Lake of the Lillies

[Dave Blinder]

Point Pleasant, New Jersey, December 2009

3 exposures from a single RAW, blended in Photomatix, then finished up in Photoshop. Not many manual tweaks, just a slight reduction in red saturation.

10-22mm @ 10mm, UV filter, f/10, ISO 250, 1/320s, Canon 7D handheld

Initially I was a little bothered by the tree branch coming in from the right, but I don't see an easy way of removing it and repairing the clouds. Not bothering me much now anyways. How's the contrast, comp, saturation, etc?

Thanks!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/4187231821_0e1d4c2e6a_o.jpg

[Dave Mills]

Hi Dave, Good overall composition. I like the water in the boat and it's placement within the frame. Nice lighting but a bit oversaturated(to my eye). I can see the problem with taking out the tree. Sometimes a slightly different angle can alleviate that problem without radically changing the comp.I also like the centrally located cloud which puts some interest in that void. Last thing I would add a bit more to the bottom so the boat is further from the edge.. Good eye!

[Dave Blinder]

Thanks for the comments Dave, no more canvas to work with on the bottom... would you have pointed the camera downwards more? I wanted to keep some of the sky in.

Do you think the tree is problematic as is?

[Dave Mills]

Hi Dave,I might have moved back to get a small amount more foreground in seeing you had the lense at its widest opening. The tree is not an image killer since it takes up a very small part of the image but IMO it would be cleaner without it....

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Dave,
Mr Mills (didn't want to say Dave again!) brings up some very good points! Were you able to move to the right and aim more left? I really like the reflection inside the boat too.
try pulling back some on the saturation as he recommended also.....looks a bit over the top even for me!

[Fabs Forns]

I think pointing the camera down would have been the way to go. I also think it's a bit saturated, but it is a very relaxing and pleasing image.

[Dave Blinder]

I think pointing the camera down would have been the way to go. I also think it's a bit saturated, but it is a very relaxing and pleasing image.

Thanks you Fabs. I did have the camera angled downwards a bit here, but I thought I'd sacrifice some of the nice colors and the shape of the boat even if I could go higher? Seemed to be a challenging situation indeed!

- Dave