Waimea Bay Overprocessed?

[SamWelch]

I've lived in Hawaii the last three years and I'm leaving next week. I've been trying to go on a photo tour of all of my favourite places before I leave and Waimea Bay has always been way up there on that list.

I like to always try to think about what a photograph is actually a picture OF. I think I mean for it to be a shot of this lone tree growing out of the lava rock but it kinda came out as a shot of some cool blue water with a background blacked out by a painfully bright sun. A bit of post-processing to turn down the other-than-blues and turn up the blacks.

Does it look overprocessed? Also, I've found that cropping seems to be the most powerful tool in Lightroom as far as really affecting the outcome of a picture. Unfortunately I always end up being a really big fan of some weird aspect ratio like this one and that makes it hard to print out a shot online (I generally use kodakgallery/ofoto, should I go somewhere else?).

This is the first photo that I've ever posted here - please don't be shy with critiques. I've just started this photography thing and know that I won't get better with people telling me that mediocre shots look nice!



Canon Rebel XSi
ISO 100
F 5.6
1/2500 s
55 mm

[metallion58]

Hello Sam.
Is it overprocessed ?

It all depends on what you wanted your picture to do. It may be to some and be good for others. I, for one, like it very much. I haven't seen the original but you seemed to have turned what would be a generic pic and turn it into something very strong and evocative. It's the kind of picture that I would have enlarged and hang on a walll.

As for printing unusual sizes, I would bring the file to a pro photo shop. They will probably be able to accommodate most irregular sizes.

Great job !

[JFeinbergPhotography]

It all depends on the person processing the image. Some will like it, some will not. I tailor it to my liking.

As for your shot, the only thing I would say is that the waves look a little odd, and the attempted silhouetting looks like you just used the burn tool to the fullest to get that side black.

[Krusty79]

I think your image looks processed to some degree, but not to the point where it looks all noisy and fake. A lot of it just comes down to personal preference. I personally like colorful skies, so I would want to go back and take this shot around sunset to get the sunset colors in the sky, but that is my personal preference.

A professional print lab should offer a wide variety of prints, so cropping to odd sizes should not be too much of an issue.

[Ginger Pixie]

For me, yes it is over processed. There is too much black in the image - not just in the sihouettes, but in the waves. I'm not a big fan of this look, but that is my opinion.

The image itself is a little bland, I don't find anything for my eye to cling to, if that makes sense.

[GeorgeTheKiwi]

Hi Sam,

It's an interesting photo for sure, personally it seems to have the potential for what you want. Have you considered going back and taking the frame again either at sunset or sunrise which ever gets the light coming from behind you onto the tree. Once you had that image and angle post process to a duo tone or sepia for the contrasty look that you have favored here. Hope this helps.

All the best.