Indian Beach for Critique

[AndrewMcD]

This image was captured on a recent trip to the Oregon coast. The location is Indian Beach at Ecola State Park. I liked the way the slope of the land and the water flowing off the beach combine to take your eye out to the offshore islands. Any comments regarding how composition might be improved or tips on PP improvements are welcome. In the end, with shots like this, I feel I've made a pretty picture but have failed to transcend the physical image .........which to my current state of mind is what I want a photograph to do.

Andrew

[deetheturk]

Hi Andrew, I like the image, the only thing I can see is, it needs a slight c/w turn

[Shadowman]

I think you've met your goal of taking the viewer through the watery passage. Nicely captured.

[Brownbear]

Hi Andrew,

Beautiful image with lovely detail and light! Part of me wishes to crop just a wee bit off of the top of the sky and/or from the water but I'm not sure exactly why other than the image also looks great that way to me. (what I see when I move it around in the lytebox) The processing looks beautiful to me.

[ied]

Beautiful capture. I like the composition and the soft light.

Irene

[Nicks Pics]

I like it generally. My two suggestions would be 1, as has been mentioned, based on the water level it looks slightly tilted, and 2, I find many landscape shots need a brightening up. I find brightening the upper part of the tone curves tool helps a lot in some cases. In moderation it may help even though this was not a bright light scene. Just a suggestion.

[ShaneS]

You made it Andrew...it is a breathtaking coastline isn't it? An image at every turn it seems and you captured a very nice one here. As others have said the light is very nice and you did a good job of making sense of a cluttered scene as well as creating some depth.

I feel your frustration and can relate to this statement....

In the end, with shots like this, I feel I've made a pretty picture but have failed to transcend the physical image .........which to my current state of mind is what I want a photograph to do.

...but I think it is very hard to do with limited time in a location (no local knowledge) and without a stroke of luck in terms of lighting, etc.

This is a very pleasing composition Andrew and if you recall some of my images from Oregon I tended to focus on the solo rock formations as I was befuddled on how to capture a scene like this. I would have been proud to add an image like this to my collection.

So when do you want to meet there and try again? I'm in

[Mike Buckley]

I feel I've made a pretty picture but have failed to transcend the physical image

Based on my own personal experience, you need very special light not present in this image to transcend the physical image.

Having said that, I have no problem with photos that don't transcend the physical image; 99% of my photos are in that category. I liken the situation to a baseball batter who hits a fly ball so deep into the outfield that, when caught, the runner on third base then scores a run. The batter drives in a run (success!) yet is himself or herself put out (failure!). Overall, the batter was successful because of the scored run despite that he or she could have been even more successful. A photo such as this is clearly successful overall despite that it could have been even more successful in more appealing light.

[csa mt]

Andrew, that is a most beautiful image, I'd be quite happy if it were mine, to leave it as is! The serenity in the foreground, and then the action of the waves, as the image takes one's eye thru the image is stunning!

[bnnrcn]

Hi Andrew , lovely image indeed I would try cropping it from the top just a little bit.