No crazy light here…I did get a few at two sunrises with some good light, but I happened to pick the week when the remnants of a hurricane decided to roll through. I was able to get a few images throughout my trip thought that I’m hopeful for.
Specific Feedback Requested:
This is the first image I edited from the trip, I tried to pull out detail in the rocks while reducing some of the darkness in the thick band of clouds furthest in the distance. Hopefully I achieved that. I tried to pick the image with some interesting detail in the waves as well. I know it is small but I think it can add to the overall image. The contrast is pushed to the max due to some very bright highlights in the clouds and some very dark spots in the cracks. My histogram shows nothing is blown in the highlights. I wanted to push the brightness to pull the more interesting cloud away from the background. I assume I could lighten up the deepest shadows but not sure it would have a huge impact on the overall image. Open to any and all improvements, especially ideas for how to handle the thick band of clouds in the background.
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)
If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below.
This is so nice and reminds me of how I did a sunset image on Lake Superior in June. I dialed in a reflection in my little rock puddle and you’ve left yours dark.
How do you mean handle them? They are what they are and so I don’t know how they might need to be handled except to either emphasize or deemphasize depending on what you’re going for.
I agree about the waves, they’re a nice touch, but the star is the cloud above and how it relates to the scene as a whole. You could try making a ‘runway’ of sorts by darkening the outside edges of the rock just a little bit. Say to the outside edges of each crack from the border and shading lighter as you get toward the center. You could use a range mask in Lr and choose color with the eye dropper so it doesn’t affect the sky. Lining it up with the wave would be most effective I think.
Bravo on a really great look at the New England shoreline - Maine is especially known for rocks rather than sand.
David, this is really nice. Especially the larger view. I think the overall scene works quite well and the colors on the foreground rocks compliment the light in the sky. Nice.
We had a Maine trip planned a few years ago and would have spent quite a bit of time in Acadia. Unfortunately, my wife broke her foot just before we were to go…so had to cancel it. Still on the list for a future trip.
Lovely – a gorgeously composed scene with gorgeous tonalities!! I love how the crack in the rock leads me to the cloud. I can smell the morning sea air! I don’t see any need to do anything about the cloud bank. I like @Kris_Smith’s idea about darkening the edges of the rock a bit.
Not everything has to be a unicorns and rainbows sunrise. This image has still has plenty of dramatic light and clouds, weather fronts rolling through have potential for drama. I love that yellow cloud. The composition is well done, a lot of people are tempted to shoot horizontals at the ocean, but using a vertical here takes full advantage of the wonderful shapes and lines in the foreground rocks.
I like your processing overall. You need the rich blacks in the shadows to better define the lines in the rocks, I would not lift them any more. The highlights in the cloud are not clipped, but they are close, I would suggest pulling them down slightly. If your goal is to emphasize the yellow cloud, I might even consider slightly darkening the darker toned clouds below (but just slightly). Getting very nitpicky, the very dark shadow in the extreme LRC has a lot of visual weight. I might consider a slight crop from the right (and the top to maintain 3:2 aspect ratio).
This is an Acadia image that I would be very happy to have in my collection, nice work Dave.
@Kris_Smith Not sure if I achieved what you are suggesting here although I did try to darken the edges of the bottom half of the frame. Thanks for the suggestions!
I have a wider view that has the reflection (which would probably be preferred), but it doesn’t work as well in my opinion.
David, I find the puddle in the foreground quite interesting but could be more dramatic in my opinion since a larger puddle will balance the cloud very nicely. In this version, I would recommend burning the highlights of the triangular rock near the bottom left corner of the puddle.
David - You’ve already received excellent advice on how to optimize this excellent image. For a 50/50 composition, it works quite well. I think @Kris_Smith made a good point to emphasize the “runway” a bit more by more selectively burning/dodging and @Adhika_Lie carried this further with an excellent point about the small rock in the very near foreground.
I agree with @Ed_McGuirk regarding the sky as it would benefit from some slight darkening to increase detail further.
My only real contribution is in regards to the middle of the frame. The cloud bank merges favorably with the sea making the horizon less of a 3rd element that would only distract from your primary and secondary elements. I would ask your opinion about backing off a good bit on the dodging of the waves. I personally think they could use less emphasis and their brightness competes with the sky/cloud which serves as a distraction. Excellent image here…agree with this being a keeper!
Hey @Jim_McGovern thanks for checking it out, I have added another image that attempts to darken down the white in the water a bit I also darkened the rock that @Adhika_Lie pointed out. Interested in your thoughts with the change!
@Kris_Smith Interested if this is what you had in mind or if you were thinking something else/stronger?
I think the sky looks great and the decrease in brightness on the near rock is improved as well. I think you have a lot of latitude to decrease brightness on the waves, but this really is your call and your artistic/creative expression that needs to be comfortable with the outcome. Nice work man!
This is hands down my favorite location for photography, David. Even though you had to deal with the remnants of the storm there certainly is nothing wrong with the light in this scene. The colors look very natural and I love the placement of the triangle in the granite and the way it directs me to the ocean and that wonderful looking cloud hanging in the sky. Beautifully done. Just curious, was this taken at Seawall? Many thanks for the shout out and kind words @Ed_McGuirk. I think your Acadia images would stand the test.
I have nothing to add to the useful comments above, just that I like the image(s) very much and that the discussion is interesting as so often. Just came back from a short holiday in Brittany, France, where the sea also meets a rocky shore.
Great shot, David. I love the leading lines of the FG granite. You’ve showcased Acadia’s wonders with this shot. I like the reworks also. Subtle but nice changes.
I think your Acadia images would stand the test.