A common seal on rocks on the shores of Arran. Although I got some frame-fillers of this patient seal, I preferred this wider 'enviro' shot, showing the distinctive Ailsa Craig in the background.
EOS 350D, 1/400 @ f5.6, ISO 100, 280mm (70-200 & 1.4x)
Posted by John Gardner on October 26, 2006 at 5:52 AM
Broddick Bay, what a place! Like the idea here but not sure its worked for me, maybe
because of the heavy horizon which forms a natural top to the picture. Ailsa Craig looks to be stuck on the top somehow.and i find I'm drawn to this horizon line each time I look. Great idea though and I think in better light it would work really well.
Hi Michael,
I really like these enviroment type images and feel this one works well.
I like the fact that the seal has it's head raised and is looking straight towards you,and I like your choice of composition too.
Although the light and weather conditions look very typical of our British climate,I can't help but imagine just how striking this image would be if you had captured it just as the first rays of early morning sunshine bathed the scene,particularly if the light direction was in your favour,and the seal and distant mountain were bathed in beautiful warm light.
A goal for future visits perhaps.
PS: Happy 30th. I remember that one well,seems like only yesterday,if only it was
Posted by David Kjaer on October 26, 2006 at 10:41 AM
Hi Michael
Works for me to - I like your composition and I feel the seal 'pops' quite well!
David
Posted by Sean Bolton on October 26, 2006 at 3:31 PM
Hi Michael
I like the composition. Good placement of the seal in the frame and set against the island in the background it makes for a great habitat/landscape shot. Maybe some more interesting light or weather could enhance the image but you have got the most out of the conditions when you were there.
cheers
Sean
Posted by John Swift on October 26, 2006 at 7:41 PM
Happy Birthday Michael!!!
I'd applaud the idea but it's not quite there for me. As some of the others have said maybe more favourable light, or possibly less sea and some detail in the background would be better? Overall I think you're on an interesting track here and it's an idea worth pursuing.
Hello Michael
Looks like there are 2 camps here - I'm in the "like it, works for me" camp
Best wishes & Belated birthday wishes (I try to pretend mine don't happen any more!)
Phil
Not a successful one for me - too much dead space and not enough visual interest IMO. The quality of light has been mentioned, and there is a big gap between the two points of interest. The seal is also too distant to provide much of a hook, although printing it six foot high would overcome this...
The graphic possibilities of the island are considerable, and a lower viewpoint would help to reduce the distance between the seal and Ailsa but at the expense of obscuring the body of the seal (although this sets up the possibility of a playful shot with the seal popping it's head up over a rock). I think the seal needs to be more animated in any scenario.
Thanks for the feedback folks. I've showed this photo on a couple of other sites, and similar to above, it seems to be a bit of a 'Marmite Shot' - some people love it, some people hate it, LOL!
The quality of the light is the main drawback IMO. The trouble is that at the times when the light was better (early morning and evening) the tide was right in, so there were no rocks for seals to sit on. It was only when the tide was right out that the seals would rest on the rocks, and unfortunately this was the middle of the day, when the light wasn't the best and it was all a bit hazy.
The size of the space between seal and island was something I hadn't considered, but I can see how a smaller gap would be beneficial. Well, I'm going back next September, so I'll have plenty of time to prepare a re-shoot in my mind!
Thanks again for the comments - much appreciated (and thanks for the birthday wishes too!)
Discussion
8 repliesEOS 350D, 1/400 @ f5.6, ISO 100, 280mm (70-200 & 1.4x)
Cheers,
Michael S
P.S. (Gratuitous birthday plug alert!) - It's my 30th birthday today!
because of the heavy horizon which forms a natural top to the picture. Ailsa Craig looks to be stuck on the top somehow.and i find I'm drawn to this horizon line each time I look. Great idea though and I think in better light it would work really well.
Happy birthday
John
I really like these enviroment type images and feel this one works well.
I like the fact that the seal has it's head raised and is looking straight towards you,and I like your choice of composition too.
Although the light and weather conditions look very typical of our British climate,I can't help but imagine just how striking this image would be if you had captured it just as the first rays of early morning sunshine bathed the scene,particularly if the light direction was in your favour,and the seal and distant mountain were bathed in beautiful warm light.
A goal for future visits perhaps.
PS: Happy 30th. I remember that one well,seems like only yesterday,if only it was
Works for me to - I like your composition and I feel the seal 'pops' quite well!
David
I like the composition. Good placement of the seal in the frame and set against the island in the background it makes for a great habitat/landscape shot. Maybe some more interesting light or weather could enhance the image but you have got the most out of the conditions when you were there.
cheers
Sean
I'd applaud the idea but it's not quite there for me. As some of the others have said maybe more favourable light, or possibly less sea and some detail in the background would be better? Overall I think you're on an interesting track here and it's an idea worth pursuing.
Regards
John S
Looks like there are 2 camps here - I'm in the "like it, works for me" camp
Best wishes & Belated birthday wishes (I try to pretend mine don't happen any more!)
Phil
The graphic possibilities of the island are considerable, and a lower viewpoint would help to reduce the distance between the seal and Ailsa but at the expense of obscuring the body of the seal (although this sets up the possibility of a playful shot with the seal popping it's head up over a rock). I think the seal needs to be more animated in any scenario.
Andrew
The quality of the light is the main drawback IMO. The trouble is that at the times when the light was better (early morning and evening) the tide was right in, so there were no rocks for seals to sit on. It was only when the tide was right out that the seals would rest on the rocks, and unfortunately this was the middle of the day, when the light wasn't the best and it was all a bit hazy.
The size of the space between seal and island was something I hadn't considered, but I can see how a smaller gap would be beneficial. Well, I'm going back next September, so I'll have plenty of time to prepare a re-shoot in my mind!
Thanks again for the comments - much appreciated (and thanks for the birthday wishes too!)
Michael S