Hi Folks,
I went through my “lower-rated” images from the morning at Seal Rock, and came across this one. I was no longer working on moon reflections or slow shutter, just trying to catch waves in an interesting pattern on the foreground. I also apparently found a more effective place for isolating sections of this long fin of sea-rock.
Still trying to get my landscape sea legs back. It’s hard to beat Iceland, even in Oregon, but I’m working on different compositions that work without being to formulaic. Does this do it?
Specific Feedback Requested
Is the light too bland in this one? The morning was getting later and the light getting cooler, but that water was still a cool steely blue.
Does the wave add enough drama? The rocks break the bigger waves, and for me, they were a little bonus, but I really liked the color of the water and the foreground texture.
Technical Details
Canon 5d3 with 24-105mm at 35mm
ISO 125, f/14 at 1/80s
Thanks for being brave and posting one of your lower rated images =)
A few immediate thoughts here.
You have a dust spot upper left.
Ask yourself, “what is the subject here, and how can I draw attention to it?” I see two dark foreground elements that don’t really add anything and really just draw the eye. The eye will go to the bright or dark part of the image.
I think you might have a nice concept here but there’s too much in the frame. Might try a crop like this?
Late as usual, but thought I would make a comment, suggestion.
This is a very pleasant coastal landscape. Like your previous, I think the moon is a nice addition. I will agree with Matt that the foreground rocks are added elements that don’t really improve - and when something doesn’t add to the composition, by definition, they’re taking away.
I think your subject is the waves and interaction with the very interesting rock (with those nice layers of color) in the background. I like the criss-crossing lines of the small waves. The colors and processing look great.
Here’s my thought on a crop. I didn’t want to crop above the long, skinny rock, so I went below, which means I used the CA Clone - (PS does an amazing job most of the time with these clones). End result I think nice pano.
(hmmm, I think NPN is having some image upload problems, I can’t upload my edit.) I’ll try again in another comment
Hi Lon,
Thanks for the feedback and suggested crop. It is so much more clean! I have a few focusing more on the waves with a faster shutter as well. Lots of z patterns. But at that point, the light was less inspiring.
I just commented on another photographer’s work with precisely this advice on foreground elements. I was so fixated on a certain kind of shot, but it wasn’t really there and as a result, I waited too long for what WAS there.
.