Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: James Clark on August 02, 2017, 11:45:59 am

Title: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: James Clark on August 02, 2017, 11:45:59 am
A study in color contrast on St. Simon's Island, GA.

Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: 32BT on August 02, 2017, 11:55:18 am
And why isn't this a study in minimalism?

For me cropping 16:9 from the top gives a more balanced comp.

(No Russ, it is not about itaintgoodifitaintcropped, it is just a gutfeeling when viewing on a 16:9 size and fitting the image. Better balance, including the balance between the two dominant pastelcolors. Or lack of balance, since it seems a bit more blue versus a bit less offwhite works slightly better for my taste.)
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: graeme on August 02, 2017, 12:30:34 pm
Very well seen.
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: RSL on August 02, 2017, 01:41:25 pm
Good work, James.

And Oscar, I'll confess my first thought was: "I'd have pulled the camera a bit to the right and placed the figure a bit more to the left." But I'm not sure a crop is the answer -- unless James had the crop in mind when he tripped the shutter. My problem with cropping isn't so much the crop itself as the idea of second-guessing -- upon which the "it ain't complete until it's been cropped" approach is based.

Bottom line: It's a damn good picture just the way it is.
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: 32BT on August 02, 2017, 02:56:32 pm
Bottom line: It's a damn good picture just the way it is.

agreed
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: James Clark on August 02, 2017, 02:59:03 pm
Oscar - it's certainly a study in minimalism as well, yes, but sadly that thread never seemed to catch fire.

As for the composition itself, sure, I could see a 16:9 crop, and Russ, I could certainly see moving the figure left a bit - that would actually place him squarely within the "rule of thirds," but in this case he's actually on the "golden ratio" grid, which I tend to prefer.

However, in this case he's where he is due to the actual physical limitations of the lens.  I was out walking with only a 35mm Lensbaby, and the area of sharpness was the limiting factor, especially because the fishing pole is such a fine detail.  Anywhere else, and the resolution of the lens would have made that difficult to see.  As it is, I had to burn in the pole just a bit.

Thanks for the compliments on the image :)

 
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: brandtb on August 03, 2017, 01:17:11 pm
very nice
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: RSL on August 03, 2017, 02:15:29 pm
Oscar - it's certainly a study in minimalism as well, yes, but sadly that thread never seemed to catch fire.

As for the composition itself, sure, I could see a 16:9 crop, and Russ, I could certainly see moving the figure left a bit - that would actually place him squarely within the "rule of thirds," but in this case he's actually on the "golden ratio" grid, which I tend to prefer.

However, in this case he's where he is due to the actual physical limitations of the lens.  I was out walking with only a 35mm Lensbaby, and the area of sharpness was the limiting factor, especially because the fishing pole is such a fine detail.  Anywhere else, and the resolution of the lens would have made that difficult to see.  As it is, I had to burn in the pole just a bit.

Thanks for the compliments on the image :)

Golden ratio or rule of thirds --  doesn't matter. What I was basing my framing on was the fact that the fisherman is looking slightly to the right.

Weird (a personal opinion) to be walking the beach with a Lensbaby. But at least you were walking with a camera, which makes capturing this kind of beautiful thing easier than depending on memory alone for the grab. Unless you're a painter. I think this shot would make a fabulous painting. I remember decades ago buying a painting in Taos with the same kind of minimalism. It's still in the family somewhere.
Title: Re: Fishing on the Beach in the Early Morning
Post by: John R on August 03, 2017, 11:50:23 pm
Another lovely summer night.

JR