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Author Topic: Iona Sunset  (Read 2601 times)

KMRennie

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Iona Sunset
« on: October 12, 2013, 09:48:56 am »

This is my first post. Taken in May @20:30 just before sunset on Iona in NorthWest Scotland. The millpond is the North Atlantic. 100s exposure to smooth out the chop. I have brought some of the remaining texture back in because I do not really like the totally flat water look. Fuji XE-1 XF 14mm @f10.
All C and C welcome.
Ken
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Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2013, 10:05:24 am »

Welcome! Excellent start.

In terms of C&C, I find the water a bit too grayish. Perhaps darkening the left corner, so that it matches the right? And slightly lightening the center? I think it would create a bit of a visual dynamic and avoid the murky impression.

KMRennie

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2013, 10:23:08 am »

Thanks for the feedback Slobodan. Here is the image with a few changes as suggested.
Ken
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sdwilsonsct

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2013, 10:32:05 am »

Lovely, especially the contrast in textures between the rocks and water. Welcome!

Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2013, 02:28:15 pm »

Thanks for the feedback Slobodan. Here is the image with a few changes as suggested.
Ken

Lovely, and as so often when following Slobodan's suggestions, better. Welcome!

Jeremy
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churly

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2013, 05:43:46 pm »

Very nice. 
As a minor thought, I think I would let the foreground rocks go just a bit darker to provide more contrast with the water and continuity with the shadow they cast on the water.
Well done.

Chuck
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Chuck Hurich

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2013, 06:23:32 pm »

... I think I would let the foreground rocks go just a bit darker to provide more contrast with the water and continuity with the shadow they cast on the water...

Now that you mentioned it, Chuck... I was about to say something about it, but refrained, in fear of being a pest with my painting-with-shadow theories. We discussed it at length before, specifically in this thread (see my reply #6), namely, why it makes sense to treat differently horizontal and vertical surfaces in a shot like the OP.

As there are certain similarities between those two images, here is an excerpt from my reply #6:

"... The image has two sources of light in it: direct (sun) and indirect (sky). The sun is very low on the horizon, but still strong enough to cast direct light on the horizontal surfaces. Those surfaces are at the same time illuminated with the diffused light coming from the sky. Vertical surfaces, however, can only receive the indirect, diffuse lighting from the sky, but less so that the horizontal ones... Differentiating between surfaces by dodging/burning and different white balance helps create the (illusion of) 3D effect at the same time.

Things in the shade can not have the same contrast and white balance as the ones in the highlights. Shades are typically less contrasty and cooler..."

wolfnowl

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2013, 01:20:46 am »

Welcome to the list, Ken!  And the modified version is much improved.  :)

Mike.
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batmura

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2013, 05:58:16 am »

I like both versions, but would prefer to see them larger. The sky is amazing.
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churly

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2013, 07:38:07 am »


Things in the shade can not have the same contrast and white balance as the ones in the highlights. Shades are typically less contrasty and cooler..."[/i]

Slobodan - Yes I, remember this thread well.  You provided me with an understanding of why we need to think about local white balance.  I shoot in this kind of light a lot and if the white balance is set for the red light of the low sun the shadows illuminated by the blue sky are almost always too blue.  A local white balance (and contrast) correction on the shadows helps to neutralize the shadows, leaving them cooler than the sunlit area but warmer than produced by the global white balance.  Your original post opened up the concept for me.  Thanks!
Chuck

ed - not saying that I always get it right though :)
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Chuck Hurich

KMRennie

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2013, 10:08:35 am »

Thanks everyone for all the help. I am now happy with the image after my final bit of fiddling where I darkened and lowered the contrast of the rock shadows. Interestingly I have previously used adjustment brushes, in ACR, with increased contrast, highlights, saturation and clarity to paint in increased sunlight on a soft day with diffused light. However I have never thought of using the opposite to paint in shadows.
Ken
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Paulo Bizarro

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2013, 04:05:28 am »

The sky is very good. Even in the #2 version, I still feel the water lacks a bit of character, perhaps something was lost with the (too) long exposure? But it is a fine photo.

P.S. I also have the XE-1 and 14mm lens, wonderful little combination!

KMRennie

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Re: Iona Sunset
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2013, 11:12:38 am »

I tried to print the previous image and it doesn't look good. I had been very lazy when developing the image with lots of Shadow and Highlight recovery applied. This made the overall contrast fine but destroyed the shadows making them all too bright. I had noticed this and had started to darken them down but they never looked right. So back to the beginning but this time using a 50s exposure in the hope of slightly more texture in the Ocean and multiple RAW copies each developed for sky, rocks, water etc. This is the first attempt and will probably change. All comments welcome.
Ken
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