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Author Topic: Overcast beach shot  (Read 6101 times)

MikePike

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Overcast beach shot
« on: September 07, 2009, 01:22:54 am »

Hello guys and gals. Some thoughts would be appreciated.
I like the colours mostly, grey's and blue's. I think the sand is a tad bright maybe. The pose was spontaneous so if I had another chance I would get the arms horizontal but hey it may add a little something not just take away.
I ony touched up a tiny bit in PS. But with lack of experience im sure if I can take this image very far?
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wolfnowl

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #1 on: September 07, 2009, 03:03:03 am »

Well, she certainly looks happy to be there!

Mike.
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Ishmael.

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2009, 03:44:29 am »

I would try to brighten up those mountains and add some saturation to them....also, maybe clone out that ruckus next to the person

lke the shot though, good expression of what it feels like when you get to a really nice beach (lots of those in Australia, that's for sure)

where is this by the way?
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Ed Blagden

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2009, 04:46:06 am »

I like the shot - the contrast between the warm bright foreground and the dark foreboding of the background is good for subject isolation.  For that reason you should be cautious about brightening the background and adding saturation; go too far and you may lose the subject isolation.

For composition I think overall the idea is great and it works, but I would have thought about the following variations; first, I would have gotten myself a little higher up, or my subject a little lower down so that her head is backgrounded by the trees and not by the sky.  Right now you have her backgrounded by sea, trees and sky and that makes the image a bit complicated.  Second, I know it is good to have the subject off centre but for me she is a little too far to the left, because there isn't enough interest in the empty space on the right.  Personally I'm not at all bothered by the twigs next to her.  

Good shot though - If your intention was to convey a sense of freedom and freshness you certainly succeeded.

Ed
« Last Edit: September 07, 2009, 08:24:14 am by Ed B »
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MikePike

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2009, 07:42:40 am »

Cheers peeps. I will have a go with the background levels and see what I can ge away with, also may clone those sticks out but I don't mind to be fair. Yes I agree perhaps I should have altered the angle of the shot..
Thanks Ed fresh and free is the vibe, glad you recognise it. This is Fraser Island Ishmael, it's Lake Wabby if my memory serves me right.
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Ed Blagden

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2009, 08:31:28 am »

Quote from: MikePike
Thanks Ed fresh and free is the vibe, glad you recognise it.

And for that reason I would be hesitant about going too far with the Photoshopping.  Despite a couple of minor points about composition I made upthread, the fact is that I really, really like this shot.  The tones and colour make the whole thing work - I would say if it isn't broken, don't fix it.
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cmi

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2009, 08:56:06 am »

I would not change anything. These stuff left to her is making the image interesting. The darks, well, they provide contrast, they make the image work. It all lives from her spontaneous expression and how beautiful she is. This is what makes this image work.

At first I was disturbed by her position in the frame but to change this the time is over. At the second glance, the framing is unusual, but it works.
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PeterAit

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2009, 09:43:11 am »

Quote from: Christian Miersch
I would not change anything. These stuff left to her is making the image interesting. The darks, well, they provide contrast, they make the image work. It all lives from her spontaneous expression and how beautiful she is. This is what makes this image work.

At first I was disturbed by her position in the frame but to change this the time is over. At the second glance, the framing is unusual, but it works.

I agree with the "don't change it" approach. The beauty of this shot is its sponteneity, the joy the woman is showing at being on this beautiful beach. Photoshopping it to death or fretting over minor details of composition is exactly the wrong approach.

Peter
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John R

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2009, 05:11:44 pm »

Quote from: PeterAit
I agree with the "don't change it" approach. The beauty of this shot is its sponteneity, the joy the woman is showing at being on this beautiful beach. Photoshopping it to death or fretting over minor details of composition is exactly the wrong approach.

