Mindarie #2

[Don Railton]

Hi Guys

This is another shot from the same location as last sundays post but taken from a lower POV and much close to the sea. Not sure about the Vertical format, I was experimenting with getting in close to the green seaweed and trying to lead into the colour. Not convinced it worked, but feel free to tell me what you think..

1D4 & 18mm zeiss on tripod.
2 sec at f18, ISO 100
This is full frame, processed in ACR (CS6) and I put a gradient over the weed to lift the exposure slightly. sharpened in NIK

Regards

DON

[Don Lacy]

HI Don, I love the green algae and vibrant colors, and how the rocks lead the viewers eye into the frame and to the sunrise. I think the vertical comp was a great ideal I would just crop out the top of the frame which would move the horizon line into the upper 2/3 of the frame you really do not want your horizon in the middle of the frame, by moving it up or down you create more emphasis on the fore ground or sky. The one issue I have with the image and is sort of a thing for me is the blown out highlights surrounding the sun to my eye blown highlights on a digital image just look harsh, they also compete with the viewers eye and over power the beautiful fore ground you have here. Next time try using a reverse grad or taken multiple exposures and blend the area around sun.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Lovely colours in this one Don, good layering with the green, red/orange and blue.

Two things that would have improved the shot for me:
1. removing that white "net?" from the rocks (centre image)
2. taking a darker exposure at f22 for a proper "sunstar" and blending that into the sky in place of the white blob where the sun is now

[Don Railton]

Thanks Don..!

I agree about the bright sun, and I have others I have taken a few minutes later where the sun has dropped below the horizon. This is to me the better time for a sunset image and I plan to work on those in the next day or so also. This was a trial to test the water so to speak... I did try to back down the brightness of the sun here but I ended up with muddy colours so I left it alone...

best regards

DON

[Don Railton]

Hi Morkel

we are posting at the same time I see.. thanks for your comments. I did take a few bracketed images with a view to blending them, but my skills in blending are still a 'work in progress' apparently as my first attempt was woeful... Plenty to learn here still. The net is a rope actually, wasn't sure if it was a point of interest or just an eye magnet, thanks for commenting on that. I think I have a sun star in some of the bracketed images, I will have a play..

regards

[Don Railton]

Hi Guys

The subsequent image to the one above that I hope addresses the suggestions above. a little darker also. So, repost has rope removed, sun less dominant and cropped to remove some of the sky.

regards

DON

[Diane Miller]

This last one is wonderful! I think you could lighten the mossy rocks to capture some of the wonderful glow they had in the first post. (In fact, the entire image might use a little lightening.) You could probably even composite from that image if you get noise by lightening this one.

It is very difficult (for me, impossible) to blend exposures successfully when the bright sun is in the picture, as in your first post.

[Don Railton]

Thanks Diane.. I think I can lighten without noise as I have not needed to use the NR tool in here. easy fix.. thanks again for all your help..

DON

[Don Lacy]

Don, love the repost wonderful image

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Don, love the repost as well, just a touch lighter on the foreground for my tastes. This scene works very nicely with the seaweed covered rocks as the foreground element.

[Don Railton]

Hi Andrew and Don

Thanks for the comments guys. I agree a little lighter would improve the image more, did not notice it was different until I saw the posts side by side..

regards

DON

[Daniel Cadieux]

Yes, the repost is visually more striking and photographically better processed. I agree with Diane though about the OP's mossy areas being stronger, but the overall vibe is quite breathtaking on the repost. Good call going vertical too.

[Don Railton]

thanks Dan..!