Subtle Ripples at Sunset

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 29, 2010113 views11 comments

Lake Elmo State Park, Montana.

Maybe this is just a cliche' sunset with silhouetted leaves. However, I thought the ripples (made by a fish jumping a few seconds before) and the diamond shape framing by the leaves makes it somewhat unique. I'd love to hear honestly what you all think.

Canon 5DII. 16-35/2.8. ISO 100. f/16. 4 blended exposures, but I purposely kept it a little dark for mood and to enhance the colors. See LARGER VERSION to best appreciate the ripples.

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on September 29, 2010 at 2:43 AM

What a beautiful sunset, Doug. I like the framing of the leaves, and yes the ripples are great - I've always wanted to shoot a picture with ripples!

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Paolo De Faveri on September 29, 2010 at 7:11 AM

This is just wonderful Doug. It's really simple, but those ripples add a lot of interest to the image, they almost give it a somewhat surreal quality to the image. It makes me wonder what's under the water...

Great composition and beautiful light.

Paolo

Registered on August 29, 2007, 318 Posts, 1651 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on September 29, 2010 at 7:27 AM

What's not to like about a beautifully done sunset. The framing with the leaves is great and the ripples in the water are another nice element. A wonderful comp, Doug.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Ramunas K on September 29, 2010 at 7:56 AM

I like the ripples too, and the overall impression is really calming. The leaves frame it in really nicely. There is only one thing I would criticize and it's the colour of the sunset, at least on my monitor it appears too yellow. I think a stronger blue saturation, and a touch of orange both in the sky itself and its reflection would look nice, but it may be a personal preference too :)

In any case, well done on the composition and the sharpness :)

Registered on July 27, 2007, 33 Posts, 600 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolas Belokurov on September 29, 2010 at 11:55 AM

Looks like a fisherman paradise. Beautiful.

Registered on July 22, 2009, 41 Posts, 533 Comments

Comment posted by Simon Bosworth on September 29, 2010 at 1:14 PM

I looked at the photo before reading the comments and my first impression was the ripples added some life to the picture.

Registered on September 10, 2010, 18 Posts, 63 Comments

Comment posted by Luis Argerich on September 29, 2010 at 7:22 PM

Very nice image, classical framing and a beautiful scene. I like the reflection too.

Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on September 29, 2010 at 7:50 PM

Works for me, Doug--great reflection and nice framing with the leaves.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Elwood on September 30, 2010 at 11:17 AM

I find simplicity can for many times be the best. And yes the ripples add interest and only adds to the beauty. Well done!!

Registered on January 15, 2010, 101 Posts, 396 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on September 30, 2010 at 11:51 AM

I like the shot Doug. The framing of the light is very nice, but the ripples make the shot IMO. Normally I might say it migh look better if the ripple were off-center but the way you framed it with the trees this workd well.
A couple weeks ago I stood in a small lake In North Cascades NP for an hour trying to catch the ripples made by rising trout and never got a shot worth keeping. Nice job.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on October 1, 2010 at 2:25 PM

The ripples absolutely make this one special!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments