Ocean Stairs

[pjvie]

Hello!

I would love to hear any critique. First DSLR and I've had it for a few months now, so honestly, anything is appreciated.

I have made minimal adjustments so far.



Canon EOS Rebel XS
EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

ISO 200
Aperture: f/4.0
Shutter Speed: 1/1600 sec
Focal Length: 18mm

Thanks!

[Krusty79]

Welcome to DPS. Man, that's a long commute from Azusa to the Bay Area! Where is this shot? I haven't see any beach in the Bay Area with steps like that.

Before EOBeav says it, I'll say that this would most likely look better if you shot it in the golden hours. Since you're in CA, you might be able to get a cool sunset in the background. The light is softer in the golden hours also.

I'm not sure why you used f/4 when I would think you would want more DOF. Most lenses are sharpest around f/8 and you'll get more DOF. F/11 is a good aperture for landscapes. Set the ISO at 100 and let the shutter speeds vary.

I like the stairs for leading the eye into the image. Some might not like the contrast of having a man-made object in a shot like this. I think you're off to a good start, though.

You should consider getting a polarizer to reduce glare off non-metallic surfaces (like water) and a graduated neutral density filter to reduce the brightness of the sky relative to the ground. Just don't get cheap filters. Everyone should have a polarizer, though.

[ktunacik]

What a beautiful scene. I think the rock in the center might be under exposed.

[pjvie]

I go to Azusa Pacific University, so during the academic year, I am down in Azusa, and during the summer (and various breaks like right now) I go back home to the Bay. Fortunately, I do not have to make the trip very frequently!

Thanks for the feedback! This was taken in October, in Laguna Beach during a family get-together (which unfortunately ended before the sun was in a good position). I appreciate the comment on leading the eyes; that was my inspiration in the moment (though I did get lucky with the shadow pattern of the railing).

Good call on the aperture, as well as the filters. I just looked up some picture differences with neutral density filters and without, and it DEFINITELY looks like money well spent. Very good call.

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.

[vainqueur]

A GND filter will solve the issue with the slightly unbalanced exposure. Other than that, good idea using the stairs to lead the viewers into the middle of the photo...

[Infinite Monkey]

I agree with the suggestions above for using a GND filter or a polarizing filter to reduce the glare. But I'd really be curious to see a different crop here. The sky doesn't add anything to the image so maybe cropping out the sky completely would work to better focus the eye on the stronger elements -- the stairs and the rocks in the water. Nice shot.

[baajero]

Absolutely amazing I wish I could see it in the golden hour but hey... we can't always get what we want... Besides if the sky colors were too beautiful it might have taken away from the stairs leading the eyes which is the climax of this picture.
A filter could have possibly helped here as well. I don't have one though so I don't exactly know how well a difference it would have made... can someone who knows how to use them tell us what difference to expect in a picture like this? thanks guys

[pjvie]

I found this on wikipedia. So if I used a graduated ND filter, I would use the "strong" part of the filter at the top of the frame, and it should come out much more evenly exposed (the top would be less exposed while leaving the foreground basically the same). Plus, it would reduce the glare off of the ocean.
And, if I'm not mistaken, it would have allowed me to lower the shutter speed a bit (as would lowing the aperture which I should have done) which would have smoothed the water just a bit.

At least, that's what I have come to understand. I still have yet to get one!

[cansan]

I would agree on cropping the sky as well.

Also, it might be interesting if you get closer down to the stairs and try to get the closest couple of steps really close and the rest of the scene further away.

[vainqueur]

Originally Posted by pjvie

I found this on wikipedia. So if I used a graduated ND filter, I would use the "strong" part of the filter at the top of the frame, and it should come out much more evenly exposed (the top would be less exposed while leaving the foreground basically the same). Plus, it would reduce the glare off of the ocean.
And, if I'm not mistaken, it would have allowed me to lower the shutter speed a bit (as would lowing the aperture which I should have done) which would have smoothed the water just a bit.

At least, that's what I have come to understand. I still have yet to get one!

Lee filter I believe is one of the best, if not get a Hitech is good enough...