Broken Shield

[purplehaze]

I am repeatedly drawn to the pile of rock that was blasted out of the lakeshore to make way for my sister's second home. I don't know if this will work for you, but there is something about it that I like.

_DSC6255 - Version 2 by Janis Hughes, on Flickr

Would I have done better to shoot for greater DOF, do you think?

[Shadowman]

It works for me, we have a shoreline with similar formation and I'm always trying to incorporate the rocks into a meaningful composition. You could get some interesting backgrounds doing different apertures; it all depends on what you really want to emphasize.

[mknittle]

For me it brings back memories. I used to haul Boulders like that for a company that built beautiful walls.

I think more DOF would improve the image. And maybe a lower shooting angle. Lots of possibilities

[Wavelength]

I am really sorry, that it works for me the least, probably it a common thing in seashores here; nor this image shows something special like a pattern or color etc. A point of interest is really lacking, i feel ; please bear with my opinion

[Sam W]

Hi Janis - I think it has potential. Perhaps if you cropped the top 20% it might resolve your DOF concern. Also, you may consider a monochrome version.

[purplehaze]

Thanks for your suggestions, John, Mark and Sam. No need for apologies, Nandakumar; I am grateful for your honesty. The fact is, though, I have to travel two hours east to see exposed rock like this and, for a longtime prairie-dweller like me, anything that breaks up my sightline is an object of endless fascination.

[ST1]

Janis just my thoughts having looked at both images, next time you make the trip to see some rock, take a spray bottle of water with you. Hopefully the water will bring out some interesting colours in your sisters rock pile.

[Johann Schutte]

I don't think more DOF would have contributed significantly. My first impulse would be to use luminosity masks to bring out colour and adjust tones, with a view to 'deblanding' the material. Additionally, a vignette might help to create a focal point.

In addition... This type of pic demonstrates the superiority of the eye. I have often encountered the situation. The scene is much richer whilst at the location, but seems to lose its allure when you get home and view your work onscreen. This would have been a difficult scene to create a captivating 2d image of. I'm so happy that we have the digital pp environment nowadays. Most of my pics would be completely u.t.s. without it. Hats off to Ansel Adams.

[IzzieK]

Rocks always fascinates me too...Our house here was built on top of one, as I had told Sam W. -- the colour, the textures are always interesting...then that white one in the middle breaks the monotony and of course the rusty pines. They all works for me. For those people who lives near the beach like Nandy, it is common, but to those like me who had not seen 'a' beach unless I have a holiday farther than the middle of America, it is an interesting sight to experiment and take pictures of.

[purplehaze]

Thanks for the tip, Peter. I'm wondering which other image you were looking at.

Thanks for the comments, Izzie and Johann. I like it well it enough that I think I will play with it some more. I know there is photographer somewhere who does this kind of thing really well. I'm trying to think who it is.

[ST1]

Thanks for the tip, Peter. I'm wondering which other image you were looking .

Janis I can see two images in this thread, having looked again I now see that they both have the same file name, sorry for any confusion my lack of attention to detail has caused

[purplehaze]

Janis I can see two images in this thread

Because I just realized I have been posting double! (No more quick replies for me!) Double pics, double replies; what the heck is going on??

[Kaye Leggett]

Hi Janis - I think it has potential. Perhaps if you cropped the top 20% it might resolve your DOF concern. Also, you may consider a monochrome version.

I agree with Sam. Taking out the top 20% emphasises the largest rock and brings the strands of rope to the fore - this is not just a pile of rocks...........

[IzzieK]

I agree with Sam. Taking out the top 20% emphasises the largest rock and brings the strands of rope to the fore - this is not just a pile of rocks...........

I must be blind Kaye...I do not see any rope in that image...the orange thingies are dried fir tree leaves (is that what it is called 'leaves'?)

[Kaye Leggett]

I must be blind Kaye...I do not see any rope in that image...the orange thingies are dried fir tree leaves (is that what it is called 'leaves'?)

No Izzie, it's my eyes not yours. I thought the orange was tattered old rope like you get washed up on a seashore....

[purplehaze]

this is not just a pile of rocks...........

Thanks, Kaye; appreciate it. i will take it up again someday.

Izzie, the word you are looking for is needles. Wish I could tell you what kind of conifer they are from, but I don't know my trees. I am hoping my dentist-turned-arborist brother will start teaching me about them.

[IzzieK]

Yep! That's it! Thank you -- needles -- sorry, brain freeze...4°F here ... consolation: -it will be Spring soon...it will be Spring soon...it will be Spring soon...

[purplehaze]

A rework I did with your encouragement. I tried to zero in on what I saw as the essential compositional structure. I can see that I could have made better choices at the time of shooting to enhance that structure.

_DSC6255 - Version 2 (1) by Janis Hughes, on Flickr