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Author Topic: I don't know what it is but....  (Read 2992 times)

MikeMike

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I don't know what it is but....
« on: June 23, 2009, 04:26:16 am »

Hello everybody,

I was looking through the hard drive today to free up some space and came across this photo I took in highschool. It took first place in a Canada wide contest for grade 11!!!
Quit proud of that. I got the little plaque in a drawer somewhere.

I don't know what it is so don't ask... just wanted to share some old work and see what the audience thinks.

Editing notes: Desaturate with mild dodge and burn.
Canon 20d w/ 24-105


[attachment=14778:luminous.jpg]


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cmi

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2009, 07:53:57 am »

Quote from: MikeMike
Hello everybody,

I was looking through the hard drive today to free up some space and came across this photo I took in highschool. It took first place in a Canada wide contest for grade 11!!!
Quit proud of that. I got the little plaque in a drawer somewhere.

I don't know what it is so don't ask... just wanted to share some old work and see what the audience thinks.

Editing notes: Desaturate with mild dodge and burn.
Canon 20d w/ 24-105


[attachment=14778:luminous.jpg]

A spur dike (if I translated that correctly) for weakening the waves maybe? You plant these to protect the coast from washing away over time.

I like the waves, the toning and the overall contrast. You got to think what it is, this makes it interesting too. Maybe try to crop it so the bottom plank acts as the lower border, also cropping more from the sides.

Christian
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MikeMike

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #2 on: June 23, 2009, 11:06:57 am »

Quote from: Christian Miersch
Maybe try to crop it so the bottom plank acts as the lower border, also cropping more from the sides.

Christian

It's funny, every person I showed this picture too asked me just what the hell it was! Thank you.
I've tried a whole slew of crops and I find this one looks the best and has the most natural balance.

Thanks for the comment

Michael
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dmerger

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2009, 12:39:35 pm »

I’m not sure, but my guess is that Christian is partly correct.  It appears that the wooden structure is designed to protect a large metal pipe from wave action, which raises the interesting question regarding the purpose of the pipe.

Michael, where was this photo taken?  Could the pipe be an intake pipe to deliver water to some facility on land?  Or, maybe it’s part of an underwater pipeline?
« Last Edit: June 23, 2009, 12:41:19 pm by dmerger »
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Dean Erger

MikeMike

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2009, 02:43:34 pm »

Merger,

This was taken off the boardwalk on the beach in New Jersey, across from the casinos

Thanks for the comment,
Michael
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cmi

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2009, 04:30:14 pm »

Quote from: dmerger
I’m not sure, but my guess is that Christian is partly correct.  It appears that the wooden structure is designed to protect a large metal pipe from wave action, which raises the interesting question regarding the purpose of the pipe.

Michael, where was this photo taken?  Could the pipe be an intake pipe to deliver water to some facility on land?  Or, maybe it’s part of an underwater pipeline?

We have these spur dikes at the baltic sea. They come as single boles rammed into the sand, and as two rows, with concrete blocks (or whatever big was at hand) bethween them. I suppose that this is the case here too. The pipe, or whatever it is (I thought is is just a large bole) serves no special purpose aside from being part of the construction.
People not familar with these often wonder what it is, and also as kid even as I was told what it was wondered about how it works. At the risk of boring everyone I will quickly explain it. Its not obvious that parting the waves like this helps in preventing loss of sand, the waves dont get so much weaker, appearantly, so how can that be effective? The "secret" is, these spur dikes only become effevtive during big storms. Then they are preventing huge waves from flooding areas much higher at the beach, washing the sand into the ocean as they retract.
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MikeMike

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #6 on: June 24, 2009, 12:22:13 am »

Christian,

For the past two years I have been making up stories and telling myself I knew what it was, etc, etc, and you just took that away from me. Damn you and your knowledge.

Anybody have a comment on the photo itself?

Michael
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oldcsar

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #7 on: June 24, 2009, 01:28:01 am »

I like the shutter speed you used to give the breakers that silky appearance... in my mind, that's the most visually striking aspect of this picture. The nice thing about the striking portrayal of the waves is that it compliments the wood reinforced pipe, not just for tonal contrast, but that the nature of the landscape is the reason for the focal object being the way it is.

My only criticism is in the bottom border/ foreground area. What works for me in this shot is the slightly imperfect symmetry of the wooden structure, which from this perspective, forms a nice triangle. What detracts from this is the off-balanced reflection of the wooden structure in the foreground. It is dark and obvious, but would otherwise be great if its counterpart reflection were the same, or at least enough to keep the sense of symmetry going in the foreground as well  If it is the case that the left piling reflection expressed itself further off-frame and towards the beach, I would recommend considering how this shot would look if that were shown in the foreground. This, however, may detract from the real star of the show and I can understand why this picture is the way it is.

 Additionally, there is a water bubble or clam shell in the more subtle reflection of the left piling which detracts in a similar fashion. Put bluntly, I agree with the previous poster about the problem of the foreground... as it currently stands, the foreground distracts me twice from an otherwise great scene.
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Brendan Wiebe
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cmi

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2009, 07:04:46 am »

Quote from: MikeMike
Christian,

For the past two years I have been making up stories and telling myself I knew what it was, etc, etc, and you just took that away from me. Damn you and your knowledge. ...

Hahaha!! Always glad to help.
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MikeMike

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2009, 12:13:37 pm »

Quote from: oldcsar
My only criticism is in the bottom border/ foreground area. What works for me in this shot is the slightly imperfect symmetry of the wooden structure, which from this perspective, forms a nice triangle. What detracts from this is the off-balanced reflection of the wooden structure in the foreground. It is dark and obvious, but would otherwise be great if its counterpart reflection were the same, or at least enough to keep the sense of symmetry going in the foreground as well  If it is the case that the left piling reflection expressed itself further off-frame and towards the beach, I would recommend considering how this shot would look if that were shown in the foreground. This, however, may detract from the real star of the show and I can understand why this picture is the way it is.

 Additionally, there is a water bubble or clam shell in the more subtle reflection of the left piling which detracts in a similar fashion. Put bluntly, I agree with the previous poster about the problem of the foreground... as it currently stands, the foreground distracts me twice from an otherwise great scene.

Thats good advice, thank you. I never noticed it but now I can't see anything but!
I'm going to do some editing later. It's always interesting to come back to photos
so much later in time.

Michael
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DarkPenguin

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I don't know what it is but....
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2009, 11:05:55 am »

I agree the foreground needs some form of cleanup.  Other than that this is a very lovely image.  Love the subject.
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