Ballast

[Stephen]

Visited Fleetwood again the other day, whilst staying with some friends near Preston. Great bargains to be had in Freeport designer outlet but took the opportunity to visit the wrecks on the Wyre estuary. Not so successful this time, overbalanced and almost went flat on my back in the mud then got rained off, managed about 30 shots though, this being somewhat of an experimental one, using the Photomatix tonemapping plugin, and a fancy border which I'm not sure about. Any comments welcome

[Tom]

Re: Ballast

Sorry Stephen, I dislike the border and I feel it is a distraction.
The picture though is a different kettle of fish.
There is a great shot in the foreground alone and personally I would lose some of the sky (good and all as it is) so as my eyes remain on that great collection of wrecks and ballast as you say.
I love the colour mixture of the greens and dark browns but perhaps it's a little too much on the stones. There is a noticable blob in the centre at the top of the foreground which needs to be cloned out.
But I find creativity in the presentation of the foreground details which look even better if I roll back on my chair and view from a distance.

[Stephen]

Re: Ballast

Sorry Stephen, I dislike the border and I feel it is a distraction.
The picture though is a different kettle of fish.
There is a great shot in the foreground alone and personally I would lose some of the sky (good and all as it is) so as my eyes remain on that great collection of wrecks and ballast as you say.
I love the colour mixture of the greens and dark browns but perhaps it's a little too much on the stones. There is a noticable blob in the centre at the top of the foreground which needs to be cloned out.
But I find creativity in the presentation of the foreground details which look even better if I roll back on my chair and view from a distance.

Thanks for that Tom, all fair comment. Its taken me a while to spot the blob you mentioned too, I hadn't. It is in fact a rain blob on the lens. I packed up shortly after this shot, as my attempts to clean the lens were becoming futile. Anyway, I'm sure I can do something with that.

[Blithe]

Re: Ballast

Really like the foreground, there is so much detail and the colours are just right. When I scrolled down, to begin with it almost looked like a shot underground, then my eyes focused properly and piece by piece the whole picture emerged. The distant horizon takes me right into the frame too. Beautiful and worth getting muddy for. But I'm sorry, I'm non too keen on the frame. Yours are usually so simply presented letting the images do the work, that frame gets in the way.

[Autumn]

Re: Ballast

Visited Fleetwood again the other day, whilst staying with some friends near Preston. Great bargains to be had in Freeport designer outlet but took the opportunity to visit the wrecks on the Wyre estuary. Not so successful this time, overbalanced and almost went flat on my back in the mud then got rained off, managed about 30 shots though, this being somewhat of an experimental one, using the Photomatix tonemapping plugin, and a fancy border which I'm not sure about. Any comments welcome

The longer I look at this picture, the more I like it, but I have to agree with Tom that I think you could lose some sky - say from the top of the white cloud on the left. The greens are a bit too saturated for my taste and the border doesn't work for me. But you have to try them don't you - because they are there?

If you scroll down, eliminating the top half of the sky, it lightens up the whole picture and brings the focus onto the stones. I think the apparent lack of focal point is because of the portrait orientation and having to scroll down the screen.

I can't see the blob either.

[ddigit]

Re: Ballast

Stephen,
I took the liberty of downloading your photo and cropping it. At the top the crop was just below the heavy cloud, to the right just to the right of the dinghy shape and in the foreground just above the T shaped rock. This has diminished the cloud and slightly offset the stones and draws ones eye to the dinghy. The tonal qualities and look of this photo is really appealing. Dont care for the border - it detracts from the image.

Regards
Trevor

[Bearface]

Re: Ballast

I still think there's much to achieve at this location, so I think another visit (my third and your......fifth..?) on a clear day should be arranged. Followed by bacon sarnies in Morrisons, naturally............

As for the shot itself, well it's nicely balanced, there's plenty of detail throughout and the subject matter is interesting. It's also been quite moderately post-processed in terms of the saturation and contrast, but despite this I think it holds it's own as a picture. It's not the best I've seen (of yours) from here, but I still like it.

