Pacific Grove Evening

Gallery: LandscapePosted February 28, 2017242 views11 comments

OMG, more than 30 consecutive posts from Yosemite Valley.... does this guy go anywhere else? angel

Well, my wife and I took advantage of the small break in all the California storms and rain and spent the night in Pacific Grove. Weather was clear, but it was crisp and WINDY! It was so windy I had no business attempting to photograph, even with a tripod. I think gusts were at or near 30mph; I put myself between the wind and the trip and tried to put my weight on the tripod, but at 1/2 sec and longer exposures, the wind gusts.... well, needless to say all the images are quite soft. ;-) Only super PS processing and small web presentation allow me to even show this. So yes, this is not a tack sharp image.

So I just wanted to take a break from the Yosemite images and that I'm not adverse to taking landscape images that include sky and clouds!

I suppose I could have jacked up the iso, opened up and shot with a much higher shutter speed, but I was specifically looking for the effect in the water from the somewhat slower shutter speed. Trade offs, now I don't have a sharp image. taken at iso 50, f/22 at .8sec

Just because I'm not going to post this one in it's own thread, I'm posting the same scene (tighter zoom) captured exactly 20min later, f/22 @5sec. I also took liberties in processing and might even be considered PA. I boosted the colors a bit using a LAB color processed layer, then laid a b&w layer on top, and painted back in some hints of color in the water and rocks. I kinda like the results and would love to hear your responses.

Thank you for your continued comments and responses to my posts.

Lon

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on February 28, 2017 at 1:53 AM

Here's a tighter image of the same scene captured 20 min after the first. Thanks for looking and leaving comments about one or both.

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on February 28, 2017 at 8:46 AM

Before reading your posting notes, Lon, I thought Yosemite must have expanded since I was there, or else the flooding in California is even worse than I heard! enlightened

I like the light and wave action in the OP, and there is enough color in the sky to make make the overall comp work nicely. Overall, a very beautiful and well composed/executed seascape. Really sharpness, the foreground rocks look nice and sharp, but I agree with you about the distant rocks. Kind of odd that the far rocks don't look as sharp.

Re the tighter comp, I like the color and effect of the slow ss giving this an ethereal quality. I like the tighter comp except that I am a bit bothered by the cut-off rocks in the upper left. Althoguh I like the rocks and water action in the upper right, I think I prefer the image overall with the top cropped to just below the upper rocks.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Moreau on February 28, 2017 at 8:49 AM

Lon, I prefer the first post. I like the contrasting colors, the light, and the texture of the water. That's not to say I don't like the second though, it has a nice dreamy feeling. It looks like the horizon in the original post is just a little bit curved.

Registered on April 21, 2015, 64 Posts, 584 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on February 28, 2017 at 12:35 PM

My first reaction was that this was likely a Chris Chamberlain image of the Oregon coastline.

Although I like both images I prefer the 2nd one because it leaves more for the imagination. With that in mind I think the composition would be stronger with more 'reality' cropped out so that the 'fantasy' plays a more prominent role. That would require quite a bit of removal so I don't know how you would feel about that. The ideal composition would contain all the 'misty' rocks in the water and the sharp dark rocks directly in front of the large 'misty' rock. Some of the fg would use up the lrc.

I think this is an idea with a lot of potential that needs to be worked over and experimented with. To be honest I've never really liked these misty shoreline subjects, but you've shown that when all the elements come together optimally they can be made to look really good.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Prashant Khapane on February 28, 2017 at 5:02 PM

I like this despite not being super sharp. That is just once aspect. Have you considered cropping the sky? Not sure if it adds.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 492 Posts, 4580 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on February 28, 2017 at 7:44 PM

Lon, I like the second image here the best. It does seem soft but I can overlook that for just the image itself. First thought was to crop just the upper line of rocks because they run out of the frame and I see Scott was thinking the same thing. I might then try and bring out the warmth and light in those foreground rocks. I like the slower shutter speed and misty look and feel.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI.

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

Comment posted by gary phillips on February 28, 2017 at 9:43 PM

Holy cow, I thought you must reside in Yosemite, or at the very least have an inholding there. I bet your wife made you go to realize that there is a big world out there. sad

. I like both versions. Too bad you're not happy with the sharpness. When you post near flawless images time after time, perfection gets in the way. It looks fine to me, but that's meaningless unless you're happy. I haven't seen the ocean for a long time, so I enjoyed your experiment. I also enjoyed the second image. Processing techniques are way over my pay grade. I think the background rocks could use a bit more color, but that's my only nit. Glad you got out of your element. Too bad the wind had to blow so hard.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on March 1, 2017 at 3:29 PM

This works for me, Lon. The sharpness is pretty dang good, given the wind. The color looks very natural.

I like the re-post, too for its attention to the details. I would like to see a bit more of the rocks at the top. I like the wave mist in both images, and the drama is very evident.
--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on March 2, 2017 at 10:17 PM

I prefer the original post because of the warm light on the rocks. I like the way that you layered the various elements in the composition.

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on March 6, 2017 at 12:54 AM

That warm light in the first image works better for me too. The layers are broken apart enough to make it hard for my eye to settle in the comp.

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on March 6, 2017 at 9:52 PM

Lon: Thought I would treat myself to a stroll through your gallery and was sh frown

cked to see a seascape from you! enlightened

Sharpness issues aside I love the effect of the slow SS and the light is pretty darn good. I love the Pacific coast, especially Oregon where I spent a lot of my childhood. This reminds me of these wild untamed waters and feeling the salt spray flying off the rocks. Captures the mood really well. Most excellent.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments