Just Another Pretty Picture? + Repost

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Repost

Original

Hi Everyone,
I’ve been struggling with landscape photographs ever since I went abstract a few years ago. I’m not quite sure what my issue is: a little jaded by all the beauty in my little part of the world? a little humbled by other people’s work? never really at the right place at the right time? or simply not really having an eye for composition of a larger scene anymore? I’m not sure.

This is from Seal Rock South, as the sun rose from behind the coast range. We had a full moon and despite know how hard it is to expose the moon well and how tiny it would be, I was a bit obsessed with getting it in the frame as I worked on a slow shutter composition of these rocks.

In retrospect, a sunset shot would have been better here, I think: silhouetted rocks instead of all their granular detail, sky color might have contrasted with water color?

Anyway, I did what I could here, and I’m interested in how it works and what you might have done differently in the same conditions.

Specific Feedback Requested

What do you think of the composition. Are the foreground rocks adding to the interest? Would it have been better to use a longer focal length focusing on the action of the waves with the big rocks?

Maybe isolating a more aesthetic grouping of rock and not cutting off the right side?

Does the moon add to the interest level, or is it so small that it is more of a distraction?

Is that baby bottle nipple rock to the left just unsalvageable in a photograph?

As I say all of this, I realize I sound like I’m being hard on myself and looking for reassurance, but I’m really not. Among my friends on facebook (some of whom are photographers), this was one of the favorites from this day of shooting, but for me it’s just another pretty picture to say, “cool” and move on from.

Thoughts?

Technical Details

Canon 5d3 with 24-105mm at 28mm
ISO 50, f/20, 8 sec exposure

[David_Bostock]

Hi Marylynne, I think you are being a bit hard on yourself. This is a very pleasant scene. Your composition works nicely, the foreground rocks and light on the water take my eye nicely toward the spot between the two distant rock features. The moon is too small to be of real significance here, but it’s not taking anything away either. So, I think your abilities in the field are fine.

I think the processing of this image could be improved, though. It seems a little flat to me. I downloaded it and warmed it up with an increase in white balance and then hit the contrast with a curves adjustment. Those two minor changes gave the image much more life, depth, and dynamics, I think:

Of course this is my interpretation of a scene I was not present for, so take it for what it’s worth. I personally believe the raw images we take need that boost of contrast, color, and other adjustments to become realistic, even if it wasn’t exactly what we saw in the field.

Keep working on this, Marylynne, I think you have a nice eye for landscapes.

Regards,
David

[Eric_Bennett]

Hi Marylynne, I think this one looks nice it just may be a little bit too cyan/green? I would play with the white balance to counteract that. I don’t agree with David’s suggestion to warm up the scene at all, since there is no direct warm light to begin with. The cooler white balance you have looks a lot more natural and has better color separation. If anything I would slightly cool it down more since the slight yellow warmth is contributing to the greenish color cast you have. The softer contrast in your original version also matches the soft lighting well. You always gotta work WITH the light, or else it will work against you. It’s not just something you can change afterwards in post-processing.

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks, David and Eric. I’ll play a bit with white balance in both directions. I think the lack of warmth on the rock is part of what made it feel a little blah, but I’m not sure more warmth in the water will feel right to me.

Cutting off the rocks to the right doesn’t bother anyone? It’s hard to find a natural and satisfying end to this line of rock, kinda how I feel with mountain ranges. Our volcanoes make that much easier to define.

Thanks for the feedback, and other folks can keep it coming too. I’ll share a re-do if I find the perfect balance.

[Lon_Overacker]

Marylynne,

I’m really enjoying this seascape. And yeah, maybe a little hard on yourself. But that’s ok! I can’t say for sure, but I’m thinking that often times the location might have more to do with being able to capture something that really pleases you or that is unique? I mean I wasn’t there, but from a landscape photo point of view, there’s only so much one can do, short of any epic light, clouds, giant wave action, etc. etc.

I think the foreground rocks work beautifully and most certainly are a positive addition to the scene. The moon, as David mentions, isn’t hurting anything and I think it’s a nice addition to the scene as well.

As far as the color and WB. I think the sky is quite accurate, which makes ask if the water isn’t accurate as well. Of course I wasn’t there, but the color of the water is, well I’ll just say different. I quite like it actually If you were to change anything, I would make sure and mask out the sky because I wounldn’t change that!

So the only nit I have really is wishing for just a skosh more room on the left. You might be able to add some canvas there, but pretty minor point.

Great to see a post from you!

Lon

[Matt_Payne]

@Eric_Bennett

You always gotta work WITH the light, or else it will work against you. It’s not just something you can change afterwards in post-processing.

I agree with Eric on this one too… In regards to your question on composition… my first question back would be - what is your main subject here? I see a lot of competing elements here that look nice together but they do seem to be competing for attention. I would be tempted to crop a bit myself. =)

[Diane_Miller]

I’m not a landscape shooter either, so can’t add much worthwhile, but to me the two FG rocks on the left feel uncomfortably close to the edge of the frame. But I love the sky and the moon, and the soft movement in the FG water.

[Igor_Doncov]

Welcome back Marilynn. I am glad to hear that I’m not the only one who doubts his work and is hard on himself. The most discouraging aspect of it is the ones you think are 2nd rate in the field end up being better than the ones you liked. Here’s a few suggestions:

1. The color cast is off in the cyan/green direction as noted.

2. The rocks on the right being cut off creates an imbalance with the left side. You were right.

3. The foreground rocks feel separate from the background which makes them feel unintegrated.

4. The left rock is too close to the left frame making the two rocks seem random in terms of placement.

Don’t feel discouraged though. Juggle the placement of the elements within the frame in the field. Sometimes no matter what you do things space themselves optimally. In fact, for me, that’s most of the time.

[John_Williams]

@Igor_Doncov

The most discouraging aspect of it is the ones you think are 2nd rate in the field end up being better than the ones you liked.

Boy isn’t that true. I’m always a bit discouraged when I’m really excited by an image in the field, and then not as impressed when I get it home on the computer; it happens frequently.

I think @Igor_Doncov has done a better job of summarizing the salient points than I can; great food for thought there.

Great to see you posting Marylynne. Despite the great suggestions for “next time” posted above, this is a charming little scene that is very peaceful for me. I love Seal Rocks, and always enjoy them as photography subjects.

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks, everyone. I made a few adjustments. The color cast issues have been addressed, and I’m thinking it looks more natural, but I also played with the light a bit and it now looks less eerie. Not sure whether eerie was what I was going for, but now that it’s gone, I kind of miss it.

Yeah, the crop was (and may still be) off, but perhaps having less empty space to the right makes the left seem less tight. As I look at all of the images from this location, I never figured out how to isolate the rocks or include them all and have it work. I think @Igor_Doncov Igor is right on all of the issues of the rocks, and @Matt_Payne echoed the issue with the foreground rocks.

When I think about it, my problem at this location is probably that I wasn’t totally feeling the rocks and how to handle them. I was very focused on the moon and the slow exposure of water, and timing that. I definitely stayed planted in one place too long.

Thanks all for the feedback. Very helpful, as always. If you think this is “better,” let me know. It’s not one I plan to print or anything, so it is more a “lesson learned” image, where I can see both what makes it interesting and what makes it less so.

I might share one other from this area, a vertical comp. It’s the only one where I handled the rocks a bit better. I might go back and look at the ones I rated a “2” just in case ;-).

ML

[Matt_Payne]

@Marylynne_Diggs

Thanks, everyone. I made a few adjustments.

This is certainly much better!