Midnight Sun Over Kotzebue Sound

[tundratantrum]

This is my first ever DPS post.

When it comes to taking sunset photos I am a junkie. The problem is that, as we all know, sunset photos can get pretty boring. I try to take shots that have interesting perspectives or objects that frame or enhance the sunset in different ways.

<a href="http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s63/tundratantrum/?action=view&current=sunset.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s63/tundratantrum/sunset.jpg" border="0" alt="sunset"></a>

Shutter 1/357
Aperature F/4.8
Focal Length 29mm
ISO 122

This photo was taken with my backup point and shoot camera. It was a quick shot off a moving boat. I noticed the blur when I looked at the photo on the camera and almost deleted it. I'm glad I didn't because I like it....but just because I like it doesn't mean others will. No post processing other than straighten and crop.

What is your reaction when you look at this picture?
Does it just look like an annoyingly blurry photo or does it work for you?
Does this crop work for you or should I crop more off the bottom?

Thanks.
Cathy

[pkd14u]

Wow. If you have that too look at on a daily basis, no wonder you are a sunset junkie. That is GORGEOUS! Definitely frameworthy. Not boring at all.

pkd14u aka Cathy :)

[peeperita]

thank you for presenting well in critique....

right off the bat, i am struck by the limited but bright colors.....oranges, yellows and deep dark browns....a pleasing coordination of hues....

the second thing that grabs my attention is that blurry bright area that i know is your sun....i sure wish that could have been in focus....

the water is what makes this image, though.....and makes me wonder what a crop with less sky and more water would look like...

thanks for sharing

peeper

[tundratantrum]

I took peeperita's suggestion and cropped out most of the top. I had to crop quite a bit because if I left any of the orange showing on top it felt distracting. I think it makes the photo much more suble and calm but I think I still like the original better.

<a href="http://s149.photobucket.com/albums/s63/tundratantrum/?action=view&current=sunsetedit.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s63/tundratantrum/sunsetedit.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

So I guess the questions are revised to...

1. Is the blurry nature of the photo distracting or does it work for you?
2. Which crop works better, my original crop or the one that peeperita suggested?

Thanks

[JFSanders]

Actually I like both but for different reasons. I like the original for the composition of the overall photo. The clouds give it a mood especially the little puff on top of the mountain. The blur doesn't detract from the photo for me.

The second picture is more serene. A meditative serene. Has nice composition and would be good for a den wall.

[Nathan deGargoyle]

I prefer the original although I would probably try and introduce3 a little texture around the sun to stop it looking quite so blown out.

[RussHeath]

Beautiful colors, and to answer your question, I do think it "works." :)

The sun really doesn't appear like motion blur to me, my first reaction was that it was behind some clouds. I think the mountain ridge is fairly crisp, so I assumed that most of the blur came from sources besides camera shake or motion blur.

It's not really possible from a moving boat, but if you have a DSLR and are into sunsets, you should look into HDR, a post processing method that gets lots of dynamic range into the photo. I don't really think this one needs it, but it may be a fun thing to experiment with. Thanks for sharing your photo.

[tundratantrum]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. RussHeath, I have never tried HDR. I have a basic understanding of it. I will look into it further and maybe give it a shot sometime.

Cathy

[KodiakStar]

Bit farther north from where I grew up at, but always love sunsets in Alaska :)

No critique, but love the shot.

[Sandie]

What is your reaction when you look at this picture?
My first reaction was WOW. My second was to look up and see where you were from. I want to see a sunset like that someday.

Does it just look like an annoyingly blurry photo or does it work for you?
It works for me, I don't see a real blur. It reads like a 'soft focus', but that works with the overall tones and composition.

Does this crop work for you or should I crop more off the bottom?
Just like cropping the top, cropping the bottom would give you a nice photo, but it would send a different message. I am all for having the horizon line on a third line, but occasionally breaking that rule gives more impact. This is so symetrically balanced that I would do little to change it.

I don't know if you noticed, but you have all the elements in balance, fire, water, wind, earth. In your original earth and fire take up the same space and water and wind take up the same visual space and together they form a nice perpendicular cross that anchors the image.