Huntington Beach - First Attempt

LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
edited January 22, 2005 in Wildlife
:clap This is my first serious attempt at a beach scene landscape. I have been browsing these boards quite intensely lately. I only hope I can apply some of what i've read...

Help me get better here :)


DSC02699x800.jpg


Thanks,

Steven
Wandering Through Life Photography
MM Portfolio

Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex

Comments

  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,249 moderator
    edited January 19, 2005
    Yes!
    Way cool shot there, LO! I think I'd crop off some of the beach below, and a bit to the right to get the walking surfer dudes about 2/3'rds from the left. That would focus the viewer even more on them as the subject(s) without sacrificing the sunset or the strong feeling of the shot.

    Also, it just cries out for some "end of the surfing day" theme music playing in the background.

    Then..... I'd try to sell that shot to somebody.... for the cover of, well, something.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • gregneilgregneil Registered Users Posts: 255 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    I agree with cropping the beach out a bit. The shot appears to have a slight left to right tilt up, so you might want to rotate it a degree or so CW in PS. The colors and the silhouette effect are pretty stunning as is, IMO.

    Hope you don't mind, I decided to have a go at it... Here's about how I'd crop it. I did a 1 degree rotation CW, and I did mess with levels just a tad, which seemed to give the ocean more contrast. That's neither here nor there, really, just personal preference, since it already looks great. Did you do any PS work prior to posting, or was that straight from the camera? Thanks for sharing!

    surfers.jpg
    There's a thin line between genius and stupid.
  • KalamataKalamata Registered Users Posts: 97 Big grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    gregneil wrote:
    I agree with cropping the beach out a bit. The shot appears to have a slight left to right tilt up, so you might want to rotate it a degree or so CW in PS. The colors and the silhouette effect are pretty stunning as is, IMO.

    Hope you don't mind, I decided to have a go at it... Here's about how I'd crop it. I did a 1 degree rotation CW, and I did mess with levels just a tad, which seemed to give the ocean more contrast. That's neither here nor there, really, just personal preference, since it already looks great. Did you do any PS work prior to posting, or was that straight from the camera? Thanks for sharing!

    surfers.jpg

    Nice shot, looks good cropped. Just my opinion and preference I would have taken the picture if possible with the surfers walking into the frame.
    clap.gif
  • BryanBryan Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    What a beautifull clear day you got, you can reach out and touch Catalina. I love the exposure, there is detail in the sand and surfers, well done. If anything, rotate it a bit to level the horizion and maye crop out a bit of the sand, otherwise you are off to a great start!
  • cmr164cmr164 Registered Users Posts: 1,542 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    gregneil wrote:
    I agree with cropping the beach out a bit. The shot appears to have a slight left to right tilt up, so you might want to rotate it a degree or so CW in PS. The colors and the silhouette effect are pretty stunning as is, IMO.

    Hope you don't mind, I decided to have a go at it... Here's about how I'd crop it. I did a 1 degree rotation CW, and I did mess with levels just a tad, which seemed to give the ocean more contrast. That's neither here nor there, really, just personal preference, since it already looks great. Did you do any PS work prior to posting, or was that straight from the camera? Thanks for sharing!

    surfers.jpg
    Hmmm.. I agree with the rotation but I think the other changes left the scene too saturated. I like the colors in the first better. YMMV (Note1)


    Note #1: Your Monitor May Vary
    Charles Richmond IT & Security Consultant
    Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
    Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
  • LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    Thank you so much for all the comments and compliments you guys have given. I have never taken a picture and gotten so much positive feedback. I am thrilled. Goes to show my 717 is still good clap.gif

    I will rotate the image when i get home (no PS access here at work) and try out different crops.

    Please bare with me as I venture through this photo. It really means a lot to me and I would love all the help I can get.

    I did do a little PS work. There were some unnecessary objects on the sand that needed to be remove.

    I love the fact that it seems they are walking away from the sun and not into it.

    Thanks again for all the feedback. Please keep them coming
    Wandering Through Life Photography
    MM Portfolio

    Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex
  • imaximax Registered Users Posts: 691 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    Great Picture. Defintely agree that it could be the cover of something.
  • LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    imax wrote:
    Great Picture. Defintely agree that it could be the cover of something.
    Thank you for the kind words IMAX.

    After I get it completely fine tuned, then I will be requesting help on setting it up for print.

    Thanks again,

    Steven
    Wandering Through Life Photography
    MM Portfolio

    Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex
  • damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    yeah, the beach crop works...
  • gregneilgregneil Registered Users Posts: 255 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    Wow, you're right about YMMV! Here at work on my 17" LCD Apple Display I can see the sand in the first shot. At home on my old crappy CRT I strained my eyes and still couldn't see any sand. I figured messing w/ levels wouldn't change not seeing something that I couldn't see in the first place. Boy was I wrong. Time to look at getting a new monitor...
    There's a thin line between genius and stupid.
  • LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    gregneil wrote:
    Wow, you're right about YMMV! Here at work on my 17" LCD Apple Display I can see the sand in the first shot. At home on my old crappy CRT I strained my eyes and still couldn't see any sand. I figured messing w/ levels wouldn't change not seeing something that I couldn't see in the first place. Boy was I wrong. Time to look at getting a new monitor...
    So... do you guys prefer the sand or no? I mean.... do you like being able to see the sand? Or should it be contrasted like the crop that was done?

    Steven
    Wandering Through Life Photography
    MM Portfolio

    Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex
  • gregneilgregneil Registered Users Posts: 255 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2005
    I prefer seeing the sand. The texture of the sand in the dark is better than just black, I think. I think I'd make it visible, but only after inspection, if that makes sense. So at first glance it might look like a pure black silhouette, but once someone looks closer they notice some minor detail in the sand and the surfers. But I don't really know what I'm talking about... that's just what I'd probably aim for at first and then see if I like it. Good luck!
    There's a thin line between genius and stupid.
  • cmr164cmr164 Registered Users Posts: 1,542 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2005
    LiquidOps wrote:
    So... do you guys prefer the sand or no? I mean.... do you like being able to see the sand? Or should it be contrasted like the crop that was done?

    Steven
    It isn't just the sand. The people have detail in the original. Not a lot but enough to make then have substance. Again YMMV
    Charles Richmond IT & Security Consultant
    Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
    Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
  • LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited January 21, 2005
    Someone had mentioned to me that I should have tried bracketing on this shot...

    well... the thing is... I did, I just don't know what to do with it from there :)

    so yeah...

    any suggestions? Or just leave this shot as is?
    Wandering Through Life Photography
    MM Portfolio

    Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex
  • LiquidOpsLiquidOps Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2005
    ok... so which is better?

    orig:
    DSC02699x800.jpg

    Crop:
    DSC02699x800_crop.jpg

    All feedback is much appreciated. This is my first shot that I am truly proud of...
    Wandering Through Life Photography
    MM Portfolio

    Canon 30D | Canon 50mm f/1.8 | Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 | Canon Speedlite 580ex
  • DeeDee Registered Users Posts: 2,981 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2005
    Two other options
    I think I like it as a silhouette better, but here are some other alternatives for you. I wish they were more to the left, then you could make a panorama crop. And yes, they can be copied and moved, and the sky and sand and water cloned in to do this...

    So here's just a quick go at at for you. Gorgeous, gorgeous sky! BTW
    http://www.deegolden.smugmug.com
    http://www.twitter.com/deegolden
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