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View Full Version : Ram Island Lighthouse Sunrise



Grady Weed
04-23-2008, 12:31 PM
Canon EOS 5D, Shooting Date/Time 4/22/2008 06:03:15, Shutter Speed 1/15Sec. Av(Aperture Value) F22, Evaluative metering, Exposure Compensation -1, ISO 100, Lens: EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Focal Length: 38.0 mm, Image size: 4368 x 2912, RAW, Flash Off, White Balance Auto, One-Shot AF, Picture Style: Landscape.

This is Ram Island Lighthouse just off the coast and within sight of Portland Headlight. You really cant land your boat on the chunk of rock that the lighthouse sits on. The pier is crumbling and the cormorants will poop all over you trying to land. So most images are from the rock ledge at Portland Headlight. I again lost some light converting the tiff file to a post-able jpeg and I don't know why. I wanted it to be somewhat dark with the pools reflecting the light and the focus to be on the sunrise and the pinkish sky.

What do you think? Be honest and leave your thoughts.

Roman Kurywczak
04-23-2008, 01:39 PM
Hi Grady,
I think you need to put in your comments about how you do your corrections in PS 6. This is important.......as I swithched to CS2 for the shadow/highlight feature alone. It might be easier for others if we start with the basics.......composition (most important IMO).....very good.......I like the line of the water as it leads you to Ram Island light. Exposure.......OK but fixable (hope Robert A does it......he's better with curves).....I know you don't own the split ND filter........I point this out because it would have helped in 2 ways.........it would have brought the sky down enough stops to allow for an even longer exposure, bringing out the shadows.......and give us the ability to make the water even more silky and IMO dramatic. This allows you more versatility when you shoot........or if Michael Pancier chimes in........a pseudo HDR........and I'll let him explain the how to......as I have an idea........but not really great at it! Overall you have captured the scene well. In the slide days (not to long ago for me).....we didn't have as much luxury correcting........so I'm stuck in get it right in camera mode. I find the other above possibilities exciting and worth investigating as they are great tools to enhance what you already have done. Great talking to you earlier,
Roman

Robert Amoruso
04-23-2008, 01:53 PM
Grady,

I am with Roman on this one and my comments on your similar lighthouse posting apply here as well for reworking the JPG.

Agree that a split ND filter is a good way to handle this type of scene. I use them all the time at the beach. It is worth the investment as you seem to be doing a lot of work in these types of areas and saves a bunch of time in PS later.

Paul Pagano
04-23-2008, 04:01 PM
Grady, love the comp. I agree that ND filters would cure what ails you here. Probably 2-3 stops would be great here. Check out http://www.singh-ray.com/grndgrads.html I'd go with them or Lee. I use the soft gradient High Tech filters and they're okay but sometimes the image is a bit soft when I stack them. Don't buy Cokin filters (kinda cheap and a bit off color) but the "p" holder I think will fit filters from the other companies. Anyway, something to research. The original image from that b&w landscape you commented on this morning was made with nd grad filters. Its the main reason I was able to keep some detail in the brush w/o blowing out the highlights in the sky.

Roman Kurywczak
04-23-2008, 04:08 PM
Grady, love the comp. I agree that ND filters would cure what ails you here. Probably 2-3 stops would be great here. Check out http://www.singh-ray.com/grndgrads.html I'd go with them or Lee. I use the soft gradient High Tech filters and they're okay but sometimes the image is a bit soft when I stack them. Don't buy Cokin filters (kinda cheap and a bit off color) but the "p" holder I think will fit filters from the other companies. Anyway, something to research. The original image from that b&w landscape you commented on this morning was made with nd grad filters. Its the main reason I was able to keep some detail in the brush w/o blowing out the highlights in the sky.

The Singh Ray/Lee filter is 4"x6".........won't fit P series......hand holdable in front of lens without having to buy holder,
Roman

Paul Pagano
04-23-2008, 04:19 PM
Thanks Roman that's good to know. When I get some extra $ I plan to upgrade...