Three Posts

[SwissJon]

Now this was taken with my new B&W 6 stop filter, I'm really quite please with it, there doesn't seem to be much of a colour cast, unlike the 10 stoppers I've seen elsewhere.

Questions I have about this pic are basically as follows:

Would it have been better to drop down the exposure to under expose the foreground and create a silloute or is the fact that a small amount of detail is visible add to the picture.. I've found that if I bump up the blacks in LR, I lose a lot of detail in the forground reflection.

There's a fair amount of space around this picture, do you think I should crop to fill the picture a little more, or should I leave the space. Personally I like the space, but I'm never sure about leaving too much empty areas.

Is the photo too dark or too bright? I've got two monitors and the photo displays differently on each, but as I said above, if I bump up the blacks a little, I get a really deep blue/black in the foreground.

Do these posts make a good subject? I like the things in their threes in photos, and I like the plainness of the posts, I feel it adds to the serenity of the photo, but I'm never sure about mixing something so obviously man made with the natural shapes on the shoreline opposite.



Exif:

Creation date: 24/03/2011 19:17
Camera: NIKON D7000
Focal length: 31*mm*(equiv. 46*mm)
Aperture: F25
Exposure time: 30"
ISO speed rating: 100/21°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot
White Balance: Auto
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode

Used a B&W ND6 Filter.

[PShah]

Hi,

I like the calmness of the photo, however, with my limited knowledge, I feel that it would make a better photo with the bottom cropped a little to match the space on top of the posts. It would just add a bit of symmetry to the photo. Also, I find the small hill on the right side a bit distracting. Maybe a different angle would add more to the photo with just the posts and a lot of emptiness....

Not sure about the lighting....

Regards
Prarthan

[SwissJon]

Just so you don't think you're going crazy, I took your advice and cropped it as you suggested.. It put the outcrop on the right at the 1/3rd mark.. I also increased the blacks a little because i found I preferred it that way, is it too dark now?

Were you talking about this outcrop as the "small hill"? I quite like it as an offset to the main subject, you really think that's a distraction?

I couldn't move the camera position anyway.. I'd climbed out onto some similar post at the end of the jetty to get this view.. Any further and I'd be swimming.

[65daysofwinter]

Hello.
I think the exposure is right for what you went for (plus achieved) in this photo. If it were brighter the effect wouldn't turn out as you planned, if it had been darker you would lose the magic of this perfect hour and its impact on the horizon/sky (and i love this little bit of golden zone just below the horizon).

As far as cropping is concerned, I definitely would not recommend completely cutting off the rocks on the right. Their reflection is beautiful, their shape is mysterious (remind me of the head of an animal or something). Plus, i don't think that a tight frame would add as much to this kind of photo. But...because your subject is the posts you could maybe tighten the frame a little (so you that you could remove some of the space at the bottom as well).

Personally, I'm tired of seeing absolutely natural landscapes, unless they are something extraordinary. I like the fact that something "man made" as you said is included in an otherwise natural scene.

Oh.. and i know you did not ask about that, but the gradient effect and the colours you've achieved are beautiful

[PShah]

Hi,

Yes, this is what I was trying to say. In my view this is much better looking. As regards to the rocks, I still feel that without the rocks the photo would have more impact. Because, at the moment, it is competing with the post for my attention.

Thus, if you say that the posts are subject, then the rocks are not helping, and if you want some natural rocks with a man made structure, then it works but does not impact.... however, that is just my opinion.....

Regards
PShah

[SwissJon]

Thank you both.. I'll take a look at the tighter crop in Lightroom.

You're most welcome to express an opinion, if I didn't want to know what other people thought, I'd have posted elsewhere. Don't be afraid of saying what you think, it helps everyone, including you.

To be honest, The more I look at this, the more I wish I'd included MORE of the shore. You're right,, it does compete to be the subject as it is, my intention was to put the posts on the left, and have the shore add a bit of a frame on the right.. I might go back there and take it again.. I don't think there's anything wrong with what I have, just that I can see potential to do something different..

[PShah]

Hi,

Precisely the point... the place has a lot of potential and given a chance, try and get a photo of just the just and the rocks with more lighting it... it would be fascinating to see the details in the rocks.

And no, I am not afraid to give my opinion, but wanted to make sure that I do not impose my views on others and photography being such a subjective matter, just wanted to tell you that what I expressed was what I felt.... As regards your work, I keep following your work with a keen eye.... I have learnt so much from your posts......

Keep on teaching......

[milosh]

I haven't seen your first version, only the one that is posted now, so in this post I'm referring only to this image.

I think you should leave this small amount of detail in the posts/shadows. Letting them go totally black would be harsh and this way you're leaving a bit of room for exploration of the image (the same goes for detail in the lower rocks).

I like your crop, not too much on the top or bottom, and sides are ok as well. I actually like the rocks/ground in the background, my eye stays on the posts and the rocks seem to support it. I think your tones are ok, maybe a little more vibrant and colourful (and lighter) sunset would work better, but I'm not sure how much you can achieve this without making it look fake.

P.S. I think it's better to post a new image with each new edit/version, instead of editing the original post.

[Krusty79]

I like the mood you have captured and I have not seen the original image. Here is what is bugging me about the image, though:

1. You have two dark silhouettes as your subject, but there doesn't seem to be any relationship between them.
2. Although the posts are your stated subject, I find my eye going to the shoreline just as much as it goes to the posts.
3. The posts are tilted and two of them seem to have another segment near the base.

I think it would be better if I could see the details in the posts while the shoreline remains a silhouette. My 2 cents.

[SwissJon]

Thanks Krusty..

1) I'm not sure there needs to be a relationship.. Can you tell me a little more about why it's bothering you and if you think there's a way of rectifying that? I'd just like to know a little more so I can accomodate in future photos.
2) They're my idea as the subject, but I'm not the only one looking.. I'm happy to think of alternative ways to take this photo to accomodate others.
3) Yes, that's correct. They have a metal shield on them and regularly get bumped by the ferry.

The original is below (I love the "History" in Lightroom!) There's also a wider angle view of the same shot on Flickr.