Sunset on New Lagoon, Belize

[Douglas Bolt]

Canon 5d, 24-105 @24, f9, 1/60, ISO 250, M, FF, HH. Enjoying drinks as the sun set over the New Lagoon near Lamanai Lodge in Belize.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Douglas,
The sunset colors are fabuous and the exposure is right on. Compositionally, you have a few things working against you......the large clump of grass on the left is too overpowering and eliminating it's presence while moving around and concentrating on some of the other FG grasses would have helped.....as I see no good area to crop it out......moving to the right may have solved that issue. I also see a dark blob just below the horizon line..........concentrating the image between the two outside elements would have helped this overall compositionaly.

[Douglas Bolt]

Thanks Roman, for the suggestions. I've uploaded a slightly different composition of the same scene. I think I prefer the first one, but this one does address the compositional issues you pointed out in the first post.

Canon 5D, 14-105@28, f5, 1/50, ISO 250, FF (less a little to straighten the horizon), M, HH.

[Arthur Morris]

A spectacular sunset. While I agree with Roman in part the biggest problem that I have is with the black clump of stuff at the base of the grasses in the middle in both images... That draws my eye and holds it....Eliminating it would be a bit of work but well worth it in my opinion.

[Douglas Bolt]

I did a quickie on the clump. Unfortunately, we had a power outage after the previous post, so I had to redue the color enhancements and with less care, but I think the image is better without the clump of whatever.

One of the real advantages to posting images for critique is that expert eyes point out deficiencies that I had felt from looking at the image, but could not identify.

[Noel Carboni]

Great colors and I love the low angle you're shooting from - almost as a frog might see the sunset while sitting on a log by the shore. I prefer the colors in the first one.

One thing, and maybe it's just me, but the image seems ever so slightly rotated CCW somehow.

-Noel

[Johannes Glännman]

Hey there... What a scene... Fantastic...

I like the first version best because I really think the grass on the left is very good for the picture. It makes the picture look natural and it makes me feeling that I was sitting there and looking out....

cheers // johannes

[Douglas Bolt]

Hi Noel,

Regarding shooting angle, we were on a pontoon boat and I was hanging off the side to get as close to the water as I could. My elbow was in the water.

I also prefer the first image. I like the blue above the yellows and reds and the slightly wider angle gives a less "in your face" feeling.

I think I'll see what I can do with the dark clump of whatever at the base of the grass in the middle of the image. I felt there was something wrong with the foreground and looked at the image for a long time trying to figure out what it was. It was not until Roman and Artie pointed out the "clump" that the problem became clear to me.

[Grady Weed]

The first one for color by far. Remove the clump and its areal winner of a landscape.

[Robert Amoruso]

Douglas,

Spectacular scene and well composed. My vote is for the original scene crop with the clump removal. However, the recrop is also a strong image. I would do both. Remove the clumps from the larger first crop and use that as the master and recrop to a 2nd alternate version.

[Douglas Bolt]

I think this is the final version. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions. If this ver is better than the others, and I think it is, the credit goes to those who made suggestions and pointed out nits.

Thanks!

[Arthur Morris]

Doug, the final version is the bomb. What a huge difference taking out the blob makes. But do note that the comments were suggestions for improvement, not nits.

nit·pick·ing ) n. Minute, trivial, unnecessary, and unjustified criticism or faultfinding.

(The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company (wlmailhtml:{12BC1FF1-1BB8-4F99-BFBF-80DC9C3132E8}mid://00000557/!x-usc:http://www.eref-trade.hmco.com/).)

While at times some suggestions might pertain to minute details, in very, very few instances would they qualify as trivial, unnecessary, or unjustified. When folks state, "Nits already covered," they are implying that the suggestions above were trivial, needless, and unwarranted. Nothing could be further from the truth; someone has simply taken the time to help the poster improve their images. To refer to those efforts as unnecessary or unjustified is insulting. And if folks refer to their own efforts as nit-picking ("This may be nit-picking but...") then they are insulting their own efforts.

[Grady Weed]

Your final version is a real outstanding image. Very well done. Thanks for the opportunity to see this fantastic image.

[Douglas Bolt]

I don't know if it would be of interest to anybody, other than myself, to post the original, unmolested image, but here 'tis. I cleared all the ACR adjustments and resized to 800 px, nothing else.

One question I do have concerns ethics. How much cloning and color adjustments etc is assumed and how much should be pointed out in the description of an image posted here? I know there is no hard and fast rule, but in general.

And, Artie thanks for comments regard my misuse of the word nits. I didn't take any of the comments and suggestions concerning my image as if they were addressing nits as defined by American Heritage. Wrong choice of words on my part. I did, however, consider that most of the comments were addressing subtle, but non-trivial issues with substantial impact on the overall image. And, issues that I should have, with more attention and experience on my part, figured out for myself.

I do appreciate the comments offered on this forum that pertain to my images and the images by others. I find it amazing how much easier it is for me to see ways to improve an image after someone on the forum discusses an image in a constructive critique. I hope, and assume, with time these helpful critiques will reduce the number of times I say, "Wow, that is was so obvious. Why didn't I see that."

[Arthur Morris]

Hi Doug,

re:

One question I do have concerns ethics. How much cloning and color adjustments etc is assumed and how much should be pointed out in the description of an image posted here? I know there is no hard and fast rule, but in general.

In general it would be nice if folks let folks know how large the crop, if anything substantive was removed, and if canvas has been added.

And, Artie thanks for comments regard my misuse of the word nits.

:)

I didn't take any of the comments and suggestions concerning my image as if they were addressing nits as defined by American Heritage. Wrong choice of words on my part. I did, however, consider that most of the comments were addressing subtle, but non-trivial issues with substantial impact on the overall image. And, issues that I should have, with more attention and experience on my part, figured out for myself.

Four eyes are better than two, etc., etc., etc. Anti nit-picking is a personal campaign of mine as I try to take great care with language. At some point I will share my thoughts on nit-picking with the entire group but I thought that this would be a good place to start.

I do appreciate the comments offered on this forum that pertain to my images and the images by others. I find it amazing how much easier it is for me to see ways to improve an image after someone on the forum discusses an image in a constructive critique. I hope, and assume, with time these helpful critiques will reduce the number of times I say, "Wow, that is was so obvious. Why didn't I see that."

Been there, done that, as recently as my Nazca Booby post. BTW, I took a second look at your "final." I do feel that if you go back to work on the master file that you can do a better job on what is left of the blob... My eye goes right to the thickened area of the reed (where the two come together). A QM repair would probably be best.

[Richard Stern]

Hi,

It's this type of thread, with critiques that point out details that a relative newbie and "eager to learn" amateur like myself would never even notice, but which can make a big difference to the overall quality and enjoyment of an image, that makes browsing BPN such a wonderful opportunity to learn by osmosis how to become a better photographer. It takes a brave person or a masochist to submit images to this type of critique, but I hope we all learn something from it - please keep it up, and thanks for such a wonderful resource.

Richard

[Arthur Morris]

[quote= It takes a brave person or a masochist to submit images to this type of critique, but I hope we all learn something from it - please keep it up, and thanks for such a wonderful resource. Richard[/quote]

YAW, but I disagree with your statement above. Posting images for honest but gentle critiques does nor require bravery, just a desire to improve.