Specific Feedback Requested
I would like feedback on anything, but the sky in particular. I have tried printing this and can’t get the sky to look like I want when printed.
Also wonder if the sand is too dark.
Absolutely love this. Both the rays at the top and the stream coming in diagonally pull me into the frame. The contrast could maybe be pushed a bit more, but the comp is really wonderful.
Wonderful shot. Love the silver tone and highlights and the birds for scale.
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Chris, this is beautiful! Without seeing a print in person, I don’t know why the sky isn’t coming out how you want, but it looks excellent to me on a screen. The rays strike the perfect balance between subtle realism and accentuated boldness.
I don’t think the sand is too dark; it really helps the outlet stream stand out. However, maybe it feels a little dark because everything above it is so light. To that end, maybe you could try darkening the darker areas of sky between the beams, to give the top of the frame a little more darkness to balance the sand out. Of course, taking it too far would make the sky look unnatural, so maybe a slight brightening of the sand would be in order just in the name of overall balance. There’s also a pretty dark and featureless area of the ocean just left of center that could use a slight brightening. Lastly, the right side of the frame as a whole is brighter than the left, due to the less-stormy sky and the outlet stream exiting into the ocean.
I’ve attached a quick example of these changes. The differences are subtle, and perhaps the image is a bit more balanced overall in terms of luminosity. But taking this balance shift too far makes it feel flat and HDR-ish, as the sky should naturally be a lot brighter than the sand, so tread lightly!
@Alex_Noriega I greatly appreciate you taking the time to critique my image. Your comments are very helpful and your attached edit clearly illustrates your suggestions. Subtle changes can sure make a big difference sometimes.