Outer banks sunrise

[WDodd]

Recently spent a week here and before we left I thought there was some cool cloud action right around sunrise. There is a ton of blue in the picture and the beach ended up coming out blue I just wanted to know what everyone though and how it can be improved next time around.

 

[skieur]

This kind of shot would be better if a graduated neutral density filter were used to keep the detail in the sky and brighten and increase the level of detail in the dark areas on the water.

Compositionally, the diagonal created by the water at the shore is great but this image really needs a vertical in the foreground: person, dog, beach chair, umbrella, tree,...almost anything.

I would also advise some experimental postprocessing to see if detail and impact can be improved.

skieur

 

[Naturegirl]

Re: the need for something in the foreground....I think an inanimate object such as a beach chair or umbrella would take away from the natural-ness of the scene. A person might be okay, but I'm not totally sure it would still have the same effect. Driftwood somewhere in the foreground might work. I do think that if you could have possibly been elevated a bit and included just a tad more of the sand it may have given a little more depth....or just a bit less sky at the top.

Nothing beats an Outer Banks sunrise :thumbup:

 

[skieur]

Re: the need for something in the foreground....I think an inanimate object such as a beach chair or umbrella would take away from the natural-ness of the scene. A person might be okay, but I'm not totally sure it would still have the same effect.

The problem is that the effect is too flat which loses some of the impact of the scene. This is why a vertical is needed, and to give the scene better depth as well

skieur

 

[WDodd]

The problem is that the effect is too flat which loses some of the impact of the scene. This is why a vertical is needed, and to give the scene better depth as well

skieur

Thanks for the comments. I definitely agree about the vertical. And to that effect here is a picture of nearly the same thing with people walking.

EDIT: 2nd photo removed as per Digital Matt's request.

This kind of shot would be better if a graduated neutral density filter were used to keep the detail in the sky and brighten and increase the level of detail in the dark areas on the water.

I didn't take my GND filters with me. I was in a hurry and forgot them.

 

[Digital Matt]

Thanks for the comments. I definitely agree about the vertical. And to that effect here is a picture of nearly the same thing with people walking.

I didn't take my GND filters with me. I was in a hurry and forgot them.

***** Please review the information below ****

Please keep critique threads to 1 image.

General Critical Analysis Guidelines
General Critical Analysis References

 

[WDodd]

Does it make sense to create another thread to critique a nearly identical image?

I would understand if people are posting 3-4 images for critique. But surely the context of this thread suggest otherwise. Just a thought.

 

[abraxas]

I got to say, I was half way through a comment before I seen the second image.

 

[abraxas]

Does it make sense to create another thread to critique a nearly identical image?

I would understand if people are posting 3-4 images for critique. But surely the context of this thread suggest otherwise. Just a thought.

Which do you want critiqued? The original cropped image without a focal point?- or the uncropped poorly composed original with the rest of the story?

 

[Digital Matt]

If this were an in person critique, you would present one image, and you would not have the opportunity to back track when people critiqued your image and suddenly bring up another print It's one image. Stand by it, love it or hate it.

 

[WDodd]

If this were an in person critique, you would present one image, and you would not have the opportunity to back track when people critiqued your image and suddenly bring up another print It's one image. Stand by it, love it or hate it.

Good point, but it is what it is and its not what its not.

Skieur suggested a vertical, so I said how is this as a vertical.

abraxas, I would think it would be second nature given the direction of conversation to say the people definitely add to the picture of its not enough of a vertical.

I don't mean to make any enemies here, but it seems like a simple thing such as posting a picture, or edit for that matter, to satisfy someone's suggestions and get further input would be beneficial?

 

[Digital Matt]

We are not here to debate the rules of this forum in this thread. This thread is for critique of the original photo posted. If you want to debate the rules, then start a thread in suggestions, or PM me. Edit your post to remove the 2nd photo, and let's keep this critique on track by focusing on the original image, good or bad.