The Wild Coast

[Morkel Erasmus]

This is my one of my first attempts at an after-dusk seascape with slow SS.

Captured on the South African "Wild Coast" where the Indian Ocean meets a pristine shoreline covered with forests, mountains and rocks, and which luckily up to now has featured very little commercialisation.

All critiques welcome. The sun doesn't set or rise over the ocean at this spot, the sun had set behind the inlet to the RHS - my camera was facing South.

Techs:
Canon 7D with 10-22mm USM @ 10mm
f22 @ 8 sec @ ISO-100
Kenko Pro Circular Polariser
Benro tripod and ballhead

[Dave Mills]

Hi Morkel, I like how you framed the image and with the slow SS added interest to the water.
I'm also glad to see you minimalised the sky due to it having little interest.
Not sure what the white areas are on the distant rocks. Could be water or reflected light? However it does look a bit unnatural based on the scene.

[Robert Amoruso]

Looked at this right before Dave commented but got called away and finally getting back. I have the same problem Dave has with the white look of the middle ground rocks as well as the bright BG.

FG looks sweet and the water flow silkiness right for me.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Morkel,
Was this a blend? I think the wet rocks are hurting you in this case. An exposure blend for the sky, MG, and FG would have been the way to go.....or my fav.....the split ND filter. Comp looks good but the sky brightness and wet rocks are competing with the silkiness of the water......looks like a wonderful place so hope you get a bunch more opportunities at this one!
PS Did you make sure the polariser was rotated to eliminate the glare?

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks for the comments guys...polariser was turned the right way - don't have an ND grad yet so will have to use blending...I actually did take bracketed versions of this one as well, will look into them...:)

[Andrew Aveley]

hey Morkel. This is one of those places i feel you can spend days in getting awesome seascapes. The light on the RHS in the distance is it sea spray? With blending this could be resolved ? Blending images gives this type of photography a new dimension and recently I also started experimenting with it. The results look very promising. Thank for the welcome !:D

[Bob Miller]

Hi Morkel....nicely composed image...would love to see a blend that held the sky back

[Morkel Erasmus]

thanks Bob and Andrew...

Andrew I usually do blend images since I don't use a grad...here I kind of liked the high-key look at the top. Will see what comes out from the rest of my shots of the trip

[Andrew Aveley]

thanks for the feed back mate. Don't have grad yet so was most happy to learn about basic blending !!!!:D