Honolulu Dawn

[Autumn]

On the final day of our cruise round the Hawaiian Islands we sailed into Honolulu for disembarkation just as dawn was breaking.

I would be grateful for a critique of this photo. I also took images "Straight" but thought I would try the angled image here.

I have tried several different colours for the frame and still don't think this is quite right. Perhaps I need less frame. Your comments would be very welcome - not just on the frame.

[John Perriment]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Hi Audrey,

Love the pastel-like sky colours, both in the sky itself and reflected in the buildings. The villa type building, surrounded by palms, looks slightly incongruous in the shadow of the taller buidings and this conflict of architechtural styles creates a discord which really makes the picture work.

I can see that you were trying to increase the tension within the picture and add to the drama by deliberately composing at an angle, but I don't really like this and feel the picture is strong enough not to need it.

I think the border is the right colour but might be better a shade darker, to differentiate it from the sky on the right which is a similar tone, and perhaps try it without the white rebate.

As to why the picture looks less vibrant than the original in Photoshop, was it a RAW file that was auto-corrected in the RAW editor? You may need to re-adjust. I'm not the best person to comment on this as I'm on a steep learning curve for post processing myself. However, I do wonder if achieving greater vibrancy by adjusting contrast, brightness or saturation might compromise the delicate pastel tones that I find so attractive in this photograph.

[Autumn]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Hi Audrey,

Love the pastel-like sky colours, both in the sky itself and reflected in the buildings. The villa type building, surrounded by palms, looks slightly incongruous in the shadow of the taller buildings and this conflict of architectural styles creates a discord which really makes the picture work.

I can see that you were trying to increase the tension within the picture and add to the drama by deliberately composing at an angle, but I don't really like this and feel the picture is strong enough not to need it.

I think the border is the right colour but might be better a shade darker, to differentiate it from the sky on the right which is a similar tone, and perhaps try it without the white rebate.

As to why the picture looks less vibrant than the original in Photoshop, was it a RAW file that was auto-corrected in the RAW editor? You may need to re-adjust. I'm not the best person to comment on this as I'm on a steep learning curve for post processing myself. However, I do wonder if achieving greater vibrancy by adjusting contrast, brightness or saturation might compromise the delicate pastel tones that I find so attractive in this photograph.

Thanks for your comments John, they are much appreciated. I felt quite bold putting on the "Angled Image"; it seems right when other people do it but it seems as though I have made a mistake when I do it.

With regard to your last paragraph:

I have a new computer and after posting my shot and the comment, realised that I had not changed the profile in CS3. I changed it to sRGB and reposted my image and deleted the comment about vibrancy. I can only think that you read my original and made your comment as I was changing my image.

The image shown is pretty much as it should be. However, it does look better on a darker background.

I need to transfer my Actions on "Frames" from my old computer as I am struggling ATM. Thanks anyway.

[Ian]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

This is quite different to what I imagined when I first read your title

I do like the contrast between the stark, modern, angular skyscrapers and the older buildings below. The angled presentation is imaginative and bold. I like it

Ian

[Stephen]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

This is quite different to what I imagined when I first read your title

I do like the contrast between the stark, modern, angular skyscrapers and the older buildings below. The angled presentation is imaginative and bold. I like it

Ian

I'd agree, but I'm not sure the angled presentation works so well in this instance. Perhaps if the shot was taken as a sort of abstract or graphic shot using the reflective nature of the building to reflect the dawn sky etc. However I don't thing this is entirely the case and perhaps its more of an urban landscape, to show the nature of the buildings and the contrast between the old and new. In this case it could be argued that the building simply look as though they are falling over where they should be reaching vertically to the sky

So far as the frame is concerned, I think the medium grey is ok, never been that keen on colour matching frame borders. I have to say though that I stopped using the drop shadow effect a long time ago, I'm not sure it works when you have a coloured border as well

[Tom]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

The idea of an angle view is often good good but in this case subtlety has been lost as the buildings look now as if they are completely falling over. However there is a nice dawn feeling captured here, resulting in nice colours and reflections.

[Autumn]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Thanks for your views. When I get round to it I will post a "Straight" version.

[Autumn]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Here is the "Straight Version". I am not sure whether is is quite so powerful, but I would again invite your comments. Thanks.

[Tom]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

This is a good morning/dawn shot but there is a tilt to the right which no doubt could be sorted with a little play.

[John Perriment]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Hi Audrey,

Yes, I must have seen your original post, hence my comments on vibrancy.

I do prefer the version without the tilt but that's just personal opinion; there's no right or wrong way, it's how you see the subject that counts. However, I do feel the straight version has lost some impact because it is not cropped so tight. I would concentrate on the two tower buildings to the left of the frame and their juxtaposition to the older building, cropping out the other background buildings that do not feature in the original.

It's a nice picture regardless of how you finally choose to edit it.

[kombizz]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

like the second image

[Tinka]

Re: Honolulu Dawn

Hi,
I do like the first tilted image, artisticly it has the edge in my opinion, the second image would/could be a super image for a company magazine, or a company calendar, plenty of room for logo and text and a great image to boot, "Come and do business with us in Honolulu"