The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I recently went back to the north end of Bean Hollow state beach, Pebble Beach area where all this fantastic Tafoni sandstone makes up the majority of the shoreline. I could spend days and not run out of compositions, some work some don’t. What is even more fascinating is how the water from high tide gets trapped in various depressions and moss just starts to take over. I had been bumping around trying different compositions and passed this spot when I first came down from the parking area, but I did not see “this”. Then, maybe 20 minutes after sunset I was on the other side of the brown outcropping of Tafoni that is just ahead of the main water pool and I noticed the shape of this pool and how it a symmetry. So I worked my way back to this spot and set up the composition.
Specific Feedback
Two things about the composition give me pause. The first is that I wish there was color all the way across the horizon, and second the emptiness or lack of moss in the main pool in the left side makes the photo feel unbalanced to me. Does it come across like that for you?
Or, does the colorful green moss on the LRC balance out with the redder sky in the ULC, being that both are the most colorful parts of the photo and are in some way complimentary colors.
Technical Details
Nikon D850, Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 MF, set at f18 for 1.6 seconds at ISO 100, single frame
Processed in ACR and PS. Id di use the lens distortion correction in ACR as there was considerable barrel distortion that caused the horizon to appear curved.
I was a little relcutant to use the 14mm Rokinon, because I normally use it for astrophotography and I had it focused for the stars and the focus was locked. Now I have to find infinity focus again when I go back to the night sky, but the scene called for the ultra wide angle view.
Hi Youssef,
It would have been nice if the moss had wrapped around the whole pool, but it certainly is not a deal breaker for me as there are so many wonderful things going on in the image. I love the way the water winds around that wonderfully shaped FG rock while at the same time directing the viewer toward the warm colors in the sky. I also like the way the rock seems to point to all the warm colors as well. I have no problem with the balance of the scene; all looks good to me.
Two things in particular I love in this: the sunset light - and the texture of that FG rock. While they are separate delights, the arc of that large pool sort of links them in my view. A very atmospheric shot!
I love 99% of this photo. I saw it earlier with the intention of coming back to comment and I see @Don_Peters has brought up the only small nit I had. It would have been nice if some clouds or darker sky had been reflected in that pool.
Thank you @Preston_Birdwell, @Don_Peters, @Ed_Lowe, @Michael_Lowe, and @Mike_Friel for the feedback. I did not really notice the blank bright reflections in the minor pools, and coming from my film background just assumed there was noting I could do in post, but digital is a different beast altogether. Using TK masks I isolated those pools and applied some heavy curve adjustments to them to find not only color in them but cloud detail as well! I am beyond words. Even the main wrap around pool in the FG had some detail and color in there as well. Again thank you for pointing out those reflections, the rework posted above is just at another level.
Youssef, I think this looks fine. I’m very attracted to the sensuousness of the foreground rocks. The mix of moss and water in the big pool look fine (and very natural) as does the limited color across the sky. The repost is amazing, because it looks like you shot this twice, with the repost using a polarizer to reduce the sky reflections. Tony’s processing methods have always found ways of pulling out subtle colors.
Very nice image Youssef. I had to download it and have it in a frame to better appreciate it. I thought the rocky area, particularly the front wedge was just a bit too dark so I made some very small changes. The challenge is to have it look dark and yet still have presence and not look flat.
Thank you for taking the time to make some edits to it. Did you lighten just the FG wedge or all the rocks in the photo? I considered lightening the FG but left it as I posted. I will reconsider the lightening.
