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Author Topic: Beach jogger at dawn  (Read 7878 times)

sailronin

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Beach jogger at dawn
« on: November 20, 2011, 09:52:21 am »



This morning in Florida

HB 501cm w/150mm Sonnar on Phase One P30
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2011, 04:11:37 pm »

I like the textures on the sea and the loneliness of the long-distance jogger. I think I'd have preferred a bit more sand at the bottom, though: the focus of attention on the jogger, down at the bottom of the frame, makes the whole thing seem a little unbalanced.

Jeremy
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2011, 08:51:06 am »

I'm with Jeremy. The jogger is a bit too close from the edge. I feel slightly uncomfortable and tend to thank that some obstacle in the foreground prevented you from taking the "perfect" shot. Try to play with Photoshop's content-aware fill to see if it helps or not.
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Francois

John R

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2011, 09:58:28 am »

Gentlemen, I can't agree. I like the shot, and if anything disturbs me, it is the footprints in the sand, because the natural elements combined with the light exudes a pristine natural quality. I think everything is nicely balanced and dynamic. The triangular shapes  and diagonals propel the eye and the walker through the image. At the same time the light is soft and restful. Each reinforces the other. Had the walker been placed in the rule of thirds area as suggested (ie if there was more sand under the walker) then he would be more static and more dominant. I also think the quality of the light, which can be seen in the water and its wonderful texture, is a second motif which has about equal weight with the walker and should be seen as part and parcel of the whole image.
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sailronin

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2011, 10:18:05 am »

Thank you Gentlemen,
I appreciate your looking and taking time to comment, especially with varied views.  I did play with putting the jogger in the "rule of thirds position" but there is a lot of washed up seaweed just below him which distracts from the empty feeling of the beach plus the position stole the movement from the composition.

Best regards,
Dave

PS I don't own a copy of Photoshop so I'm not sure what function checks composition, always thought that was the photographer's job.  Image was processed in Capture One 6.
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churly

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2011, 05:50:43 pm »

IMO you got it just right.  The position of the jogger enforces the motion.  It's been said before a million times but it is interesting how different folks see different things.
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Chuck Hurich

Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2011, 09:52:06 pm »

I'm with Churly on this one.

Since I do have Photoshop CS5, if it were my shot I might be tempted to clone out some of the footprints, or disappear them with Content-aware Fill. But I like the composition, withe waves looking as if they really want to come in and dowse that guy.

Eric
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2011, 02:33:24 am »

OK, I tried to expand the sand area at the bottom of image to see whether it improves the image or not. I also cleaned up the footprints. Obviously, it'll be hard to reproduce it in-camera without the help of Photoshop.

I'd say that the image is not better but different, at least to me. On the original photo, the jogger is "cornered", almost in danger. The modified photo is more classical and I don't feel the same tension as on the original one.
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Francois

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2011, 03:18:21 am »

OK, I tried to expand the sand area at the bottom of image to see whether it improves the image or not. I also cleaned up the footprints. Obviously, it'll be hard to reproduce it in-camera without the help of Photoshop.
I prefer this version, although I think I'd have left the footprints alone. There's no "right" answer, obviously.

Jeremy
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #9 on: November 22, 2011, 05:22:06 am »

I prefer this version, although I think I'd have left the footprints alone. There's no "right" answer, obviously.

Jeremy

Jeremy,
The two versions are really two different images. And you're correct, there's no "right" answer!
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Francois

sailronin

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2011, 07:32:04 am »

I like the "balanced" (modified) image but I think the expanse of sand detracts from the play of light on the water and waves which were the real subjects of the original photo. There were about 5 minutes of beautiful light on the waves but it was boring without something on the beach. The jogger came along and I took a shot to add tension to the wave/light/beach interaction.

I really enjoy the comments and other versions of the photo,
Thank you
Dave
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sailronin

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2011, 08:02:51 am »



Here's another shot a couple of minutes later with wider perspective. More balanced but less interesting.
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2011, 08:28:34 am »

I like the "balanced" (modified) image but I think the expanse of sand detracts from the play of light on the water and waves which were the real subjects of the original photo
.…

Dave,
You're right. The light on the wave is exquisite and the "balanced" version makes it a lot less a evident or appealing.

Your last shot while nice doesn't have the simplicity of the first one.
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Francois

Eric Myrvaagnes

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2011, 10:12:07 am »

Of all of these I still prefer the first one. The tension between the waves and the jogger gives the image some real impact. I'm even thinking now that I'd like to keep the footprints.

Eric
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2011, 11:29:57 am »


Eric,
How about keeping the three versions, it could by a nice tryptic!
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Francois

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #15 on: November 22, 2011, 03:55:41 pm »

Here's another shot a couple of minutes later with wider perspective. More balanced but less interesting.
No, no! It's just a snapshot of a beach.

Jeremy
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John R

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #16 on: November 22, 2011, 06:13:12 pm »

OK, I tried to expand the sand area at the bottom of image to see whether it improves the image or not. I also cleaned up the footprints. Obviously, it'll be hard to reproduce it in-camera without the help of Photoshop.

I'd say that the image is not better but different, at least to me. On the original photo, the jogger is "cornered", almost in danger. The modified photo is more classical and I don't feel the same tension as on the original one.
Hey Francois, you do good work in Photoshop, but your example explains to me why even my friends sometimes don't believe I did not manipulate my images.
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sailronin

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #17 on: November 22, 2011, 08:07:11 pm »

No, no! It's just a snapshot of a beach.

Jeremy

My point exactly, it's just a snapshot of a pretty beach.

Dave
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francois

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #18 on: November 23, 2011, 03:17:26 am »

Hey Francois, you do good work in Photoshop, but your example explains to me why even my friends sometimes don't believe I did not manipulate my images.

Well, actually it's just a 30-second job to illustrate the ideas. I'm not good at all with Photoshop and use it only rarely. Today, some people believe that beautiful photos can only be accomplished with the help of extensive work using Photoshop and other software. I'm facing the same comments all the time - so, yes you're right! But in the end, it's not my problem, I have nothing to prove and I know what tool(s) I used.
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Francois

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Beach jogger at dawn
« Reply #19 on: November 23, 2011, 03:00:46 pm »

My point exactly, it's just a snapshot of a pretty beach.
Of course it is. But that's all it is: it has none of the story or mystique of your first image.

I'd hang a large print of the first one on my wall (possibly in Francois's version) and gaze at it. I'd glance at the second on my monitor, think "that looks quite nice" and move on.

Jeremy
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