Summer Sunset - Australia

[JTPhotographics]

I took this shot on 30/12 (or 12/30 depending on where you live).

It was the first time I had used a GND filter and as I usually shoot fashion and am just starting in Landscapes, I thought I would ask you kind folk for your feedback and ideas.



Much appreciated
John

[Dick Roadnight]

I took this shot on 30/12 (or 12/30 depending on where you live).

It was the first time I had used a GND filter and as I usually shoot fashion and am just starting in Landscapes, I thought I would ask you kind folk for your feedback and ideas.

Much appreciated
John

Very conventional - you have the horizon and the foreground interest on the thirds... the boat/rig or whatever adds interest.

Others might argue cropping options all week, but I think it would have been difficult to take a better picture of the scene.

Some might consider that it might have been better sharper, but, with the available light, this might not have been possible without a view camera.

[JTPhotographics]

Thanks for your comments Dick, it was refreshing to hear.

John

[John R Smith]

John

A nice moody seascape, with good colour and a well-restricted pallette, all mauves and orange. This is not a criticism, just a comment, but it is pretty much a text-book example of conventional landscape photography - the use of thirds, the foreground interest, etc. As you have the technical aspects so much under control, perhaps now is the time to think about bringing more of yourself into the picture, with a more individual vision of landscape? Having said that, I wish I could manage it . . .

John

[JTPhotographics]

Thanks John, I appreciate the encouragement.

For this shot, I didnt really plan anything. I was watching the sky and had one of those "go now" moments, which was almost to late. When I arrived at the scene, I was focused on gathering a technical shot with no real plan for anything else.

With that said, I am looking at heading out again soon and if all goes to plan (well plan A & B anyways) I should have something  little different to share.

Just one question though, is following the fore, mid and background principle 'boring'? I have been searching the internet for more ideas on composition, but haven't come up with much.

Cheers
John

[Dick Roadnight]

Just one question though, is following the fore, mid and background principle 'boring'? I have been searching the internet for more ideas on composition, but haven't come up with much.

Cheers
John

Look for more interesting foregrounds.

Look for opportunities to use perspective (composition) to lead the eye to focal points.

[Alan Klein]

John:  I like simple pictures like this.  They're serene and quiet and are calming.  Something you might consider for your next shot.  The sea weed is lined up with the sun on the left side of the picture.  This makes the picture unbalanced.  It's too heavy on the left side.   If you moved your body and camera over a few feet to the left the sea weed would be on the bottom right balancing out the picture.  The vignetting detracts.  This effect sometimes works with a portraiture to keep the attention on the person in the middle.  But you don't have a center subject so the shading doesn't highlight anything in particular.  I'm not a fan of shaded edges in landscape in any case but that's just my eye.  The sahding is also not even (more on the right side) and overdone.  Maybe this all happened because the GND wasn't placed correctly.    It appears you took a slow speed due to the light.  That's OK, but the waves look out-of-focus because of this.  Maybe taking an even slower speed might work better or a sharp shot if you have the light and iso.  Thanks for posting.  And good luck on landscape shots.  Maybe you can help us with fashion and glamour shots.  Pretty girls still interest me besides sunsets and waves    Alan.