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Author Topic: Surfer  (Read 3228 times)

Jim Pascoe

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Surfer
« on: October 31, 2011, 01:03:33 pm »

We spent the weekend on the North Devon coast and spent a couple of hours on Saunton beach while our sons were surfing.  While walking back up the beach I saw this guy behind us, so I quickly swapped lenses and swung around to shoot this before he noticed what I was up to.  Jim.

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francois

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2011, 01:07:18 pm »

Jim,
I like your photo a lot. The composition, with the surfboard creating a diagonal works for me. The B/W treatment also.

Bravo!
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Francois

popnfresh

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2011, 01:32:39 pm »

Great composition. My only comment is that the surfer himself is a little too underexposed. If you shot it in raw that should be easily fixable in photoshop. I would add a tad more fill light, so that he's just a little less dark.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2011, 01:37:19 pm by popnfresh »
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2011, 02:20:46 pm »

We spent the weekend on the North Devon coast and spent a couple of hours on Saunton beach while our sons were surfing.  While walking back up the beach I saw this guy behind us, so I quickly swapped lenses and swung around to shoot this before he noticed what I was up to.  Jim.
Really good shot! I like the b&w treatment. My only criticism would be that the chap himself is rather dark but that would probably be quite easy to fix.

Jeremy

(edit: just noticed that popnfresh said the same thing. Great minds...)
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wolfnowl

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2011, 03:42:24 pm »

One more... (great mind, that is!)

Mike.
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If your mind is attuned t

Jim Pascoe

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2011, 04:41:24 pm »

Thanks for the comments everyone.  I quite agree with the underexposed element and I have revisited the picture.  It was only taken yesterday and I was a bit too excited about seeing it.  I have lightened the surfer as much as I dare and cloned out a few distractions too - just to tidy up a bit.

Jim
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popnfresh

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2011, 06:38:58 pm »

Much improved. Good work.
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RSL

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2011, 06:48:40 pm »

I liked the original better. There's no reason to bring out detail in the guy's suit, and when the detail's subdued there's an air of mystery that gets lost in the brighter version.
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2011, 08:57:39 pm »

I liked the original better. There's no reason to bring out detail in the guy's suit, and when the detail's subdued there's an air of mystery that gets lost in the brighter version.
Having seen the new version, I must agree with Russ. I like the near-silhouette effect. First one's a winner.

Eric

P.S. To Russ: I agree that the "hand of man" really belongs in this photo. Without the hand, the guy would really be suffering.  :D
« Last Edit: October 31, 2011, 08:59:17 pm by Eric Myrvaagnes »
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Jim Pascoe

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #9 on: November 01, 2011, 05:08:05 am »

Thank you all for the further points.  I am now undecided - is it ever so with photography!  The first picture is more graphic, which in truth is how I saw the image.  But as a portrait photographer I am seduced by the idea that face of the surfer becomes important too.  Immediately after taking the picture, and bear in mind I was walking and shooting because I had seen the composition and had to remain at a constant distance from the surfer, we started chatting to the guy and I took down his e-mail and offered to send him a copy.  It is of course a non commercial arrangement, but perhaps I am assuming he and his family would enjoy seeing more detail.
On balance to me the darker image looks more natural and the lightened one gives the impression the surfer knows he is being photographed, which he does not.

Jim

(Incidentally, in case anyone is interested in tech stuff, we had bought a new Panasonic 14mm prime lens and this was it's first outing - on a GH2.)
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RSL

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2011, 05:20:30 am »

P.S. To Russ: I agree that the "hand of man" really belongs in this photo. Without the hand, the guy would really be suffering.  :D

Well, his foot's pretty important too, Eric. :o
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Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2011, 10:23:41 am »

Well, his foot's pretty important too, Eric. :o
Especially for a surfer.  ;)
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louoates

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2011, 10:26:29 am »

I also vote for the original. Mystery trumps clarity in this shot. In a pinch I could settle for the changes in the second one without any of the surfer's enhancements.  
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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #13 on: November 02, 2011, 02:20:27 am »

very nice, I prefer the original too... :)
« Last Edit: November 02, 2011, 08:38:17 pm by BernardLanguillier »
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EduPerez

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #14 on: November 02, 2011, 02:32:26 am »

I like it very much, especially the first version.
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AndrewKulin

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2011, 09:15:34 am »

I also prefer the first offering as the silhouette effect on the surfer looks more natural (the subtle leveling of the horizon in the second version however should be applied to the original).  One thing that I really like about this image are the reflections and wavelets in the water and what I think is the sandy rippled bottom being faintly visible as well.  That's the part of the photograph that I keep coming back to to explore
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francois

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #16 on: November 06, 2011, 11:01:59 am »

I'm also sticking with the first version…
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Francois

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Re: Surfer
« Reply #17 on: November 09, 2011, 09:10:02 am »

I think it's a The Surfer photo as in the first version.

Not A Surfer (my mate whoever).

Moody means mystery.
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