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View Full Version : Sunset at Candaba wetlands (Philippines)



Romy Ocon
01-06-2008, 09:47 PM
I was on my way out of my favorite wetlands after a day's birding when the setting sun suddenly peeked through some clouds in the horizon. The thin cloud cover was just right to make the sun viewable with the naked eye, without obscuring its outline. It showed itself for only a few seconds, but that was enough time for me to jump out of the vehicle and squeeze a few shots.

Not quite sure how much detail I should expose in the foreground during processing or if the composition works, comments will be highly appreciated. :)

40D + 100-400 IS
400 mm, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, hand held, manual exposure, RAW
Near full frame (need to crop a bit after a 1 degree correction of the horizon)
Levels/contrast/USM/NR

Robert Amoruso
01-07-2008, 12:39 PM
Romy,

Nice sunset and the tree in the left balances it perfect. Nice composition. I feel you could strengthen it by cropping it off at the top. I was going to say crop the bottom too to make a pano, but feel that a bit of curves adjustment with a selection on the area in front of the tree would make it more appealing and given a little more subtle detail, balance the whole composition out nicely. Remember, subtle on the curves as I am looking to see just a bit of detail. Too much correction and it will get muddy.

Thanks for posting this peaceful image.

D. Robert Franz
01-08-2008, 08:41 AM
The sun which is the dominant point of interest here (circles are very strong graphically) is balanced nicely by the tree which is somewhat circular shaped. The horizon is close to the middle of the frame which is a bit static, I looked at cropping off the top or the bottom and think I would prefer a crop off the top. The FG has more interest than the sky. Do as Robert suggest for a bit more detail in the FG. A nice capture with some strong elements..

Romy Ocon
01-09-2008, 11:49 AM
Thanks, Robert and D. Robert.... I tried the enhancements you suggested, and indeed the image came out stronger. :)

Guillermo Luis Cozzo
01-14-2008, 09:31 PM
Hi Romy!!!...what a sunset!!!!!!!!...beautiful....out of words...like how the tree balance the image, suggestion of cropping are great...400mm and 1/100seg & hand held! what a pulse!! (it is OK saying what a pulse?, sorry for my english)

Best Regards
Guillermo