The border doesn't distract me, in fact it's preferable to the usual frames that you apply to your web images. It's somehow more artistic and natural-looking and I approve wholeheartedly

[Stephen]

Re: Ballast

Thanks Autumn, Trev, and Bearface, its really interesting to hear peoples opinions. My own opinions are often changed by what others say, however In this instance I'm not so sure about losing some of the sky, for me it all adds to the heavy feeling over the land in the middle distance and the estuary. Obviously selected areas have been lifted to reveal detail, and indeed some extra saturation has been applied, but I still think the damp and dull conditions have been retained.

I'll admit its not one of my best or indeed favourites from the ones I have taken here, but nevertheless I was quite pleased with the processing and the way it came out, it was very different from the others in the series and I do rather like it.

4 times I've been now Tim, I'd need much improved conditions to be tempted again, but I'd be up for the full monty, heart attack on a plate, if we did, from Asda actually

[Archangel]

Re: Ballast

Visited Fleetwood again the other day, whilst staying with some friends near Preston. Great bargains to be had in Freeport designer outlet but took the opportunity to visit the wrecks on the Wyre estuary. Not so successful this time, overbalanced and almost went flat on my back in the mud then got rained off, managed about 30 shots though, this being somewhat of an experimental one, using the Photomatix tonemapping plugin, and a fancy border which I'm not sure about. Any comments welcome

Hi Stephen,

Have a happy New Year initially.

As far as the photo is concerned:
I like the photo and the color combination. Personally I do not think that the sky should be cropped more than it is since the land occupies more than 2/3 of the entire photo and if it is more cropped it would look that you were trying to squeeze a little more sky in the photo. I would prefer some light brightness increase on the upper part of the land that looks somewhat darker than it should be and especially in the right part of the photo. Though from the other side it makes nice contrast with the lower part of the land which is brighter. It is just a matter of personal preference though.

Indeed the blob requires some light job to get rid of it. As far as the frame is concerned, I'm not so hot for it, but then again when it comes to personal taste (in photo cosmetics) everybody's opinion and choice is respected.

Bottom line: I like the photo and the portrait mode too, that actually I find more attractive in some views than the landscape mode that doesn't leave so much the viewer's "imagination" to work any further.


Regards

George

[Stephen]

Re: Ballast

Hi Stephen,

Have a happy New Year initially.

As far as the photo is concerned:
I like the photo and the color combination. Personally I do not think that the sky should be cropped more than it is since the land occupies more than 2/3 of the entire photo and if it is more cropped it would look that you were trying to squeeze a little more sky in the photo. I would prefer some light brightness increase on the upper part of the land that looks somewhat darker than it should be and especially in the right part of the photo. Though from the other side it makes nice contrast with the lower part of the land which is brighter. It is just a matter of personal preference though.

Indeed the blob requires some light job to get rid of it. As far as the frame is concerned, I'm not so hot for it, but then again when it comes to personal taste (in photo cosmetics) everybody's opinion and choice is respected.

Bottom line: I like the photo and the portrait mode too, that actually I find more attractive in some views than the landscape mode that doesn't leave so much the viewer's "imagination" to work any further.


Regards

George

Thanks for your comments George, much appreciated, I think esentially we are in agreement overall, with perhaps some allownaces for personal choice. To be honest, knowing your own style and the type of scene you have access to at home, I'm really pleased you find something you like in the shot, a very different sort of thing to the sun and colours of Athens and the Greek Isles

As for the border, well it was an experiment, and I wouldn't want to be dogmatic about these things. Borders of this nature need to be used with care, I tend to think a bit like Tim, but can understand others dislike of them. As you say personal choice, but good to hear others opinions

[Archangel]

Re: Ballast

Thanks for your comments George, much appreciated, I think esentially we are in agreement overall, with perhaps some allownaces for personal choice. To be honest, knowing your own style and the type of scene you have access to at home, I'm really pleased you find something you like in the shot, a very different sort of thing to the sun and colours of Athens and the Greek Isles

As for the border, well it was an experiment, and I wouldn't want to be dogmatic about these things. Borders of this nature need to be used with care, I tend to think a bit like Tim, but can understand others dislike of them. As you say personal choice, but good to hear others opinions

Stephen,

Greece is known mostly of its sunny weather (currently we have also sunshine and around 15C) and the hundreds of islands (actually thousands including even very tiny onces).
Though, very few people know of the mountains with the snow and many skiing centers and pistas with organized chalets and other facilities (mostly in the center and north part of the country.

