Morning Reflection

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 14, 2010751 views14 comments

I took this image over a year ago (April 2009) Ocean Point, Boothbay, Maine on a particularly cloudy morning...... but I keep coming back to this set of images. I don't think I have posted it here before, so interested in your thoughts especially because of the hot spot in the sky. I am also on the fence with the vertical format. I usually don't like verticals unless 4X5 or 6X7. In this case, I could not get in all in without the orginal 5DM2 format.

Canon 5D MarkII
Canon16-35mm f/2.8L at 16mm (Distortion corrected in LR3)
ISO100 0.3sec f/22
SR Color Combo +3-Stop SS ND Gradient
TK Layer Masks, Glow, and sharprning in CS5 (Though I am finding a bit over sharpening in CS5 compared to CS4. Also when saving for Web, CS5 posts a GIF version but it does provide a web preview. Just an anoyance or stupidity on my part? Anyone finding these issues? ......or is just my computer ineptness? (BTW - I am also using LR3 for pre-processing).

I have a slightly different image on my website (as well as this). Old Version. Which do ya perfer?

Thanks for looking and for any comments, critique, or technical input which is always greatly appreciated.

Comments

14 comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on July 14, 2010 at 7:35 PM

Great capture. Love how the cloud reflection is so much like a glowing rock.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Baumbach on July 14, 2010 at 8:46 PM

Nice, Eva. The sky and reflection are very nice as is the colors of the rocks. Vertical works well here. I know what you mean about 35mm format being too long and skinny as a vertical, but it works for this image.

- Dan.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 473 Posts, 7980 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 14, 2010 at 9:29 PM

Wow, there's some drama! Super comp as well. I think you controlled the hot spot really well. The reflection is a great addition.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 14, 2010 at 9:59 PM

This has you in its pixels, Eva. My preference here is the scroll crop of the bright top clouds with the reflection then becoming the main focus. I'm still working mostly with CS3 and 4. Haven't tried the sharpening actions in CS5, though they should work. Even in CS3/4, I often dial back the sharpening of the top layer to 50 to 80%. Maybe more is needed in CS5. Will eventually try it and see.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on July 14, 2010 at 10:25 PM

I like this Eva, lots of drama in the sky and a really nice comp. I also like some of the contrasting colors. I would be tempted to slightly darken the middle/bottom of the fg rock, just feels a little bright to me. Nice capture.

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on July 14, 2010 at 11:13 PM

Not used to seeing a vertical comp from you Eva but it certainly works here. While the Old Version might be considered a little dark by some it's ok by me, and the sky doesn't seem as bright and my eye settles on the whole image instead of moving from the bright sky to the reflection as it does in the second. This might even work well as just and image of the rocks ocean and reflection with out the whole sky.

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Comment posted by Stuart Williams on July 15, 2010 at 3:25 AM

very good eva. the vertical works well here. although i am hardly one to ask, i find the vertical 2x3 format pretty long and thin - and wonder, more, how it relates to our perception of the world?? but with the reflection, it works well.

Registered on December 7, 2007, 247 Posts, 4792 Comments

Comment posted by Melissa Olsen on July 15, 2010 at 9:59 AM

Eva, this is a beautiful image. Reminds me of fine melted silver...just gorgeous in every way.

Registered on July 1, 2010, 4 Posts, 34 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on July 15, 2010 at 11:24 AM

Eva, you have the knack for these moody seascape images and this is no exception. The reflection in the tidal pool is absolutely fascinating. Beautifully done.

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on July 15, 2010 at 7:10 PM

Eva,

Tough call between the two images. I prefer the sky in your web version, but like the rocks and reflection pool better with this one. The other version seems a tad heavy on the contrast. I like this one for it's rusty look and feel of the rocks and pool; and the contrast seems just right.

Now the only issue I have with the tall vertical format (and I say this in general, not just your image here) is that we tend to either a: want to include too much and/or b: end up with a split comp - what's more important, the sky? or the foreground? In your case here, I can't see cropping out the blue of the sky and definitely can't crop the rocks, so I'll settle for just what you've captured!

Lon

p.s. As far as the oversharpening, if you're using TK's actions what I settled on was setting the opacity of those two layers (if using "less halos") to about 75%. I would agree that by default at 100% opacity it's too much for most images. Don't tell Tony, but I even went as far as editing the action so that it defaults to 75% opacity just to save me from having to set it myself... call me lazy.

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Roane on July 15, 2010 at 10:30 PM

Hi Eva,
I like every thing about the new version except the brightness of the fg rock which, for me, is a huge distraction. I suppose it may have been naturally much brighter than all the rest. However, if you could make it, and maybe the next rock up on the left, as dark as the brown ones, somehow, I think it would make this image extremely moody and compelling - I think it would be worth it.

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Michael R Reynolds on July 16, 2010 at 12:15 AM

Eva,
As usual, the composition works well. The reflection really is the strongest part of the image. Really nice. Best Regards.

Registered on February 26, 2008, 54 Posts, 812 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on July 16, 2010 at 4:31 PM

I slightly prefer your linked version. Very nice! Just a thought: since this has a subdued feel, i might desaturate so its almost monochromatic.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on July 17, 2010 at 9:51 AM

I definately prefer this version to the one linked to your site Eva. This one seems to have more detail. The hot spot doesn't bother me, infact I think it looks good. The overall colour looks very natural and I like the reflection in the small rock pool.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments