Finding inner peace! C&C

[KreGg]

Hey guys, so I set out to take pictures of the sunset.
And taking Bryan Peterson's advice, I stayed there after the sun had long gone set, so I could get the sky with some magenta coloring, and while I saw many photographers going back home, I kept myself in place for another hour or so.

As I was looking around I saw this guy doing some type of yoga thing, and noticed he would keep himself perfectly still for minutes.
So I set up my tripod behind him and took a 30 seconds exposure, hoping he would not move.

Well, I think I got rewarded. Here is the pic I got:

This is barely without any post processing. The colors came out exactly like this in the back of the camera, shooting raw.
How you like this? I love it.

 

[412 Burgh]

Props, I love it.

 

[blackrose89]

Really good. I just might clone out the bag on the side of him if it were me.

 

[o hey tyler]

What's the shot data for the photo? ISO, shutter speed, apeture, etc?

 

[Ocho_1]

very nice

 

[KreGg]

What's the shot data for the photo? ISO, shutter speed, apeture, etc?

I shot at f/13, 30s exposure, ISO 100 at 28mm. The sun had set for about 30-45 min or so and I shot to the west direction

Really good. I just might clone out the bag on the side of him if it were me.

hmm true, but I tried to leave it without much pp as possible. Not that I am against pp or something like that, not at all. But I already liked it (almost) raw.

 

[redessa]

Given where his shadow is, I think it would be a nightmare to try to clone out that bag.

That's amazing that he sat so perfectly still for so long and there is not any motion blur even from breathing.

 

[Compaq]

Parts of this scene is over exposed, imo, and takes away the focus from the person. The sand is very bright, as is the city light on the right side. Our eyes are drawn to bright spots, especially when there are so much dark areas as there is here. Those mountains in the back are very nice, and those lights on it as well.
I feel the person could be placed on the right hand side, as he's looking left. Right now he's looking out of the frame. It feels wrong. I'd like to see what he's looking at: the ocean. The city has nothing to do with inner peace IMHO.

I'd suggest a crop to make the person sit in the lower right corner. However, that would make it a vertical, and that does not really help to bring out the message of the shot: stillness, calmness, zen-ish..

 

[jowensphoto]

...that's amazing that he sat so perfectly still for so long and there is not any motion blur even from breathing.

Exactly what I was thinking!

 

[KreGg]

Yep, I was impressed when I looked at the LCD screen on the camera, with it zoomed all in, that not even a single blur was present! Talk about being steady!! Who needs a tripod?

Thanks for the input Compaq. I tried putting him on the right side of the frame, but the angle would make the picture not nearly as interesting. Since I didnt know the guy and he wasn't put in there by me and for sure I did not want to disturb his concentration, I just had to compose the picture around him.

I feel that showing the city kinda helps, IMO, since he has his back turned to all the chaotic and bright lights, just looking at the calm ocean in front of him. Just my point of view.
I would have liked to shoot this picture with a much wider lens (mine is 28mm minimum on a 1.5x crop sensor), and get in closer. That would have helped me get in more of the ocean, while still getting the city on a good angle.

I might try and give this picture some more post processing, see if I can make it better still.

 

[GnipGnop]

I think you have something here, but there are a couple things that detract from the photo.

It's over exposed. If you hadn't said someone was meditating, I would have assumed it was some guy and a couple diapers sitting beside him. The sharp colours and focus detract from what I assume you are trying to convey through your description of finding inner piece. It's too harsh for that.

You don't notice that he's ignoring the bright lights behind him because that's all there is to focus on. I think if the composition were reversed, it would work a lot better for what you're trying to convey. You have the thirds right, but to me not in the right areas. It's an example of technically being correct, but in this case it takes away from the story your picture's trying to tell.

 

[KreGg]

So you saying It would be better to make the ciry lights less brighter and maybe the colors less saturated in order to keep more the focus and center of attention on him?

 

[Diver_matt]

The more I look at this the more it makes me wonder why? Why the long exposure? I'd rather see the actual ocean movement in waves. As it is, looks like a flow of mercury or something. What was directly behind him that the sand is so bright and his back is reflecting so much? I think a shorter exposure would have toned it down nicely, presented obvious but soft waves and a more serene image. Is this the only one you took or just the one you liked best? If you have any others, maybe share them for comparative reviews.

 

[MrsLittle]

This is pretty amazing a capture. NICE!

 

[KreGg]

The more I look at this the more it makes me wonder why? Why the long exposure? I'd rather see the actual ocean movement in waves. As it is, looks like a flow of mercury or something. What was directly behind him that the sand is so bright and his back is reflecting so much? I think a shorter exposure would have toned it down nicely, presented obvious but soft waves and a more serene image. Is this the only one you took or just the one you liked best? If you have any others, maybe share them for comparative reviews.

Hmm, the sun had been long set. Not much I could do without a long exposure. Maybe I could have gone less than 30s, but for sure not something quick enough not to have any blur on the waves and such. Behind him there are some big lights that iluminate this part of the beach.I took one or two more but I guess they all were long exposures kinda like that.