Winter Sunrise

[navcom]

A sunrise photo taken this morning on the way into town. It was a bit hazy since this is the first day above 32F in about 2 months!...and in the morning as well! Any critiques would be appreciated.



Pentax K20D
Tamron 28-75mm @ 63mm
f/11
1/60
ISO 100

[barabe]

I like the shot Navcom, I have been strugling with cold too for the past two months.
I feel in this picture some warmer times comming our way. The only thing is the horizon is basically right in the middle and that usually is a big NO NO but rules are made to be broken. I do not know how i would have done any better.

great shot.

[NikosKop]

Very cool shot!

Did you use a gradual filter or do any post processing of the exposure? When I shoot directly at the sun the sun and sky get blown out if the rest (ocean, road in this case) are to be properly exposed.

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flickr

[navcom]

I agree...horizon right in the middle...big NO NO. I tried a couple other angles and a couple other lenses. The foreground area right "under" the shot was ripped to shreds from snowmobile traffic and if I zoomed in too much, it became pretty boring with just frozen lake in the foreground. I even tried climbing down to the river's edge but the snow was just too deep to get a lower angle...and then it probably would've been boring again.

I may have to go back later when I have some time to plan a shot versus just wandering in on it. What I do like about it is the position of the sun under the bluffs and the bluffs on the right which are more hazy, giving it some depth. I also like how the light from the sun spreads out on the snow.

Any other thoughts on composition out there? I'd love to hear them! This is by far not a perfect shot, but we learn from our "unperfectness".

[navcom]

Originally Posted by NikosKop

Very cool shot!

Did you use a gradual filter or do any post processing of the exposure? When I shoot directly at the sun the sun and sky get blown out if the rest (ocean, road in this case) are to be properly exposed.

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flickr

Oops! Should've mentioned that in the original post! I used a Singh Ray reverse ND grad filter (Cokin style) and did some slight PP with Photoshop...just slightly on the exposure. I always lean towards underexposing so I can preserve as much detail as possible and then bump it up in Lightroom or PS if necessary.

I did take 3 bracket shots without the filter and tried an HDR at home afterwards, but this shot is just warmer and more realistic. The filter helps with preserving the sun. Plus, the haze didn't hurt either.

[AnnetteJ]

I like it and I'm not sure the central horizon bothers me. You have the sun in a good position for rule of thirds and I love how the light from it is caught in the snow and the colours of light and shade on the snow. The bluffs fading into the distance are good too as you said. I'm not sure I can suggest any improvement. Zooming or cropping won't necessarily help is as the sun is in such a good position. I think it's good as it is.

[JerInTheBox]

It's very pretty and the balance of light is spot on. I would go with a tighter crop to fix the horizon-in-the-middle issue and take away some of the sky space, since there's no clouds up there.

[mountaingoatee]

My feelings on the horizon is that it's ok in this pic, given that the ledge and shrubs give it good depth. Only thing I would have done differently is us a smaller ap. to give the sun twinkle. Beautiful shot.

[tvoelcker]

I find very little that is unpleasing to my eyes just as it is.
I really like the diagnol line of the bank in the foreground and I think you did a great job of framing it. Had it been running paralel (sp?) with the horizon it would not have been effective. However, I'm not crazy about the limbs from the tree poking into the right side of the frame.
Although the horizon is near center the natural slope of the mountains help to break it up so it doesn't bother me a bit.
Did you shoot this at eye level? One thing you might try is getting down to a lower vantage point so that the bush in the center of the frame would reach up higher than the mountains in the background. I think the silouhette of the branches against the sky would look really neat. As it is they kind of blend with the water and just don't pop like they could.
In all, I think you have a nice capture here..

[navcom]

Originally Posted by tvoelcker

I find very little that is unpleasing to my eyes just as it is.
I really like the diagnol line of the bank in the foreground and I think you did a great job of framing it. Had it been running paralel (sp?) with the horizon it would not have been effective. However, I'm not crazy about the limbs from the tree poking into the right side of the frame.
Although the horizon is near center the natural slope of the mountains help to break it up so it doesn't bother me a bit.
Did you shoot this at eye level? One thing you might try is getting down to a lower vantage point so that the bush in the center of the frame would reach up higher than the mountains in the background. I think the silouhette of the branches against the sky would look really neat. As it is they kind of blend with the water and just don't pop like they could.
In all, I think you have a nice capture here..

That might be a good option...trying to get the larger tree in the middle to break the horizon. Yep, it was shot at eye level (approximately). Maybe have it break the horizon on the right 1/3rd to balance it with the sun on the left 1/3.

I'll have to add this to my list of potential "revisits".