Evermore I & II

[Matt Kneale]

Part of my new series of photographs, Evermore. These photos were taken in Wales, specifically near St. Davids along a coastal walk. My aim was to capture many of the different elements of nature. Both photos were taken with the following specifications:

Camera: Nikon D80
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: F/8.0
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec.
ISO: 100




I would appreciate feedback on which one you prefer, why you prefer that photograph and how I could improve them both. Thanks for viewing and your time

Matt

[Ian]

Re: Evermore I & II

Part of my new series of photographs, Evermore. These photos were taken in Wales, specifically near St. Davids along a coastal walk. My aim was to capture many of the different elements of nature. Both photos were taken with the following specifications:

Camera: Nikon D80
Focal Length: 18mm
Aperture: F/8.0
Shutter Speed: 1/200 sec.
ISO: 100




I would appreciate feedback on which one you prefer, why you prefer that photograph and how I could improve them both. Thanks for viewing and your time

Matt

The compositions are both good in their own ways, but the thing that hit me immediately was the colour of the sky - which is not right at all. And have a look at the sea colour in both pictures - they are of the same stretch of sea, but the colours are very different.

Does that make sense?

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Evermore I & II

The compositions are both good in their own ways, but the thing that hit me immediately was the colour of the sky - which is not right at all. And have a look at the sea colour in both pictures - they are of the same stretch of sea, but the colours are very different.

Does that make sense?

Ian

I've had another look and - I made a mistake - I had thought you were looking at the same stretch of sea from a slightly different viewpoint - which now I realise isn't the case. But I still think the sky blue hue looks unnatural.

Ian

[Matt Kneale]

Re: Evermore I & II

Ian,
Thanks for your feedback
The images were edited with Curves and Levels, but on the second one I decided to burn the top part of the sky slightly (I mean very slightly, about 5%) which could explain the odd blue hue?

Matt

[coupekid]

Re: Evermore I & II

Hi Matt,

A couple of beautifully composed images there.

I agree with Ian, the blues do a look a little unatural, so I would revisit that. Also, to my eye, the horizon on the second image looks a little off, looks like it needs rotating a little anti-clockwise.

Lovely shots though!

[Matt Kneale]

Re: Evermore I & II

Thanks Ben,
Unfortunately on the walk I didnt want to be carrying a tripod round with me all the time, so I left it back at the apartment. I tried my best to keep the horizon straight, but I must have just been a little off on the second.

Matt

[Stephen]

Re: Evermore I & II

I'd agree with Ian on the sky colour, but this is a technical issue. Matt is looking for critique and peoples opinion on which they prefer and why.

I think Matt that you have a couple of nice views here. But they are essentially views. I begin to question why you used portrait format, but not having been there at the time its difficult to say definitively if its the best format.

As to which I prefer I would have to say the first one. This is mainly because you have made an effort to add some foreground interest with the rocks. I think too that the horizon could be a tad higher. Somehow though there is not a lot going on and little drama in the image, which it needs to counter the bright sunlight giving a rather flat feel to the shots. With the second shot the cloud adds to the sky and adds some interest which is good, but I'd still choose the first one

[coupekid]

Re: Evermore I & II

Thanks Ben,
Unfortunately on the walk I didnt want to be carrying a tripod round with me all the time, so I left it back at the apartment. I tried my best to keep the horizon straight, but I must have just been a little off on the second.

Matt

I hardly ever get my horizons straight, and pretty much always have to rotate very slightly post processing.

[Ian]

Re: Evermore I & II

I'd agree with Ian on the sky colour, but this is a technical issue. Matt is looking for critique and peoples opinion on which they prefer and why.

I think Matt that you have a couple of nice views here. But they are essentially views. I begin to question why you used portrait format, but not having been there at the time its difficult to say definitively if its the best format.

As to which I prefer I would have to say the first one. This is mainly because you have made an effort to add some foreground interest with the rocks. I think too that the horizon could be a tad higher. Somehow though there is not a lot going on and little drama in the image, which it needs to counter the bright sunlight giving a rather flat feel to the shots. With the second shot the cloud adds to the sky and adds some interest which is good, but I'd still choose the first one

I'm content with Matt's choice of portrait - especially with the first where there is a collection of rocks at the base of the frame; it all fits very neatly.

That said, I see where Stephen is coming from. This might make good postcards, but as photographs - these are more like shots to remind oneself of the visit rather than items of 'art' if you like that convey a strong sense of visual imagery. That's a tough thing to say, but I hope the well meant meaning is understood

Ian

[Stephen]

Re: Evermore I & II

- .................these are more like shots to remind oneself of the visit rather than items of 'art' if you like that convey a strong sense of visual imagery.

Ian

I'd concur with that

[coupekid]

Re: Evermore I & II

That said, I see where Stephen is coming from. This might make good postcards, but as photographs - these are more like shots to remind oneself of the visit rather than items of 'art' if you like that convey a strong sense of visual imagery. That's a tough thing to say, but I hope the well meant meaning is understood

Ian

Well, I am going to be controversial here and disagree....

Firstly Matt, please be aware that Stephen and Ian, have MUCH more experience than I, so I would heed their advice every time over mine!

But personally, I think they are composed superbly, I love the the portrait aspect as on both shots, particularly the second shot which is my favourite of the two, you eye goes on a journey from the bottom to the top, and on that journey takes in those nice textures of the rock faces.

As for being like a postcard, surely the postcard version would be in landscape?

[StuartR]

Re: Evermore I & II

Both are good shots Matt, if I had to chose I'd go for the first one but it's a close decision..

I agree with the others on the sky colour too, the first shot in particular doesn't look quite right to me (on a calibrated monitor).

[Stephen]

Re: Evermore I & II

Well, I am going to be controversial here and disagree....

Firstly Matt, please be aware that Stephen and Ian, have MUCH more experience than I, so I would heed their advice every time over mine!

But personally, I think they are composed superbly, I love the the portrait aspect as on both shots, particularly the second shot which is my favourite of the two, you eye goes on a journey from the bottom to the top, and on that journey takes in those nice textures of the rock faces.

As for being like a postcard, surely the postcard version would be in landscape?

Just let me clarify my position, I never said that Landscape would have been better

I begin to question why you used portrait format, but not having been there at the time its difficult to say definitively if its the best format.

However it still leaves the issue of them being nothing more than nice views. I'd hope that in time and with experience Matt will be able to inject something more into his photography which lifts it above the hum drum

[Ian]

Re: Evermore I & II

I think one answer to the sky hue problem is to desaturate a bit. Here is my version:



I've also levelled the horizon and cropped the rough grass at the bottom.

Incidentally, the pictures both looked less bad when viewed in Photoshop.

Ian

[Ian]

Re: Evermore I & II

Just let me clarify my position, I never said that Landscape would have been better

However it still leaves the issue of them being nothing more than nice views. I'd hope that in time and with experience Matt will be able to inject something more into his photography which lifts it above the hum drum

I was OK with portrait

I know why Matt went for portrait - almost certainly cos landscape would have required a wider angle view view than his lens could give him

And Matt - if these shots were hopeless, this thread wouldn't nearly be as long as it has turned out

Ian