Off to a positive start on my new year resolution

[PhotoByTrace]

Hi all,
My new year's resolution was to adapt my priority listing so that time spent with my camera moved closer to the top. I started out the right way spending the New Year's dawn at one of my favourite locations- The Strand Jetty in Townsville. Now to try to stay on track throughout the year

I welcome any and all comments and feedback on the set. My goal when I set out was to "solve" the problem I'd been having with my exposures when using the Lee Big Stopper. I'd been getting streaking across my images; so wanted to play with a few long exposures to see if I had indeed found the solution to my light leakage. It was also a king tide morning with the low tide at .1m and high at 4.1m; so with a fast rising tide my hope was to play with different shutter speeds to catch the wave action. It turns out I was also blessed with a beautiful morning sky... all in all, a wonderful way to celebrate the new year.

I'm not particularly happy with the fairly centered horizon in photos 1 & 2 but wanted both the palms for the tropical viewpoint and the receding wave line. Should have spun to portrait, but only thought of that after the sun was too high to be shooting in that direction.

Image 1: f/13 1.3secs ISO 100 3 stop soft GND and 3 stop ND


Image 2: f/13 1.3secs ISO 100 3 stop soft GND and 3 stop ND


Image 3: f/16 2secs ISO 100 3 stop soft GND and 3 stop ND


Image 4: f/13 30secs ISO 640 3 stop soft GND and 10 stop ND


Image 5: f/13 30secs ISO 640 3 stop soft GND and 10 stop ND


Apologies for the photo dump of a pretty repetitive scene... I guess I'm just excited to be back shooting and sharing some landscapes.

[Shadowman]

I actually like the compositions, there is still some leading angles that move the eyes around the image and bring you back to the foreground. A little more contrast on the pier would inspire you to linger there much longer.

[Donald]

Now to try to stay on track throughout the year

Good luck on that one, Trace. Go for it.

I love the lines of the incoming and receding water on the beach. For me, you got the shutter speed (and exposure) just right on this one. It also holds onto texture out in the main body of water, which the longer exposures don't have. And in a scene like this, I, personally, prefer that.

I appreciate what you wrote about wanting the palms in the image. However, to put the attention very firmly on the movement of the water, I think I'd maybe have looked at cropping out the palms so that they didn't compete for attention.

Overall, a lovely set of images. I think it's good to experiment with the same scene and alternative compositions and exposure settings. That way we get the best idea about what effects we get with what set ups and compositions.

[PhotoByTrace]

Thanks Donald; thanks John!
Appreciate you taking the time to look and respond. I took the feedback on board and thought I'd try playing a little more with the first image. I ended up with a pano crop coupled with a little cloning (though it could probably use more yet) and some targeted contrast to try to subtly highlight the pier without taking away from the tide action. Let me know what you think. It's still growing on me... feels a little too warm perhaps.

[deetheturk]

Nice images Trace!

[Mike Buckley]

I really like where you're going with this set of images.

The only thing that I can add to the comments already made is that I have never understood the obsession with not placing the horizon in the center of the image. There is a famous National Geographic photographer whose name I can never remember who has three goals and one of them is to place the horizon dead center. Your set of photos is a great example of how well a centered horizon works.

[FrankMi]

Hi Trace! I love to see folks get out to experiment and try new things and this set is a well documented and shot series.

The composition has several aspects that minimize the reason to avoid a centered horizon. The portion of the horizon that is flat against the sky is very small. The land on the left, the jetty on the right, the clouds just above and the active waves just below all take attention away from the straight line dividing the sea and sky. In addition, the lines formed by the rocks and breakers also provide additional strong leading lines that avoid giving the feeling that the image is cut in half by the horizon.

[Donald]

... I took the feedback on board and thought I'd try playing a little more with the first image. I..Let me know what you think.

I like it very much

The composition has several aspects that minimize the reason to avoid a centered horizon.

As per normal, Frank provides an excellent analysis in a few well-crafted statements which, I think, capture the issue perfectly.

[Wavelength]

Excellent images

[jamn4ex]

A great series made even better, with the crop on 1 !