Two-dimensional layers

[Donald]

Okay, that's the holiday/vacation over. Just got back home today.

Went for one colour pic during my two weeks away (during which I was out shooting every day). The rest are my usual B & Ws, which I'll get started on over the next week. I'm hoping there may be 5 or 6 worth spending some time on (which is a pretty good return rate for two weeks).

Anyway, regulars on here may recall having seen my pics of Stoerhead Lighthouse from previous visits I've made. But these were at a considerably closer distance than the 12 miles away that it is in this image.

What I saw in this composition were layers of colour and that, for me, is what this image is about. Suspend your knowledge that this is a three-dimensional scene and just look at blocks of colour and shape. Do you think it works?

From Achnahaird to the Stoerhead Lighthouse

[bnnrcn]

Hi Donald. It works for me if you care my opinion as I usually like different and interesting visions

[Marie Hass]

Dear Donald,

This reminds me of the striations in really old rock layers. Love the pastel colors.

Marie

[chauncey]

It definitely has a two dimensional feel to it as it is devoid of any depth.
Depends on your goals.

[Donald]

It definitely has a two dimensional feel to it as it is devoid of any depth.
Depends on your goals.

As stated, my goal was exactly what you describe. I'm glad I have achieved that.

Hi Donald. It works for me if you care my opinion as I usually like different and interesting visions

I very much do care about your opinion. Thank you for expressing it.

This reminds me of the striations in really old rock layers. Love the pastel colors.

That was very much in my mind at the time. This area is world famous in geological terms and students and academics come from all over the world to study the geology of the area. Lewisian Gneiss (with which my shinbone had a very painful argument) is, at 3 billion years old, the oldest rock in Europe and one of the oldest in the world.

[Shadowman]

Nice pastel look.

[purplehaze]

Donald, I take "colour block" images all the time, but rarely post them, as I am sure someone is going to ask me, "what's the subject?". It's encouraging to see someone shares my vision. I know you have your standard format, but I also like it with about a third of the sky taken out.

[Donald]

I know you have your standard format, but I also like it with about a third of the sky taken out.

That's an interesting comment, Janis, because I did play about with composition in terms of proportions of land, ocean and sky. What I finally settled on as being the best 'feel' for me was that the main block of land at the bottom is the same depth as sky, with the 'middle' section, being slightly deeper. In other words, it doesn't fit to exactly one-third, one-third and one-third. The lighthouse lies on the right vertical thirds.

[purplehaze]

Interesting, Donald; what I was looking at has the sky the same depth as the strip of water before the sand bar. I think they both work (though, I grant you I would probably crop in on the sides to put the lighthouse back on the third). I must say, it's these types of photos that make me want to pick up my knitting needles and do some colourwork with fibre.

[TonyW]

Very nice. I think a more extreme version without the headland and with a little less sky would be fun.

Also, I wonder if some dehazing would be an improvement or whether it would spoil the nice soft colours.

[Donald]

Very nice. I think a more extreme version without the headland and with a little less sky would be fun.

Also, I wonder if some dehazing would be an improvement or whether it would spoil the nice soft colours.

Thanks Tony.

There has been a slight amount of dehazing applied using the DxO Optics 10 'Clearview' tool. But I didn't want to go too far with that as it started to change the image that I had in my head at the time of capture.

[IzzieK]

I like the simplicity of the shot without any other element but the lighthouse, Donald. You can almost translate this one into a painting and it will still look good as such. What a beautiful quiet place to spend even just a day or two. Two weeks over there, I think it spoils you and your trusty camera ... hope to see more of what you can share with us...

[Mike Buckley]

Glad to have you back!

The lighthouse and the land it is on adds a three-dimensional element for me. If I had wanted to make this strictly two-dimensional, I would not have included that part of the scene in the photo.