Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park

seastack

Here are some shots from last night at Ruby Beach in the Olympic National Park (Washington State, USA). It was completely fogged in until just after sunset when it was just a bit less fogged in. Glad I waited.

Not sure which one of these I like best. The second and third images are the same but with a different crop (full frame 2:3 to 8 x10).

C&C most welcome.

LiquidAir

My, oh, my. Very nice. I think I like the third one the best but ask me tomorrow and I may give you a different answer.

LuckyBob

I like 'em all . If I had to choose, it'd be the second one; there's something about that perspective that really appeals to me (not to mention that I have almost the exact same shot during the day). I really like the whole Highway 101 area out by the coast, but you were fortunate to have much more dramatic lighting than when I was there last :cry

DavidTO

The foreground puts #2 at the top of the heap, for me.

Nice work!

Marc Muench

thumb

SirArmstrong

Very Cool! It has been a few years since I took a shot from almost this very place...but I like yours better.

saurora

Whooooaaaaa! If they were mine, I'd hang them all!!!!!!!!! Hard to pick......I like #2, but then again...I love seeing the larger scale land mass up close. These are just gorgeous!

ian408

I do like that first one. Beautiful. Calm.

seastack

Thanks for all the comments! This whole coastline is special, primeval. Can you believe they were going to put offshore oil drilling rigs here in the late 80's/early 90's ?!? It's well protected now (I used to work on that kind of stuff), until they one day unprotect it.

Anyway, I had several hours to walk around, enjoy the scenery and get up a little closer to things in the fog instead of just focusing on dramatic landscapes 'cause that just wasn't gonna happen in pea soup. While the light was flat it was perfect for some black and whites.

The beach there is mostly cobble, like this ....



And people like to build little sculptures with them all over, like this ....

seastack

DavidTO wrote:

The foreground puts #2 at the top of the heap, for me.

Nice work!

Right, I'm with you here but I struggle with this both in on-scene composition and post edit. I know the image with the foreground is more dynamic but I always want to move in closer and focus on the primary element. Maybe that's why the wide angle with foreground works so well, it pulls the viewer in without smacking them in the face with all the drama of a tighter crop.

Phil U.

Whoa, beautiful

emmalou

I agree on the second view...stunning.

Dee

I like the first one
Did you do a lot of post processing on these? The color is fantastic. You were lucky you waited...

greenplasticdave

No.2 definitely. The vertical composition is much more suitable, especially as it compliments the 'direction' of the stick.

(Not sure I've explained myself very well there)

-Dave-


www.mirkwoodcottage.typepad.com/davidjamesphotography

swintonphoto

Stunning. That's all that need to be said. Stunning.

jamesl

Hi Thomas,

These awe amazing. What great light! Definately wall hangers.

James

Loc

My favorite is number two. I think having the rocks as foreground works very well for the photo.

HarlanBear

Awesome

I like the first one best because it is so primeval, and so am I.

Beautiful work all around though.

squirl033

i like # 2 also... but then, i'm a bit partial to vertical format shots with a strong foreground lead-in. spectacular colors! i have a very unique shot taken at Ruby Beach a couple of years ago... it's a really wonderful place for photos!

Ginny

I like number 2 also because I love foreground elements that help me visualize being on the shore.

But .... there is something about the ghostly quality of the large outcropping in the distance glowing in the fog in number 1. I would have liked to see a telephoto lens shot from the other side of the reflecting pool to compress the scene a bit and use the cliffs on either side as a natural frame for that ghost cliff in the distance. As I stare at that cliff with that exposure, I can almost hear the theme from Pirate of the Carribean and see a ship appear from behind it!

Fred W

The first 2 are my favorites. I love the combination of foreground detail and the overall lighting quality. Excellent pictures !!!!!

SDJames

I agree with most on #2, but if those rocks were in the foreground of #3, I would like it best.
You guys get some great stuff on your beaches up there to add to the scene. Mostly sand and bigger rocks down here.
Thanks for sharing, great color.