Peter
I agree with this critique also. I love the gradations of white to darker and darker shades that show not only changes in tone but also colour. If you feel like tinkering with the tones of the image because you feel it is dark in some areas, and it does not detract form the essence of the photo, by all means try it. But I would not alter it too much. Wonderful photo.
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RSL

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2009, 09:58:53 pm »

Mike, Don't change a thing. I think you placed the girl in exactly the right spot, and I certainly don't agree that you should have been higher, pushing her head down into the dark part of the background. If it weren't for the rise in the line of hills on the other side of the water, I'd agree she's a bit too far left, but the rise makes everything copacetic. Fine shot. Lovely pair of legs too.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2009, 04:01:04 am »

Quote from: RSL
I'd agree she's a bit too far left, but the rise makes everything copacetic.
I pride myself on my vocabulary, but I'd never heard "copacetic" before - thank you for introducing me to a new word! (In my defence, I see that it's probably an American word rather than an English one.)

I agree about the shot, as well. I like the sticks to the left and I like the composition.

Jeremy
« Last Edit: September 08, 2009, 04:01:25 am by kikashi »
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MikePike

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2009, 05:30:25 am »

Thanks people, i've had a mess around but i'm not happy with much alteration, so going to keep it as it is!

Appreciate your feedback!

And also, I too had never heard 'Copacetic'. Had to google it... good (American) word!!
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RSL

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2009, 12:28:53 pm »

Quote from: kikashi
I pride myself on my vocabulary, but I'd never heard "copacetic" before - thank you for introducing me to a new word! (In my defence, I see that it's probably an American word rather than an English one.)

Jeremy

Jeremy, Here's the definition from Webster's Unabridged. No one seems to know where it came from:

fine; completely satisfactory; OK.
Also, copasetic, copesetic.

[1915–20, Amer.; of obscure orig; popular attributions of the word to LaF, It, Heb, etc., lack supporting evidence]

When I was growing up in a northern suburb of Detroit my Polish friends used to use it a lot. I always thought it originated in Polish, but I guess not.
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vorlich

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #13 on: September 13, 2009, 10:32:16 am »

It's certainly a striking image, maybe a little soft though?
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new_haven

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #14 on: September 13, 2009, 09:54:29 pm »

When I opened the file in ACR, I noticed some blown highlights in the shirt. You can get them back with the recovery slider. The fill light slider lightened the hair and trees. You could also use image>adjustment>shadows/highlights. The composition is fine.

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Ed Blagden

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #15 on: September 14, 2009, 03:49:20 am »

Quote from: new_haven
When I opened the file in ACR, I noticed some blown highlights in the shirt. You can get them back with the recovery slider. The fill light slider lightened the hair and trees. You could also use image>adjustment>shadows/highlights. The composition is fine.

You know, I still prefer the first one.  The new file has more punch to be sure, but to my eye the freshness of the first image has been lost to an extent.  The colours in the new one look a tad artificial (maybe oversaturated?) to me.
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MikePike

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #16 on: September 14, 2009, 04:45:50 am »

I do prefer the detail that has come out in the sand in your one newhaven and the shirt shadow's but not the hills. I agree with ed to be honest.
I will play around with altering these aspects only...
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Jeremy Payne

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #17 on: September 14, 2009, 07:01:39 am »

Quote from: RSL
Jeremy, Here's the definition from Webster's Unabridged. No one seems to know where it came from:

fine; completely satisfactory; OK.
Also, copasetic, copesetic.

[1915–20, Amer.; of obscure orig; popular attributions of the word to LaF, It, Heb, etc., lack supporting evidence]

When I was growing up in a northern suburb of Detroit my Polish friends used to use it a lot. I always thought it originated in Polish, but I guess not.
I've always heard it was a 'jazz' word.
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MikePike

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #18 on: September 14, 2009, 08:07:11 am »

Quote from: Jeremy Payne
I've always heard it was a 'jazz' word.

Yeah Wiki says it probably started in the Jazz circles
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Jeremy Roussak

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Overcast beach shot
« Reply #19 on: September 14, 2009, 02:49:13 pm »

To return to the original shot, I think I like the framing because it reminds me of this one, of my father- and brother-in-law, which I took at my wedding a few years ago. It's similarly asymmetric.

[attachment=16567:night.jpg]

Jeremy
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