Get your satisfaction!

[NeilL]

You saw this in Landscapes. As you probably know I am putting myself through a fairly intense phase of learning, especially post processing. So I'd value any kind of crit, and especially related to the quality of the post processing. Thanks!




http://neilal.smugmug.com/photos/563275467_jQJzA-XL.jpg



My own feelings about this shot are like for the light which pours out of it, and the expansive feeling it gives me. I look at it while listening to enviro-ambient-soulscape music (eg found on Moving Through Space on Live365.com). I also like the colors and textures, especially of the sand in the FG.

Best regards!

Neil

[DonRicklin]

Not bad, though the horizon seems a bot off and I'm getting a feeflign like there is a color cast to the image. It may be be a bit blue.

Don

[DavidTO]

Interesting sky, and there's some interesting stuff going on in the sand, but the perspective is not interesting to me. Seems like if you had gotten lower you could have picked out a subject for this image. It's a pretty view, but the lack of a subject means it doesn't hold my interest.

[NeilL]

Not bad, though the horizon seems a bot off and I'm getting a feeflign like there is a color cast to the image. It may be be a bit blue.

Don

Thanks, Don!

There is only about 1.5" of true ocean horizon on the left and it is level according to the ruler tool - the rest is curving bay.

The whites test neutral.

I also get both feelings, that the image is tilted and that there is a color cast, but then there's no real evidence.

[NeilL]

Interesting sky, and there's some interesting stuff going on in the sand, but the perspective is not interesting to me. Seems like if you had gotten lower you could have picked out a subject for this image. It's a pretty view, but the lack of a subject means it doesn't hold my interest.

Thanks DavidTO! Yes, that has also worried me. I think you are right that it would be better if it was framed by something in the very near FG. On the other hand, you could take the zen attitude, that vast emptiness is a subject :wink:D

But after reading your comment I think I would now try to find some leading lines of sight through the sand and foliage to the vast lines of the seascape.

[michswiss]

Thanks, Don!

There is only about 1.5" of true ocean horizon on the left and it is level according to the ruler tool - the rest is curving bay.

The whites test neutral.

I also get both feelings, that the image is tilted and that there is a color cast, but then there's no real evidence.

Sometimes a level horizon isn't level and sometimes a neutral color balance don't hit the mark. What throws the sense of horizon is the rising landscape moving to the right. It mentally wants to "push down" the water. If it didn't rise from the horizon, instead being continuous across the frame, I don't think there would be an issue. But as it stands, there is tension between the hills and water for which owns the horizontal.

For color balance, there is a "cool" or blue feel to it for me too. Maybe that just the way that location is, but there are slight hints of warmth in some of the rocks and grasses that would be nice feel reflected in the image. I think it would strengthen it.

A beautiful location, no doubt. But otherwise, I'm not drawn into the composition.

[NeilL]

Sometimes a level horizon isn't level and sometimes a neutral color balance don't hit the mark. What throws the sense of horizon is the rising landscape moving to the right. It mentally wants to "push down" the water. If it didn't rise from the horizon, instead being continuous across the frame, I don't think there would be an issue. But as it stands, there is tension between the hills and water for which owns the horizontal.

For color balance, there is a "cool" or blue feel to it for me too. Maybe that just the way that location is, but there are slight hints of warmth in some of the rocks and grasses that would be nice feel reflected in the image. I think it would strengthen it.

A beautiful location, no doubt. But otherwise, I'm not drawn into the composition.

Thanks michswiss!

Re horizon, there is also the fact that this is a hug bay which is curving towards the viewpoint, so that not only are the hills rising into the country behind, but the amount of visible shore is increasing towards the viewpoint. There is tension between all three - true horizon, rising country and the curve of the bay. What to do??!!:dunno:rofl

If I were to change color temperature I would do it selectively. Your suggestion of warming the FG is worth trying, though there is a snowy quality to the sand I'm not sure would be good to lose - snow notoriously has a blue cast in the shadows, so does this sand.

Very interesting comments, I'm grateful.

I lived in China for four years, south coast from Shanghai. You?

[michswiss]

Thanks michswiss!

Re horizon, there is also the fact that this is a hug bay which is curving towards the viewpoint, so that not only are the hills rising into the country behind, but the amount of visible shore is increasing towards the viewpoint. There is tension between all three - true horizon, rising country and the curve of the bay. What to do??!!:dunno:rofl

If I were to change color temperature I would do it selectively. Your suggestion of warming the FG is worth trying, though there is a snowy quality to the sand I'm not sure would be good to lose - snow notoriously has a blue cast in the shadows, so does this sand.

Very interesting comments, I'm grateful.

I lived in China for four years, south coast from Shanghai. You?

Emotion mate, emotion. You've got to use more than the grids to get the horizon right. I personally don't feel the rising curve of the beach affecting my perception. But what I've realised is that I just don't notice the sky. It's irrelevant to the shot for me. I want to study the shore line and as I move up in the frame, I lose balance at the horizon. There it is again. Playing the the browser, there's a clear band of sky below the main cloud formations. Crop down to that point and you get the distant clouds and the added benefit of minimising the "blueness" of the shot. The horizon still feels like it's sliding to the right, but with the crop, it might be easier to manage.

I'm in Shanghai in the Luwan district. Been here or abouts for a couple of years at this point (work takes me to several locations around the country.) A camera and my golf clubs keep me sane.

[rutt]

It has a purple cast. I had quite a lot to say about this, but this isn't the place. I started a new thread. (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=134204)

[NeilL]

It has a purple cast. I had quite a lot to say about this, but this isn't the place. I started a new thread. (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=134204)

...and a good job, too! Both your post and the discussion!:thumb:rofl

[NeilL]

Emotion mate, emotion. You've got to use more than the grids to get the horizon right. I personally don't feel the rising curve of the beach affecting my perception. But what I've realised is that I just don't notice the sky. It's irrelevant to the shot for me. I want to study the shore line and as I move up in the frame, I lose balance at the horizon. There it is again. Playing the the browser, there's a clear band of sky below the main cloud formations. Crop down to that point and you get the distant clouds and the added benefit of minimising the "blueness" of the shot. The horizon still feels like it's sliding to the right, but with the crop, it might be easier to manage.

I'm in Shanghai in the Luwan district. Been here or abouts for a couple of years at this point (work takes me to several locations around the country.) A camera and my golf clubs keep me sane.

The sliding to the right is the line of the approaching curved bay shore, as I see it. It does cause an optical anomaly with the perception of horizontal, I grant you. Can it be "fixed"? Should it?

The blueness is discussed in rutt's link above.

Are you suggesting cropping out the upper 2/3 of the sky! My precious sky!!:huh:huh:rofl:rofl

[NeilL]

As a form of closure of this thread, here is the pic again after the help of rutt and Andrew in Finishing School http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=134204





http://neilal.smugmug.com/photos/568338651_wuXYz-XL.jpg






Neil