Jacksonville Beach as Seen From Mayport

[David Stephens]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7611237028_a3a708663c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/7611237028/)
Untitled (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/7611237028/) by dcstep (http://www.flickr.com/people/dcstep/), on Flickr

I'm a Floridian that lives in Colorado and I often find myself drawn to take images somewhat like this one. Maybe it's time to get serious. I'd love your feedback. It was hazy or misty at this time, in the evening.

Canon 5D MkII
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS
Av Mode (not trying to start a fight)
ISO 200, +1/3EV, f/8, resulting in 1/100-sec. hand held
Raw conversion with DxO Optics Pro 7.0

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi David, I like what you were after here...not sure if you need another round of sharpening or if the haze is just too much for this image at this time of day. A more effective perspective here may have been to shoot from the viewing deck using the piling in the water as a leading line...never been there so not sure what other options would be available.

[Cheryl Slechta]

David, I love that area and I really like the lighting on the sea oats. I think you could have cropped a little off of the top.

[David Stephens]

Thank you Andrew and Cheryl.

Andrew, should I try to create sharpness that's not there? This is how the coast often looks here, with super humidity that you see and feel. I wasn't trying to emphasize it, but, for me, it's part of the reality of the landscape. Now, because of the heavy haze, I wouldn't have posted it without the sea oats in the FG. If I look at it without the sea oats, I don't see much of interest, except the curve of the coast and the distant condominiums and hotels. I'm curious to read your thoughts.

I pretty well junk a bunch of my landscape pictures due to haze, but I'm thinking that's a common problem for most shooters.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi David, often it is best to shoot such scenes early or late in the day, especially at sunrise or sunset when the atmospheric haze can be used to your advantage. If this is close to your home I may try a similar composition at the suggested times of day to see what you may come up with.

[David Stephens]

Thanks Andrew. That's why I was there at sunset. With the surf, the mist and haze is often thick.