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Thread: Weird light effect

  1. #1

    Weird light effect

    I took this this afternoon. It was about 3 hours before sunset. I used a strong ND grad to dampen down the bright sky, and used spot metering which made everything darker. Not sure what to make of it. I converted to BW as there wasn't all that much colour in it. I like the bird in the centre and the post in the water.

    Any comments?

    EXIF

    Weird light effect

  2. #2

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    Re: Weird light effect

    Hi Rob: I love the light and the drama, but I'm not sure about the bird and the post. They seem to small to be anything other than a distraction. The bird might be ok, but I think the post should go. The horizon looks like it could use a slight counterclockwise shift (easy for me to say) and I think I would try to crop either the top or the bottom to get the horizon on a third. It stands alone as B&W but some kind of a tint might work too.

    Wendy

  3. #3

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    Re: Weird light effect

    Hi Rob,

    I've had similar shots in the past under these conditions, but to be honest, I really struggled to "make them fly" ... I think this might be the same

  4. #4
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    Re: Weird light effect

    Short of sounding like a psychologist, how does this image make you feel? Would you include it in your portfolio, in what section (assuming you separate your photos by themes), what would you do differently?

  5. #5
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    Re: Weird light effect

    I know exactly what Colin means

    OK Here's my thoughts, starting with someone else's

    Agree with the horizon needing leveling.
    Clone out the 3 other items just 'above' the stick.
    Clone the stick across to the right a bit (say 10% pic width), so it is closer to a third, but 'pointing' to horizon just clear of the spit of land coming in from right.
    Leave the bird in, possibly move that to left a bit (say 10% pic width).

    But they don't call me 'Clone-crazy Dave' for nothing

  6. #6

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    Re: Weird light effect

    How's this for an alternative interpretation Rob?

    Weird light effect

  7. #7

    Re: Weird light effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Southern View Post
    How's this for an alternative interpretation Rob?

    Weird light effect
    Not bad, but I think the light looks too harsh. I tried the colour version, and corrected the tilt.

    Weird light effect

  8. #8

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    Re: Weird light effect

    Hi Rob,

    I just opened your original in ACR and had a play with the sliders. With your original shot there just seemed to be too much "black with no detail" and not a lot of detail in what remained ... so I ended up with many of the sliders at one extreme or the other which (as you can see) totally changed the image in to somewhat of a photomatixed / surreal look.

    I think the colour version has some merit, but I'd still like to see more shadow detail.

  9. #9

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    Re: Weird light effect

    OK ... Version II

    Weird light effect

  10. #10

    Re: Weird light effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Southern View Post
    OK ... Version II

    Weird light effect

    Yes that's much better, Colin, I like. My wife (who was with me) described the strange light as 'mellow'. Aren't wimin strange!

  11. #11

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    Re: Weird light effect

    Hi,
    In my opinion
    Weird light effect
    don't work.
    Radu Dinu

  12. #12
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    Re: Weird light effect

    When in difficulties of this sort, and I often am, I tend to close my eyes tightly before looking at the image again, to see what 'hits' me.
    In this case I'm immediately drawn to the large black area on the left, which seems to unbalance the image.
    I agree with others about the stick. If it were a branch, I think it would be OK, but sadly in this instance it is almost too perfect and can be mistaken for a glitch in the file.
    But hey guys, you can only photograph what is there .......... and then we get into big arguments as to how much you add or take away from that scene!!

  13. #13

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    Re: Weird light effect

    Quote Originally Posted by Radu Dinu Cordeanu View Post
    Hi,
    In my opinion
    Weird light effect
    don't work.
    Radu Dinu
    Hi,

    In my opinion, works well.

  14. #14

    Play time, kiddies!

    Here's the RAW if you feel in experimental mode http://uploading.com/files/5fmd31ma/210910_0601.dng/

  15. #15

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    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Here you go Rob - Merry Christmas

    Let me know if you'd like the full res files back.

    Weird light effect

  16. #16

    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Thats certainly one hell of a transformation. Any chance of a quick tutorial [runs for cover] on how to get from post 7 to post 15. I am intrigued as how you extract so much detail and colour.

    Rob whilst Colin has produced an amazing transformation there is still something very atmospheric and vernacular about your initial image. I suspect the locals would recognise something of the 'feel' of the place from your shot. I very much like both versions but if I had to convey British coastal imagery I would have to go for the b/w. Colin's image has a much more generic and lighter feel to it.

    For some reason the b/w version puts me in mind of C F Tunnicliffe's paintings/drawings of Anglesey in Shorelands Summer Diary

    Steve

  17. #17

    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Southern View Post
    Here you go Rob - Merry Christmas

    Let me know if you'd like the full res files back.

    Weird light effect
    Wow, Colin. Your drugs must be stronger than the ones I'm dropping. I've gotta grow my hair again, buy a VW camper, get some of that Dutch weed, dig out the Ravi Shankar sitar crap, and hit the road, baby.

    Groovy (man!)

  18. #18
    Clactonian's Avatar
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    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Now tell me photography isn't an art form!!

  19. #19

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    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Quote Originally Posted by Wirefox View Post
    Thats certainly one hell of a transformation. Any chance of a quick tutorial [runs for cover] on how to get from post 7 to post 15. I am intrigued as how you extract so much detail and colour.
    Hi Steve,

    Having the DNG file was the key - really just a case of pushing things HARD in ACR, with a little hand tweaking in Photoshop. It might be a little over-saturated for some's taste (easily fixed of course) - I really just wanted to get the light right.

    Here's a 50% de-saturated version (to help Rob adjust to the post-hippie era).

    Weird light effect

  20. #20

    Re: Play time, kiddies!

    Quote Originally Posted by Colin Southern View Post

    Here's a 50% de-saturated version (to help Rob adjust to the post-hippie era).

    Weird light effect
    Colin

    I have to say (don't you hate people who say that?) that each new version of edit that you do here of my shot reminds me of the constant stream of women that come into my life - each successive one is an improvement on what went before.

    That might have been a compliment.

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