Winter at Cape Disappointment

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
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[Winter at Cape Disappointment+ Re-Edit]

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re-post

Cape Disappointment, on the coast of Washington state just north of the Columbia River, is well-known for it’s winter storms and rugged scenery. This locations draws dozens of photographers when the king tides occur during the winter months, hoping to capture photos of the giant waves crashing on the rocks in front of the south lighthouse. This image was this past February, during high tide but not a king tide. I was pleased to not have to fight for a spot to take photos, and the sun even came out for awhile. While there is no snow in this scene, I drove back through a snowstorm in the coastal mountains on the way back to Portland that night. It was a memorable day!

Specific Feedback and Self-Critique

My inspiration was other images I have seen from this location, hoping to catch an epic wave with good light. Usually when these winter storms occur, they are accompanied by heavy rain, wind, and dull grey skies. So I think I succeeded. All constructive critiques are welcome.

Technical Details

Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 70-200mm @135mm, slightly cropped, 1/3200, f/11, ISO 800. Processed in ACR and Photoshop.

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Hi Patrick,
wow, that looks like the power of nature. That mighty wave is really impressive and the lighthouse adds a sense of scale. The birds fly like on an ordinary day.

There are two minor things that bother me slightly:

  1. There are some dust/water spots in the sky area
  2. The sky looks a little bit noisy, probably due to the high iso value.

I would be happy to photograph scenes like this. It must be a breathtaking experience to witness this power. Well done!

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Patrick: Makes me want to go there! I’ve shot all the lighthouses on the Oregon coast but have yet to visit Cape Disappointment. Great timing on the wave and its position relative to the lighthouse. Marvelous shot. >=))>

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That’s a major splash, Patrick! Your timing looks perfect.

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@Jens_Ober Thanks for your input on the edit. I posted another version up at the top, with the noise and dust spots fixed. I also darkened the sky a little bit more and straightened the horizon.