Ghost Ship w/Crop

Image Critiques Everything Else Critiques
1

Ghost Ship
Ghost Ship2048×1269 307 KB

Cropped version:

20211203_110402_DBP0087_C1_B&W_Crop
20211203_110402_DBP0087_C1_B&W_Crop2048×1459 350 KB

We’re having our winter King Tides this weekend on the Oregon Coast. The waves weren’t as strong and dramatic as I’ve seen in the past, but still an incredible experience. I went to Fort Stevens to shoot the wreck of the Peter Iredale. The last time I shot this, it was sitting on dry sand. This time, I wanted to get shots with water all around. I spent a lot of time there, and decided to try some long exposures. Interestingly, 60 second exposures were no good because the waves were strong enough to rock the boat…so it came out very blurry…

This is a 6.5 second shot and it feels a bit ghostly to me…kinda fun.

Specific Feedback Requested

Any comments appreciated.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Fujifilm GFX 100, 100-200mm, + 1.4 extender at 280mm, 6.5 sec @ f/16, ISO 100, polarizer, 6-stop ND, tripod

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Oh very cool. Interesting that it’s loose enough that waves rock it enough to be seen. I like the dramatic change from solid object to liquid and the tonalities look good. Not crazy about the dead center comp though. Hm.

3

I think you nailed the shutter speed. It allowed you to smooth things out around the boat but it retained some action in the background waves. 60s would have knocked all that out. The contrast on the boat is nice, it helps it stand out from the softer tones of the water. Well done!

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Thank you, @Kris_Smith and @David_Wallace for your comments.

Kris, I know it was a bit centered. It’s hard to see but part of the ship is in the lower left area, but it’s…a little ghostly. :slight_smile:

I posted a cropped version above.

Thanks again.

Cheers,
David

5

Although I like both versions, the first is my favorite because of the portion of the ship in the lower left corner. I agree with @David_Wallace you “nailed” the shutter speed. Have you considered cropping the sky leaving only ocean and wreckage? Every time I have viewed this wreckage, I wonder why it is still visible. The many ships that have run aground on the Long Beach Peninsula are now sucked down and covered with sand.

2 Likes
6

I used to play around this wreck as a kid when on summer vacation. Thanks for the memories. I like the simple composition and the shutter speed effect.

1 Like
7

Thank you @Jim_Gavin and @Mark_Muller for the nice comments.

8

Wonderful capture and perfect ss! I prefer the original for the bits visible under/through the waves – that’s a very special touch for this image! I like the inclusion of the horizon, to keep the very interesting incoming wave from crowding the top of the frame. It might be an interesting comparison the darken the sky a bit…