Protrusions at Pringle Bay

[Morkel Erasmus]

Tomorrow is a short work day and thereafter our Easter weekend kicks off. After celebrating the REAL reason for Easter on Friday morning at the church where I serve as a worship leader we will be off to the scenic Sabie/Graskop area of the South African lowveld for a weekend away with friends to their farm. I am hoping to bulk up my very flimsy 2010 landscapes gallery while we are there, and no cellphone reception means no connectivity so I will see all of you sometime next week :)

Meanwhile, here is an image I created during our December 2009 trip to the Cape. While my friend Kobus Tollig was out setting nets for crayfish (lobster) I spent some time exploring the surf rocks on the beach of the small holiday town called Pringle Bay.

This image was blended from 2 exposures shot handheld while almost bending my back to get the composition I wanted. I did the blending in Photomatix as well as CS3 to keep it natural.

Your comments and suggestions, as always, highly appreciated. If you travel this weekend - travel safe!

Techs:
Canon 1000D with 18-55mm IS @ 18mm
f11 @ ISO-200
handheld, 2 exposures (one for sky, one for rocks)

[Dennis "Curly" Buchner]

I like the comp but think the clouds were a little flat as they make the image so gave them a little tonal contrast to pop the sky. Have a safe easter

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Curly - what were your adjustment steps here? it looks better to my eye :)

[Dennis "Curly" Buchner]

I used a Nik plugin tonal contrast

[Kobus Tollig]

So this is what you shot while i was working my but of for Crayfish:D:D

I like this bud but i have done some things. Will have to kill you if i tell:D

http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv208/ktol/pringlebay_rocks_1_2009_HDR.jpg
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[Robert Amoruso]

Good composition or some very interesting rocks. And when I see rocks I think Local Contrast Enhancement. In the repost, USM on Background copy at 20/50/0.

Watch out for the halo building up between rocks and sky.

Repost based on Dennis' post.

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the reposts and feedback guys. Robert - I had already applied LCE on my post, but didn't want to overdo it.

here's my repost applying a bit more LCE and also adding a contrast boost to the sky

[Bob Miller]

Hi Morkel! great compositionand sharpness . Love the different reposts. You might consider darkening the bottom of your final repost to add some weight to those rocks!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
One Image...so many variations:eek::eek::eek:! I see differences in all....but my preference is for Robert's.....sky has more depth and bluer.
Nice job composing this scene and a very nice job with the exposure blend! After seeing this.....if I was Kobus.....I might not share the crayfish!
Looking forward to seeing the images when you get back! You be safe.....I'm staying home....my big landscape trip comes in a month!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the comments Bob & Roman!

Roman - this is by no means a "big" landscape trip...it's first and foremost a "rest" trip that happens to be in an area with many wonderful landscape opportunities ;)

let's hope the weather holds up as we're having the last of the summer rains now even though it's autumn already.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Morkel, Agree that Roberts repost brings out more depth and is also a bit lighter which adds to it.Good detail!

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Dave...