My wife at the beach

[PeterGar]

Since I'm new around here, I figure I'd like to share a couple of my favorite shots. I took these pictures of my wife while at Zuma Beach, California during the summer of 2004 on my Canon A40. I'm rather happy with them, although I do realize they are a bit noisy (I think they were shot at ISO 400).

Comments?

http://garabetian.smugmug.com/photos/17072344-M.jpg

http://garabetian.smugmug.com/photos/17072340-M.jpg

[TristanP]

Those are challenging lighting conditions. I like the first shot - the wind in the hair and wave motion enhances the beach feel. One minor nitpick - straighten that horizon. What's your processing software?

[Michiel de Brieder]

hi Peter,

welcome aboard :wave I agree with Tristan on the first being the best and the environment to be challenging. I'm gonna confuse you by going straight against Tristan :D I'd say straighten the missus! that is: turn the picture some degrees counter clockwise, I think that brings more depth to it, and a nice angle for the background.
Okay, I'm weird :lol

[PeterGar]

Those are challenging lighting conditions. I like the first shot - the wind in the hair and wave motion enhances the beach feel. One minor nitpick - straighten that horizon. What's your processing software?
I use Photoshop Album 2.0 and Photoshop Elements 2.0. I have no idea how to straighten the horizon. Any tips?

[PeterGar]

hi Peter,

welcome aboard :wave I agree with Tristan on the first being the best and the environment to be challenging. I'm gonna confuse you by going straight against Tristan :D I'd say straighten the missus! that is: turn the picture some degrees counter clockwise, I think that brings more depth to it, and a nice angle for the background.
Okay, I'm weird :lol
Thanks! I'll give it a shot! :D

[Cosmic]

I like the feeling I get from the first pic. Fun and relaxation! :D

Welcome aboard!

~Heidi~

[Michiel de Brieder]

I use Photoshop Album 2.0 and Photoshop Elements 2.0. I have no idea how to straighten the horizon. Any tips? Peter,

I don't know if elements has this, but his big Bro does :D
1. under the eye-dropper tool in the menu you will find a measure tool, select it
2. draw a line with the measure tool that will indicate what you want to have straightened: if you want to straighten the horizon, draw a line along the currently angled horizon, if you want the missus straight, you'd have better luck rotating the canvas manually.
3. Choosing the horizon to be straight: you have used the measure tool and you have drawn a line, got to Image-> Rotate Canvas -> Arbitrary and you'll see that an angle to rotate as already been filled in (it's been taken from the measure tool)
4. click ok :D
5. rotating manually: I always use the Rectangle Marquee Tool and then I press ctrl+a to select the entire photo.
6. right mouse click on the photo and choose free transform.
7. if you put your mouse just outside the corner of the photo you'll see 2 curved arrows, click with the right mouse and go up and down to experiment.
8. press enter to confirm
That's it :D
Well, that's it for rotating, now comes the hard part for your photo, you'll need to cut stuff off to make it a straight photograph again..... Because of that, angle is very important when making a composition.

[lynnma]

Welcome Peter:wave nice light on the first one.

[Steve Cavigliano]

Welcome Peter :wave


I agree with what's been posted so far. The fist pic works, but straightening the horizon would improve it. The glare is just a little too much for me in the 2nd shot.

As mentioned, shooting into the Sun is tough, at best. You did very good with these :thumb :thumb


Nice to have you join us and keep posting pics :-)

Steve