The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
Well, five if you count the two at the end of the pier.
That’s where my friend and I would head, glasses of wine in hand, to unwind after a day of camaraderie on the water. We got very lucky with the sunsets on Vinalhaven and this was one of them. It’s different because of the uniformity in the sky compared to other photos and it seems more serene to me because of it. We had VERY gentle seas and calm winds pretty much all week, but this evening was even more placid than usual. I was lining up this shot when the family of Loons came into view and I knew they’d make it better.
Feedback Requested
Sure, the ocean is never truly silent and Loons are known for their loud, whistling calls, but this feels quiet to me. At least the sun makes no noise as the earth spins it below the horizon.
Technical Details
Camera: Panasonic DC-G9M2
Lens: LUMIX G VARIO 12-35/F2.8
Focal length: 35mm
Shutter speed: 1/200s
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO: 100
Processing software: Lightroom
Major adjustments: Global and local adjustments to even out the dynamic range, a crop and some distraction removal
Blending/stacking:
Other notes:
Lovely image that oozes peace and quiet, Kris. You can’t really tell whether it’s the ocean or a lake anyhow and loons aren’t always noisy (besides, they’re not really identifiable at that scale). Very well done.
This does say peace and quiet to me as well as the perfect way to unwind and end the day. I love that sunset and it’s reflection streaming over the calm water. I have only had the good fortune to hear the loon’s melodic call a few times when visiting Maine, but I do have to say I found it relaxing as though all was right with the world. I also quite like the pano crop here. Beautifully done.
This really struck me Kris. I can imagine the fun in the daylight, exploring nooks and crannies and when the light starts to go there’s a sudden stillness, like the trees and animals take a deep breath and prepare for the night ahead. There is nothing more peaceful than the call of birds in the distance and the soft lapping of water on the kayak.
Gorgeous colours, and composition. Everything is so well balanced with a gentle symmetry. Well done!
I had a thought the other day. Does a sunset seem more beautiful with the knowledge that it’s caused by the spin of the earth? Or less beautiful. Or irrelevant?
A very soft, atmospheric feel to this image. With all the wildfires in BC, I’m getting pretty used to seeing orange suns I find it a little hard to pick out the loons, but I guess you could tell by the calls. Did you also take a pic when the sun was at the horizon? It would be interesting to compare.
Kris, this is indeed very peaceful with the gentle color shifts in the sky adding nicely to that along the small ripples in the water. Yes, there is something about Loons at sunset that says quiet and restful.
Lovely! The richness of the color, in both the sky and water, is very appealing, and the gentle swells combined with the loons fits the idea of silence so well. One of the nice things about photography is that it isolates the senses to visual only, so even if there was a cacophony it can still portray quiet.
Beautiful image, Kris! I too thought this was a lake, which added to the quiet feel. The warm colors with the smooth ripples of the water give a feeling of serenity. Love it!
Thanks @Youssef_Ismail , @madd_laura , @John_Williams , @Igor_Doncov , @Dennis_Plank , @Glenys_Passier , @Mark_Seaver , @Ed_Lowe & @holly1 - glad this resonated with you and yeah, it’s only the ocean to me because I was there, it could easily be a lake. I hadn’t thought of the orange color of this sky last year and the recent orange skies created by recent fires, but yeah, similar. I’ll have to see if I have any with the sun lower…not sure.
Interesting idea for a crop John and when I dig in the other hard drive, I’ll try an experiment.
The sunset/earthspin thing is a fun notion to play with and I assume it comes down to perception. On our giant ball of dirt and magma, we don’t perceive our own motion, only that of the heavens around us so it makes sense we would put the sun in the role of ‘doer’ in this context. Now we know that it’s the Earth’s motion that creates some of the movement we see, it’s a different context, but the same result - the sun “sinks” below the horizon. It’s fascinating and wondrous just as it would be for me if I didn’t know how the earth’s rotation and revolution works. A Goldilocks planet indeed.
This whole thing just drips of peace and quiet… including your trip to the doc with “wine in hand…” Paints a very tranquil picture - thanks!
I think your crop/framing is perfect as presented. I also think John’s breaking the rules crop is fun and works too. I’ll carry it a step futher for more fun with my extreme crop below.
I’m gonna breach this element because I can. Saturation. I wasn’t there and as a personal experience, the moment certainly warrants - and I expect you’ll agree, that the sunset was very vivid. And trust me, I’ve said it over and over, I personally push the limits to make an image the best it can be and still be believeable. I think it’s right there.
Here’s the extreme crop for fun:
Visual Notes
[Crop] still a pano - just for fun. If anything, the Loons have more to say!
I find it a little hard to pick out the loons, but I guess you could tell by the calls. Did you also take a pic when the sun was at the horizon? It would be interesting to compare.
