End of Summer

[Cheryl Slechta]

I'm back to my St. Augustine images:S3: I used Topaz Simplify BuzzSim and then desaturated a little, then a Gaussian blur on the area from the lifeguard stand and background then a Vignette blur. I wanted it to be very simple and kind of dreamy. P.S. Cars are not allowed on the beach - the tracks are from the Beach Patrol.
Thanks for looking. Comments and suggestions appreciated.

[Dennis Bishop]

I like the composition, Cheryl, and the leading lines in the foreground are effective. However -- for me, at least -- the darkness of the tire tracks compromises the dreamy look you were after. I do like the connection between the gray blue in the tracks and the similar, but lighter, color at the horizon. I played around a bit with Select/Color Range and changed much of the tire tracks to some of the lighter sand colors. It kept the leading lines and color harmony and made the entire image more soft and dreamy to me.

[Maureen Allen]

Makes me want to just lay on the beach and soak it in, Cheryl. :S3:

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks, Dennis, I'll try that. Actually I may go back to the original image and start over with Buzz Sim - it changed a lot of the colors and I toned it down by desaturating it but I think I need to start there and see what happens:S3:


I like the composition, Cheryl, and the leading lines in the foreground are effective. However -- for me, at least -- the darkness of the tire tracks compromises the dreamy look you were after. I do like the connection between the gray blue in the tracks and the similar, but lighter, color at the horizon. I played around a bit with Select/Color Range and changed much of the tire tracks to some of the lighter sand colors. It kept the leading lines and color harmony and made the entire image more soft and dreamy to me.

[Mitch Carucci]

Good theme photo. You can feel the loneliness. (But I thought Summer went on all year in Florida :w3)

[denise ippolito]

Cheryl, Nice composition. I might be tempted to emphasis the length with a a slightly narrower image.

[Paul Lagasi]

I posted something on all the threads and saved this one for last, I just don't get it :bugeyed: ...maybe its my old eyes. I understand what you were going for but find just to much blank at the top...what about adding a sunset to show the sun ging down on another season...I tried it (tried to take one of my sunsets and match the effect on the bottom of the image) and looks ok. I say this in the nicest way possible :tinysmile_shy_t:

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hey, Paul, I know what you're saying. I just wanted something very minimalist, very few forms, very little color, certainly not everyone's cup of tea. (Maybe after my trip to the ophthalmologist next week I'll feel the same way you do about it:S3:)


I posted something on all the threads and saved this one for last, I just don't get it :bugeyed: ...maybe its my old eyes. I understand what you were going for but find just to much blank at the top...what about adding a sunset to show the sun ging down on another season...I tried it (tried to take one of my sunsets and match the effect on the bottom of the image) and looks ok. I say this in the nicest way possible :tinysmile_shy_t: