Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
Altered Dream
‹ PreviousLandscape GalleryNext ›

Altered Dream

by John Williams

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 15, 20172,907 views23 comments

My brother and I rode our bikes down the Oregon Coast last month. It was a marvelous time, but the Chetco Bar fire stopped us one day north of the California Border. We ended up spending a night in Bandon on our drive back home instead. The beach was in heavy fog the afternoon we spent there, so I walked down and played with the camera.

 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100, handheld at 10.4 mm (28.0 mm equivalent)
1/250 sec at f/11 and ISO 80

Comments

23 comments
Comment posted by Dan Kearl on September 15, 2017 at 12:47 PM
The comp is really good.. Fog light
The Gull adds a lot for me.
I think maybe the addition of a polarizer would have been interesting.
Registered on September 2, 2013, 209 Posts, 1514 Comments
Comment posted by Ronald Murphy on September 15, 2017 at 1:42 PM
I'm glad you did. Very moody. The polarizer would be interesting to see, but I like this.
Registered on March 13, 2012, 279 Posts, 975 Comments
Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on September 15, 2017 at 5:14 PM
Wonderful moody composition, perfect tones.  
Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Fach on September 16, 2017 at 10:26 AM
John: One of my favorite places on the planet and I've stood almost in this exact spot for this stack. The gull is icing on the cake. Most excellent.>=))>
Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on September 16, 2017 at 11:37 AM
Wonderful comp and light, John.  This is a beautiful image.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on September 16, 2017 at 11:51 AM
A fine image. The bird adds a lot to this image IMO even though it's quite small. It makes the place look more 'wild' if you know what I mean. A place of danger and storms. But what I like most about this image is the lower foreground. Those reflective puddles leading to the main subject in a long S curve makes this image unique and different from others of the same subject. I like the b&w but I suspect this could look good in it's natural colors of blue and grey. No nits from me.
Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
Comment posted by Dave Harwood on September 16, 2017 at 12:47 PM
John Williams (I assume you're not the famous composer as well!), this is a captivating composition: almost a circular driveway leading up to the towering "estate." And then the grouping of 3 structures in compound. Wow, that's ideal. So nicely seen and captured.  The interplay of lighting effects is pretty nice, too. The clarity and focus isn't perfect but that may be a part of the chosen effect, or by being handheld even at that shutter speed, or it could just be my dimming eyesight? In every way, a very artful presentation.  -Dave Harwood
Registered on February 4, 2015, 29 Posts, 29 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on September 16, 2017 at 2:25 PM
John,

Wonderful seascape image.  The conditions and your description were just begging for the b&w presentation, so kudos on that for sure!

There is just something unique and appealing to this particular rock, sea stack; it's not like any other I've seen on the west coast.  And you've framed this beautifully with the glistening wet patterns in the sand.  And this would not be the same without the gull.  It's tiny size reigns huge in completing the composition.  

Well done!

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Eva McDermott on September 16, 2017 at 4:24 PM
Fantastic image John.  Nice lead in with the silver streaks in the sand.  The gull adds a nice element too.  The fog adds to the mood.
Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments
Comment posted by Ken Henke on September 16, 2017 at 4:39 PM
Nice composition and well processed image, John. 
Registered on February 20, 2012, 117 Posts, 285 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on September 16, 2017 at 6:37 PM
Awesome stuff.  Fun to shoot handheld for this :)
Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments
Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on September 16, 2017 at 8:16 PM
Superb imagery as usual, John. Beautifully composed (that bird makes the image IMO) and processed. You're doing a good job reminding us that good photography "is not about the gear".
Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments
Comment posted by Dave Harwood on September 17, 2017 at 7:52 AM
John Williams (I assume you're not the famous composer as well!), this is a captivating composition: almost a circular driveway leading up to the towering "estate." And then the grouping of 3 structures in compound. Wow, that's ideal. So nicely seen and captured.  The interplay of lighting effects is pretty nice, too. The clarity and focus isn't perfect but that may be a part of the chosen effect, or by being handheld even at that shutter speed, or it could just be my dimming eyesight? In every way, a very artful presentation.  -Dave Harwood
Registered on February 4, 2015, 29 Posts, 29 Comments
Comment posted by Bruce King on September 17, 2017 at 11:08 AM
Nice shot John. This reminds me of the classic BW style before the digital age. Others mentioned a polarizer and yeah it would be interesting to see in varying degrees of polarization but I'm not sure it would improve the image. Selectively polarizing the mid-ground might be nice but the reflection in the foreground is the most interesting part of the photograph and shouldn't be changed IMO. well done
 
Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on September 17, 2017 at 12:06 PM
John, a really wonderful sea stack.........can't recall ever seeing this exact one......excellent mood with gull in perfect location too.....laugh
Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments
Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on September 17, 2017 at 3:36 PM
This is very dramatic and moody. The bird is integral, and perfectly positioned. I like the cool-toned  presentation; almost like a selenium toned print. Very fine image, John.
--P
Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments
Comment posted by Doug Koepsel on September 17, 2017 at 7:13 PM
The fog, glistening wet foreground, and a gull add up to an image that captives the interest.
Registered on April 1, 2010, 196 Posts, 1592 Comments
Comment posted by John Williams on September 18, 2017 at 12:54 AM
Thanks so much all!

Dave, not that John Williams; I wish. cool

The bird was completely fortuitous, and I agree its essential. I didn't realize I had captured it until I arrived home and reviewed the images at full size.
Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments
Comment posted by Mattia Oliviero on September 18, 2017 at 9:44 AM
What an incredible mood, John. The b&w is perfectly coherent with the image. The bird is a gem. 
Registered on August 24, 2016, 43 Posts, 254 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Lowe on September 18, 2017 at 1:03 PM
The bird adds the iceing on the cake of a tasty image.devil
Registered on February 11, 2004, 777 Posts, 5252 Comments
Comment posted by Anil Rao on September 20, 2017 at 4:52 AM
A very very lovely photograph. So many wonderful elements that are working together in a harmonious fashion. The strong foreground patterns and the shine in the water nicely contrast with the softer and more subdued background. The bird then takes this to a whole differnet level.
Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments
Comment posted by Kathy Barnhart on September 20, 2017 at 2:20 PM
Marvelous textures and patterns in the foreground sand, plus water. Makes a great lead in to the rock and the bird is the crowning touch. Great job.
Registered on November 11, 2011, 404 Posts, 1639 Comments
Comment posted by Matt Anderson on September 25, 2017 at 9:30 AM
John this is crazy good. Wonderful processing on the conversion, and the framing, perfection.
Registered on September 6, 2007, 346 Posts, 2696 Comments