So, apart from the sun and sea, we also have many mountains with snow in the winter and much forestry mostly in North.
So, other type of scenery, apart from the sunny weather and islands are also known to me.
Too bad, it still didn't happen for me (maybe because I don't know skiing) to visit the mountains when they have snow and make some shots there too, in order to post some.


Regards

George

[Pol]

Re: Ballast

I really, really like the squelchy, soggy, slithery, slippery muddy, grey, dull and wet, typical English Wintery and soggy landscape sights and sound of this one.

The sound of wellies or boots squelching along and being pulled off the feet as you plod past the ballast, work your way to the wreck behind, then further along to the one in that puddle and eventually on and on to the dark remains of that 'viking longboat shaped' wreck at the water's edge.

Leaving the sky exactly as it is presents me with a landscape that I'm part of, draws me along past the various (well-placed) wrecks yet also keeps my eye looking onwards and upwards - to see where I'm headed.

Cropping anything off the top of the sky tends to focus my eye on the ground more, the ballast and mud + muddy water.

To my mind - it's a landscape that includes me and draws me in via the foreground and features that lead on from that foreground ..... on and on into the distance. Therefore I'd be disinclined to crop anything from the sky within this particular shot/composition. I might be tempted to wear an old mac or waterproof poncho, sit or lie in the mud and get some low level shots though.

As for the frame - I'm not particularly fond of 'scratchy' frames. By that I mean frames that kinda 'invade' the colour and content of the picture and introduce 'scratch' marks that erase lines off the scene.

Pol

[Stephen]

Re: Ballast

I really, really like the squelchy, soggy, slithery, slippery muddy, grey, dull and wet, typical English Wintery and soggy landscape sights and sound of this one.

The sound of wellies or boots squelching along and being pulled off the feet as you plod past the ballast, work your way to the wreck behind, then further along to the one in that puddle and eventually on and on to the dark remains of that 'viking longboat shaped' wreck at the water's edge.

Leaving the sky exactly as it is presents me with a landscape that I'm part of, draws me along past the various (well-placed) wrecks yet also keeps my eye looking onwards and upwards - to see where I'm headed.

Cropping anything off the top of the sky tends to focus my eye on the ground more, the ballast and mud + muddy water.

To my mind - it's a landscape that includes me and draws me in via the foreground and features that lead on from that foreground ..... on and on into the distance. Therefore I'd be disinclined to crop anything from the sky within this particular shot/composition. I might be tempted to wear an old mac or waterproof poncho, sit or lie in the mud and get some low level shots though.

As for the frame - I'm not particularly fond of 'scratchy' frames. By that I mean frames that kinda 'invade' the colour and content of the picture and introduce 'scratch' marks that erase lines off the scene.

Pol

Pol, you are absolutely spot on with the situation at the time, it really was as you describe As for cropping etc. I think you and I are not of the crop & chop brigade unless its a sorta zooming in scenario. Cropping in the viewfinder however is more preferable

[Scatty]

Re: Ballast

Dear Stephen
I really liked the picture and the frame. As a complete beginner, I am still trying to understand the meanings of saturation, etc. etc. I know it will come with practise. I loved how you have changed the colours and agree when someone said it looks squelchy, muddy etc... (I think it was Pol) sums up the feelings I thought of when I first saw the Picture. Its nice to see pictures taken in all kinds of weather and not just bright clear sunny day ones. I still have a long way to go in my pictures but love looking at all the photo's in the members galleries. One day....
Michelle.

[guymclaren]

Re: Ballast

Lonely Lonely planet, This is great, I like the feeling of loss, of desolation.