Beaton Bay

[Katherine Enns]

This is a typical British Columbia scene. It was shot while at work between Nakusp and Revelstoke in a small arm of the Arrow Lakes called Beaton Bay, with a Canon Rebel XT, about two years ago, in June. Its a bit rough and chunky looking. But I hope some of you may advise me on how better to shoot this particular view, as its something I see every June when I go there to photograph my vegetation plots.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

A very peaceful scene. Liked the simple composition with symmetry in it.
As far as PP is concerned, I might increase the contrast, vibrance and sharpness (looks a bit too soft on my monitor). Local contrast enhancement might help especially on the mountain on the right.
Finally, I also believe that the time of the day matters when we make the image - as most of the photographers would suggest - early morning or late evenings would be perhaps the best time.
Just my thoughts. Would wait for the experts to pitch in...

*Edit: Sharing the EXIF info might help too (if available).

[Katherine Enns]

Thanks for the kind comments. I have been going through my photographs and deciding I must take them all over again at a better time of day! We were talking about this at dinner. All my photographs have been taken while doing something else, so they suffer due to my work. Also, my work seems to be suffering for my art! Perhaps its time to quit one of them! :) I will see if I can find the raw image and do as you suggest. I know its not got good processing, at all, but you have given me good advice for next time. Thanks!

[Ramesh Adkoli]

Kat, a nice image with a serene quality to it. Couple of thoughts on improving as you plan to photograph this location again: see if you can include a tree branch to frame the top part of the image; use a different perspective other than the way we normally see things i.e. standing up. a low angle gives a nice touch to such scenes. Hope it helps. TFS.

[Katherine Enns]

Thank you! I could and think i actually have taken this from back in the bush. I am not sure if this was shot as anything but a jpeg but I will see if I can find it and repost it here.

Thanks again, nice of you to comment on my photograph. Have always wanted to travel in your country.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Katherine,
Kaushik covered the light angle.....which would be my main recommendation also. I will add that you may want to get closer......so the reflection edge of the RH trees was not clip and always keep this in mind when in the filed doing landscapes.....when life deals you lemons.....make lemonade. Finding a strong FG interest (sometimes it can even be submerged rocks or logs) and use it to carry the scene. Look at Paul M's work and how he uses simple yet very effective elements in his FG's. This really helps when you have uninteresting skies also.....just minimize them with either a crop......or the strong FG element. I will also strongly recommend the split ND filter. At those times of day the sky is usually much brighter than the FG......using it correctly will greatly help you tame the tonal differences in the image. You can also explore HDR's and while I find them quite effective sometimes.....I still prefer the grad ND filter most of the time. Be prepared to miss a lot of breakfasts and dinners!!! I've lost count. Getting up and being in location 1/2 hour b4 sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset will make the biggest and quuickest impact of all! Take nice afternoon siestas and avoid the crowds!

[Roman Kurywczak]

did I mention super sturdy tripod? A good polariser wouldn't hurt either. These are essential. At f22 and the small aperatures used in landscapes.....SS is almost always at issue.

[Robert Amoruso]

Roman pretty much beat me to what I would say so saved me some typing :)

For a scene like this I would have moved right to eliminate the right spit of land and tree and forward to get only a water FG. I would center the V cut in the channel in the image and probably put the horizon in the middle. That may sound like a static image but the symmetry and reflection would make it work.

[Katherine Enns]

Roman pretty much beat me to what I would say so saved me some typing :)

For a scene like this I would have moved right to eliminate the right spit of land and tree and forward to get only a water FG. I would center the V cut in the channel in the image and probably put the horizon in the middle. That may sound like a static image but the symmetry and reflection would make it work.


Okay, well guess I shall need a boat, then! :) Seeing as how I can't get there till next spring, here is as close as I can come to corrective surgery. Obviously this is showing the signs of minimalization by jpeg, was cropped stage left to eliminate the sand bar, then in CS3: Filter; artistic; Rough Pastels; dry brush.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Kat,
The OOTBpossibilities are endless but I will give you a few compositional ideas for you next time......I will post 3. First I cropped off the bottom.....into a pano and did about 9 layers adjustments.....mostly levels and some contrast. so #1 is just a crop. If you had dramatic clouds......I still would have used this as a base but added more sky in (same for all of them unless you could get closer) 2nd one cropped off the right and cloned/patched the remaining island......moving to eliminate that in the field is the way to go. My favorite may be the last.....places the mountain almost in the ROT position and has a nice flow to them. Nicer clouds and I would add to the sky in all of them. That is why I actually like zoom lenses......offer endless compositional possibilities.

[Roman Kurywczak]

here's 2nd

[Roman Kurywczak]

3rd possibility

[Katherine Enns]

Roman, I have printed this out and will make a list of things from it that I need to get when I get out into civilization, where they have stores. :)

I am ever grateful for your advice, read it carefully a couple of times now. (btw this was shot with a 24-105). I very much like the third one as well, and its because of the shape of the bar echoing the shape of the mountain range behind it (Monashees).

My thanks, superb advice. Will take it all.