Oregon Coast Monolith Series

[ShaneS]

I've looked at these images for too long and too often now so it's time to set them free and see what you folks think...

This is a series of shots of the monoliths that dot the shoreline along the Oregon Coast. It is an awe inspiring sight but I found them challenging to capture and only had one early morning to do so on the trip.

A close up of some of the rocks:



A wider view:



Another shot that I have titled "Pirouette" as it seems to me that the rock resembles a dancer that is gracefully executing a spin.



And last, but not least, "Face Rock" which is so named due to an Indian legend that tells of a girl that the sea God Seatco tried to abduct one night but she knew that he would succeed if she looked at him so she cast her eyes to the heavens and remains immortalized in formation of this monolith. Do you see her profile?



The story is much longer and more interesting than what I wrote here. Click through if you are interested in reading the whole Face Rock Legend


I will definitely go back at some point to try and capture these lovely feats of nature at different times of the day and under a variety of different lighting conditions. It is a trip that I can't recommend highly enough and encourage everyone to put it on their 'to see' list.

As always, any and all C&C welcome.

[John 2]

Very interesting series and story Shane. Lots of lovely texture in the rock (low light - early morning?). My only suggestion might be that the skies aren't doing much for you and you could afford to crop some in each of the images IMHO. Incidentally, I would love to have seen more of that lovely reflection in no.3.

[deetheturk]

Nice captures Shane!

[Mark von Kanel]

B & W Please!

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured, especially the second image.

[dje]

The second is my favourite too Shane. It's the sense of depth I think. Mark's suggestion of B&W and John's suggestion of cropping off a fair bit of sky (making it a pano) would create a really good image I think. The problem with the colour shots is that the colours are a bit bland.

Dave

[pnodrog]

Interesting before reading the replies I had decided aesthetically I preferred the second but the sky lacked interest and could be cropped. I found all the images interesting.
B&W is for failed colours.... your colours and tones work well. Being ultra sophisticated (as you obviously are too) I am happy with the subtle colours...

[bnnrcn]

Nice series Shane My best is #2 and I agree with the other members about cropping empty skies.

[zkogut]

The coloring and WB seem spot on. Very nice photos.

[Geoff F]

I have a few similar scenes, Shane, where I keep looking for suitable angles then go away without anything in the camera!

So, for me, #1 needs a little less plain grey sky and a fraction more sea. #2 and #3 both work OK; but #3 is slightly better.

#4 would work better with a little more foreground and less sky.

Exposure and focus are both good. A 'nicer' sky would help, but they work OK as they are.

[ShaneS]

Thanks to everyone for your kind and thoughtful comments.

Many of you suggested removing some of the bland skies and while I do see your point I made and aesthetic choice to leave them in. They are very different images without the vastness of the sky and if they are cropped the images become more about the monoliths than the overall scene which was my goal to capture. Better skies would have been nice though

John, yes these were taken early morning around 7:30AM. Unfortunately I didn't capture the full reflection in #3 but I have a different monolith with a full reflection that I am working on....

Mark, I will likely make an effort to covert these images to mono in the near future and agree that they are good candidates for that presentation.

Greg, I considered utilizing more foreground in #4 but found that the breaking waves were a distraction (a long exposure would have been a good option but I don't have the filter). I also wanted to emphasize the myth about the girl looking to the heavens with this composition.

L.Paul, I'm not sure I've ever been called ultra sophisticated before but I kind of like the sound of that

[Donald]

B&W is for failed colours....

Can't agree with that remark at all. It suggests to me that the reason one makes a B & W is because the colour is not good enough. I can't think of any successful B & W photographer who thinks about it that way.

Read just some of the many quotes from people who shoot in B & W and you won't find that as a reason amongst them.

[TonyW]

I think these are really nice pictures just as they are. The colours are good and all that sky helps with the feeling of wide open space. They make me want to be there.

[nikon66]

That have you done good, nice though.

[pnodrog]

Can't agree with that remark at all. It suggests to me that the reason one makes a B & W is because the colour is not good enough. I can't think of any successful B & W photographer who thinks about it that way.

Read just some of the many quotes from people who shoot in B & W and you won't find that as a reason amongst them.

A very tongue in cheek remark that I knew was bound to and deservedly get shot down. However there are some photographs that work better in B&W just as a means to eliminate conflicting or distracting colours but it is not the case with these photographs.

They would work well in B&W and undoubtedly respond well to the required boost in tonal range and contrast.

What does irritate me a little is that some people (hopefully no CiC members) seem to think B&W photographs have greater artistic merit than colour.

[Nancy Moran G]

Thank you for the link. I over learning about things/places like this. YES, I see her face!
I really like the photos but am learning so not much critique from me.
However, I have a question. When I looked, I thought, 'oh, they're going to say use a filter for the sky'.
But no one did...? Would a filter have helped at 7:30 am ?
Nice photos.
Nancy

[Brownbear]

All beautiful, but the 2nd image is exceptionally beautiful to me. A wall hanger for sophisticates!

[ShaneS]

Tony, I think that this is one of the kindest compliments one can receive on an image:

They make me want to be there.

Or, maybe it's when someone like Christing says:

A wall hanger for sophisticates!

I can't decide but I thank you both

Nancy, I did try out a number of filter colors for the sky in post processing but they were so bland that nothing was going to help them get more defined without them getting extremely noisy. I'm glad you liked the link - I too love the stories behind places

Thanks again to everyone

[FrankMi]

Excellent views, Shane!

One thing I would try, particularly with the third image, is to shoot a few from a lower angle, very close to the ground. That approach should allow you to capture most, if not all of the reflection without having to back up. It can also add a greater sense of depth to the image. It might not work as well for the second image as the monoliths in the background would start to get covered by those in the foreground. For the second image I would be tempted to go with more of a 2:1 aspect ratio but being careful to not split the scene in two horizontally.

[IzzieK]

Oh Shane...all of them are so beautiful and exciting that it makes me feel like wanting to be there. I have quite a few friends from Oregon so I can put this one on my bucket list when I get the chance. As Paul said, there is no reason to change this ones to black and white. The WB is perfect. YOu have improved so much in your shots and if you continue like this, you might outdo Christina...

I love #2 in all of them until I saw #3 and #4. Now I can't decide which one I like best of all now. Love the story of #4. If there was no story to that monolith I would have easily pick the face and everyone will be annoyed at me for being too out there with my head in the cloud imagining shapes and faces.

Where is Jack? He should see this ones too...it will be more fun.......and no, he did not disappear with me either...

Moar....Shane...want moarrrr shots...