Sea Stack with Morning Fog (+revised)

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Revised Version

Revision 2 (latest)

What changed: I also did a black and white conversion: one in LR and one in Nik SilverEfex Pro, which I haven’t used in a couple of years since LR’s BW panel has gotten pretty good. This is the Nik version, a kind of “through a glass darkly” variation that I like as well. It feels moody, moreso than the “hope of sun” I was originally going for. But I like it. Let me know if y’all have a favorite. I’ll move on to other comps from this beach, looking the other direction entirely.

Revision 1

What changed: This is a different frame a few feet closer. I used a linear gradient from the bottom to increase contrast and clarity in the foreground reflections, and I got rid of the “deceased walrus rock” that plagued me from every direction. I also burned the seastack area that had a bright band. Not sure what caused that vertical band, and it was natural, but I found it distracting, like a smear of something on the lens.

Added after receiving feedback from the community.

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Original Version

Image 1

Image 2

Critique Style: Standard

The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.

Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical

About This Image

I spent a few days along the beaches of the Olympic Peninsula after meeting up with the NPN PNW regional group for a planning meeting. The conditions were a bit challenging. I found it very foggy most mornings and evenings, and kind of crowded mid-day. I decided to see what I could do with what the day brought me at each of the beaches I visited.

I’m sharing two framings of the main sea stack at Second Beach.

Feedback Requested

Given the foggy conditions, I went for a moody, misty look. It’s not something I’m very good at pulling off. There’s the counterintuitive things about exposure and fog, and then there is also challenge of dialing in how misty and foggy v. clear and contrasty to process it.

Just noticed a small dust spot on both. I’ll clean that up.

As usual, I’m open to any and all feedback, including a yawn of “Oh yeah, icon alert in bad conditions. Just go back for a dramatic sunset.” In particular though, I’m curious about the following:

1. Do you prefer one of these compositions over the other? I thought the fg rocks were interesting, but on the computer screen, they feel like a barrier between the viewer and the primary sea-stack. So I’m sharing the alternate framing.
2. Does the image work? Hold your interest? Make you feel like you are on a cold, gloomy beach and in awe of the sea stack? It’s been a long time since I’ve done much landscape (been kind of abstract lately). I need a second opinion on whether it’s worth working on more.
3. How would you treat the foreground beach/rocks and background ocean/sky/sea-stack when it comes to some basics like contrast, luminosity, clarity, saturation? To me, they each look either a bit green or a bit magenta, so I’m struggling to find the right color temp and tint. SOOC, they felt fairly green.
4. Is there a magenta cast to the sky? It showed up after some processing, and I tried to reduce it.

Thanks, as always, for the generosity of your time, and for any feedback or suggestions you can offer.
ML

Technical Details

Canon 5DIV with 24-105mm lens at 24mm in the first image and 32mm in the second.
ISO 100, f/20, 1/50s in the first image and 1/60s in the second image
Processed in LR: Slight crops, linear grad filter adjustments to exposure, contrast, saturation, clarity

[Igor_Doncov]

As I see it the difference is in the mood. In the first image the mood is more somber and the rocks feel somewhat threatening. The second image is more minimalistic and has the peacefulness you often feel at beaches. The second image has an unorthodox composition with the rocks coming in from the right. I think many would object to that but I like it for its uniqueness. In both cases I have this urge to crop off the lower section and just make it about the two distant rocks with ghostly background. But that would be more clicheish than either image. I felt that the first image could be made less somber by raising its exposure but even so the 2nd image was better. So my vote is for the simpler 2nd image. The first image also needs more space below the rocks at the bottom.

BTW, I had difficulty here as well. My images were far different than what I had expected from the guide books. I finally decided to just include the people.

https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/unsuspecting/36583

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks, @Igor_Doncov. I did a few closer perspectives. One has a rock that looks like a dead walrus in the foreground, and I didn’t like that. Another is just the sea stack and the cape to the right with a hole in it. I’m sharing it here rather than as a revision, since it’s a different frame. I didn’t initially think it was anything special, but it is growing on me. I also have a black and white of a nearby composition that I’ll share later.

It’s amazing how hard this area is to photography well. I think it’s all down to conditions, and those are notoriously unpredicable. Not sure I have the patience for repeat attempts.

ML

[Don_Peters]

Marylynne, I like the third photo best, although I’d zap the rock in the lower right.

[Ed_Lowe]

Hi Marylynne,

Like @Don_Peters I too like the third version the best. I think it just looks cleaner without those rocks on the pristine beach. I think the moody misty look you were going for works well here and I think you were able to strike a nice balance with the fog v. clear look. I think there is a very slight magenta cast to the sky. Have you thought about converting this scene to a B&W? I hope you do not mind, but I used the Cool Tones filter in Nik Silver Efex to convert to B&W and came up with this. Just my opinion of course.

[Glenys_Passier]

I like all these images @Marylynne_Diggs , but I’m leaning toward the third as a favourite.

I like @Ed_Lowe 's “Cool Tones”. It seems to add just a little more feeling of cold. I wonder if there is another version with a darker Linear Gradient from the bottom that might include just a touch of dehaze or clarity?

I would be happy to have any one of these images on my computer!

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks, everyone. It’s funny how I get locked into some kind of cliche (find foreground interest) when shooting. I am in full agreement that the frame that initially seemed uninteresting is at the very least, simpler, and has some really cool washes of contrast and reflection that mimic the angular shape of the sea stack. I’ll share a few revisions above.
ML

[system]

The original poster added a revised version of their image.

[system]

The original poster added a revised version of their image.

[Glenys_Passier]

I like where you are heading with this image @Marylynne_Diggs ! For my taste, I think you have pushed the idea a little too far.
I had a little play, but for some reason, I am not able to save your image and post it here. Probably operator error!

It’s a great image, worth the effort to get the best out of it.

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks @Glenys_Passier. Is the black and white variation a little too dark and contrasty? The color version too?

ML

[Glenys_Passier]

I was referring to the B&W, but maybe the colour could also have just a tad reduction in the contrast. There is that lovely moody softness about both images I would hate to lose.

[Marylynne_Diggs]

Thanks. I’ll back off a bit.
ML