The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I took this image at Cannon Beach in Oregon a few weeks back. This location has some sentimental value to me as I came here 8 years ago with my son. This was our last stop on a photography adventure before Seattle where he was moving to start his first job. This time I visited with friends and I took this image in Pro Mode on my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra cell phone.
Specific Feedback
While this is a rather simple composition, I would like basic feedback on both composition and processing. I chose to have about a third of the image be foreground. Also, I used Topaz AI to both denoise and sharpen the image. I add a little contrast as well as cooled the sky slightly. In addition a warmed the grasses in the foreground. The image was processed in Photoshop using the TK9 plugin which I am rather new to.
Technical Details
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra in Pro mode (raw image used)
ISO 50, 7.9mm, F2.4, 1/3000sec
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I love the soft wispiness of the foreground and the dark moody sky. I would love to see more detail of the rock formation so suggest lightening it slightly. The angle makes an interesting composition. Well done.
Hi Alexander,
I can see why this would have sentimental value to you. The processing looks spot on for my tastes and I love the mood with the stormy looking sky. I am also very much enjoying the FG grasses as they provide a wonderful anchor to this landscape. The sea stacks are another wonderful element in the scene. I am thinking that you could crop some of the sky as it is pretty much all the same tone. I could also see just a touch more detail in the sea stack. I hope you do not mind, but here is a rework with what I was thinking. Just my opinion of course.
Nice unique twist on iconic Haystack Rock. It’s the foreground grasses that make the composition for me. I like the mix of beige in the grasses with the green and the effect of wind which is also evident in the waves. But what’s going on with the sky? It looks as if it has banding through it and some lighter shades that look like reflection. I have illustrated this with the color grading tool in TK9, just darkening the sky to show the reflection / banding look. I also cropped the tiny light patch in URC. Overall, a real nice image. I think @Ed_Lowe 's crop may have fixed much of this issue.
Thank you @Diny_Jones , @Ed_Lowe and @Larry_Greenbaum for you feedback! Larry I am so glad you saw the bands. It turns out they are introduced when I use Topaz AI to denoise the image.
I will use another method of removing the small amount of noise in the image and repost with the two suggestions, more detail in the sea stack and a crop that removes some of the sky.
For noise reduction, you may want to try the new noise reduction (only works with RAW files)
in either LR Classic or in the Camera Raw filter in PS. It is in the Detail panel.
