Endless

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 8, 2013832 views23 comments

Sunset light during a very long exposure in Tulum, Mexico, February 2013.

This is another image from our recent trip to the Riviera Maya of Mexico. On this evening the clouds lined up perfectly for long exposure photography (the clouds need to be moving directly towards or away from the camera to get the converging streaks).

Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35, polarizer, 10 stop ND
5 minutes at f/16, ISO 100

Processing this one was quite a challenge due to the long exposure color noise. Lightroom 4 wouldn't touch the noise, so I had to remove the spots manually with the spot removal tool. I had to make 2 passes with several hundred clicks of the spot removal tool (first on the original raw file and a second on the processed final version).

Thanks for any comments or suggestions. Please check out the larger version.

Comments

23 comments

Comment posted by Michael Cothran on March 8, 2013 at 7:25 PM

Aaaugh, this is a beautiful abstract. I like everything about it.

Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on March 8, 2013 at 7:38 PM

Stunning abstract Scott. Love the radiating lines from the horizon and soft, muted colors. Beautiful work!

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by John Clulow on March 8, 2013 at 8:08 PM

This is indeed beautiful in terms of color, but to my eye the horizon is more than a bit tipsy, and I'm not sure how we can explain that in this context other than perhaps an oversight on the side of the photographer.

Beyond that, I've never seen these colors in a sunset or sunrise on this planet. I'm just sayin'. Even in my younger days when I ingested various substances; I never saw this purple haze.

This is not to say that it exists; nor to suggest that there isn't an ocean or bay, as in the Bay of Fundy, where water runs uphill.

But I'm just sayin'

Registered on November 1, 2012, 155 Posts, 1079 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Reid on March 8, 2013 at 8:28 PM

Wonderful abstract Scott. The colours, streaked sky and whole image is amazing. Really well done.

Registered on January 27, 2013, 65 Posts, 2460 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 8, 2013 at 8:59 PM

Minimalism at it's best here. Great color palette, and the cloud movement seals the deal.

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

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on March 8, 2013 at 9:47 PM

Luscious! I do agree about the horizon but these purples I find quite common in long exposures at this time. It's just that the eye is not trained or equipped to easily pick it up.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on March 8, 2013 at 11:43 PM

Lovely pastels and a great sense of calming motion!

You can easily get rid of color noise by duplicating the main layer, setting the blend mode to color, and hit it with gaussian blur. Next time

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

Comment posted by Yiming Hu on March 9, 2013 at 12:18 AM

Beautiful abstract work. The purple colors were probably due to the 10-stop ND. Most such filters have strong color cast. For example, B+W 110 has a very strong reddish color cast.

Registered on April 28, 2011, 38 Posts, 733 Comments

Comment posted by Scott Smorra on March 9, 2013 at 12:18 AM

Thanks to everyone for all of the comments.

Floris - I wish I would have known that trick before I started! Thanks for letting me know. Next time!

John and Kah - Which direction do you feel the horizon is tilted? I think there may be a bit of an optical illusion going on here because the camera was not perpendicular to the ocean. Instead it's at about a 45 degree angle and I think this is giving the illusion that the horizon is tilted.

Registered on November 2, 2009, 161 Posts, 2143 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on March 9, 2013 at 1:54 AM

With the d800 you MUST leave the LENR on. :/ HUGE downfall for this camera. I know the white spots you're talking about. There is a prog that does remove them, unlike LR, called, RAWTherapee (i think). Drives me up a wall.

Nice effect here sir :)

aF

Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on March 9, 2013 at 8:36 AM

This is very pleasing in its simplicity and colors. Even though there aren't a lot of elements in this, I find it quite engaging.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Jorne de Bruin on March 9, 2013 at 9:03 AM

Fantastic coastal abstract, really like these images! Top notch work!

Registered on June 26, 2008, 178 Posts, 2136 Comments

Comment posted by Chet Dowell on March 9, 2013 at 9:05 AM

This image has a very strong emotional appeal for me, Scott. I love the color and the sense of quiet, stillness. Super job.

Chet

Registered on December 3, 2012, 237 Posts, 1171 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on March 9, 2013 at 10:02 AM

Scott, This is really cool looking! What an awesome look and mood you created here with that long exposure. Very nice work on this! I love looking at it....

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on March 9, 2013 at 1:14 PM

This is fantastic, Scott. Your have condensed this scene to an image of line and angles, interspersed with stunning color and tonality. Absolutely superb.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on March 9, 2013 at 2:09 PM

I always love this type of stuff! Great work!

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on March 9, 2013 at 2:55 PM

Stunning

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by Gary McGhee on March 10, 2013 at 9:55 AM

Works for me Scott, love the pattern in the radiating clouds.

Gary.

Registered on April 15, 2010, 142 Posts, 2416 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on March 10, 2013 at 10:30 AM

Simplicity at it's best. This is a beautiful arrangement of lines and pastel colors, Scott.

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

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on March 10, 2013 at 12:00 PM

Exceptional. This has a creative edge I love. Add that to lovely light and color and its outstanding. Nice work

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on March 10, 2013 at 2:36 PM

Stunning image

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on March 12, 2013 at 12:37 AM

Funny I could swear it's tilted left on the small version but not the large version.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments

Comment posted by Jon Daining on March 14, 2013 at 10:26 PM

Gorgeous image, Scott. Love the long exposure. I can sympathize with the tedious denoise process!

Registered on February 25, 2012, 25 Posts, 191 Comments