer a photo. Just my opinion, but that's how I feel about it.

Mother Nature is not concerned with making a great image, only you are.
There's no 'purist' about it; that's just trying to justify your opinion.
If you were a 'purist', you'd be using glass plates, coating them with emulsion you brewed yourself and shooting in a large format camera.
You've just decided to stop somewhere.
Just wait until you have the photo of a lifetime and it is spoiled by something you couldn't do anything about, I predict you will think twice about it then.

The best picture I've ever taken looks like hell in the color original, because of all the trash scattered around.
I converted it to BW after cloning out the trash and it looks wonderful (IMO), exactly the way I saw it in my mind's eye.

Joel_W · Feb 20, 2012

The_Traveler said:
Joel_W said:

Really like Traveler's crop and suggestions.

As for cloning or removing in PP, I'm totally against. I guess I'm just an old purist, but it's one thing to enhance, highlight, etc, but it's quite another to add or remove anything from the original photograph. At that point it's no longer a photo. Just my opinion, but that's how I feel about it.

Click to expand...

Mother Nature is not concerned with making a great image, only you are.
There's no 'purist' about it; that's just trying to justify your opinion.
If you were a 'purist', you'd be using glass plates, coating them with emulsion you brewed yourself and shooting in a large format camera.
You've just decided to stop somewhere.
Just wait until you have the photo of a lifetime and it is spoiled by something you couldn't do anything about, I predict you will think twice about it then.

The best picture I've ever taken looks like hell in the color original, because of all the trash scattered around.
I converted it to BW after cloning out the trash and it looks wonderful (IMO), exactly the way I saw it in my mind's eye.

Sorry Traveler but it's one thing in post production to enhance, correct WB, exposure, tone, brightness, etc, verses removing, moving, or even adding features. That's not photography, that's digital imagery. I've been involved with photography for almost 50 years, and it's only since the digital age that we could literally "invent" a picture with programs like Photoshop.

What you're saying about your "best" picture, is that you created a image that wasn't originally there.

As for having to go back to glass plate etc. to be a purist, you're going just a little to far. I said as far as I'm concerned...That's my opinion, and mine alone. What you want to do, or feel the need to do is your prerogative. I'm just saying that it's not mine.