Norfolk Island Coastline 1

[Jay Gould]

Norfolk Island, Australia
Canon 5D2; 24-105@35;.5@f/22; ISO 100

[David Stephens]

I like the emphasis on the moving water in the FG. The haze on the island reduces it's impact and I'd like more Contrast and Saturation there to try to balance the image more. Composition looks spot on, I'd just like the land on the horizon to pop more.

[Don Railton]

Hi Jay

Do like the foreground water... I am 100% behind David suggestions, however I never thought I would ever suggest your images needed a little more colour..!!

regards

DON

[Jay Gould]

Hi Guys, at 8:30am there isn't enough hot sun for more color. Also, I am working hard to tame my color: http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how-to/shooting/digital-pitfalls-a-cautionary-tale.html#.U2nJHK2SwSd

[Don Railton]

Hi jay, just read the link, very interesting. How much oomph you put into the colours is a very personal thing, I often walk away from an editing session, leave the image on the screen and reassess it after a break. It often allows me to get closer to something I am happier with in the long term..

Regards

Don


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Hazel Grant]

Like the smoothness of the water vs the anchoring rocks in LR. the island in the back is not exciting, but it does add some texture.

[David Stephens]

Jay, looking at your older images and the ones in that link, you didn't go "too far" in the past, IMO. The image at the top of that link does too far for my taste.

This is a big question for all of us. When I go into John Fielder's gallery, I'm struck by the Saturation, particularly in the prints by artists other than Fielder. I was looking at one particularly blatant case of Over Saturation and sloppy Cloning (visible smearing near the middle of the print) and commented to Tony Eitzel, Fielder's printer. Tony laughed and said, "That's one of the best selling prints in the gallery."

I went through a long period of striving for "accuracy" in my Saturation levels, but after hanging in galleries (pun intended) I'm now of the opinion that a little "push" from me can bring an ordinary scene alive. Our subject of discussion here is "ordinary" in the sky and BG and would seem more in balance to me, if there were a few more points of Saturation at the horizon and above levels. "Nature Interpreted" implies some poetic license to me.

[Diane Miller]

Jay, I haven't seen enough of your work to comment on any changes, but in the image above I find the color very pleasing. (And I also loved Velvia.) The look is peaceful, and fitting to the very lovey motion blur.

One thing that is in the mix with saturation is contrast. Increase contrast and you get increased saturation. They need to be controlled independently, which you have done well here.

If I have one issue, though, it would be a local adjustment that I would make to the rocks in the LR. They display a rather eye-grabbing contrast and sharpness relative to the rest of the image. You wouldn't want to change the sharpness but I wonder if a slight reduction in contrast would be a worthwhile comparison? My eye wants to stay in that gorgeous mid-ground!

[Jay Gould]

Hi All, great discussion - thanks!

While I still love color, even after striving to tone it down a bit - just a bit!, I would not change this image. At 8:30am there wasn't enough sun in the sky to create any sort of serious saturation.

Again, thanks! :5

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Jay, a very nice scene...I love the cascade created by the in-coming waves. I see what David means about the island, but at 8:30 am not sure if it would be haze...could it possibly be salt spray in the air from the waves breaking further out? If I changed anything at all I think it would be only to darken the distant island just a smidge.

[Jay Gould]

Thanks everyone; been away for quite awhile - back for at least awhile!! :wave:

[David Stephens]

Hi Jay, a very nice scene...I love the cascade created by the in-coming waves. I see what David means about the island, but at 8:30 am not sure if it would be haze...could it possibly be salt spray in the air from the waves breaking further out? If I changed anything at all I think it would be only to darken the distant island just a smidge.

I wasn't there, but I've done lots of early morning beach walking and it's likely heavy humidity in the air, or salt spray, or both, that's pretty common in still, morning ocean air. I'd make the adjustment that you suggest, but Jay is going through a "realism" phase and wants it to reflect what he saw. I totally understand. I'm often given advice here to remove a tint that was actually showing in real life, so I often take a similar stance to Jay.

[Jay Gould]

I wasn't there, but I've done lots of early morning beach walking and it's likely heavy humidity in the air, or salt spray, or both, that's pretty common in still, morning ocean air. I'd make the adjustment that you suggest, but Jay is going through a "realism" phase and wants it to reflect what he saw. I totally understand. I'm often given advice here to remove a tint that was actually showing in real life, so I often take a similar stance to Jay.

Oh My Gawd! Realism!!?? No way Jose!! Just trying to tone done my possibly excessive use of the vibrance/warm filters. Realism is boring. :w3

[Morkel Erasmus]

I like this Jay. Just enough water blur and a nice "morning" feel to this. I would bump up saturation by something like 5 points, just for a bit more life without losing the sense of what it looked like to your eyes. I would also sharpen the fine details a bit more as it feels a tad smooth all over, especially the rocks and distant land?

[Arthur Morris]

I'll take this one as the strongest by a mile. The mini waterfalls put it over the top.