Boats amongst the grass

[Geoff F]

It was a still but slightly hazy morning, soon to turn wet, and I was looking for a few more photos to make my 2012 Calendar. For friends etc, not produced for commercial gain.

So I found a suitable spot and took some rather predictable photos. Then as I started to walk away I saw these boats pulled up on the grass bank which looked like a possible interesting and different autumn scene to me.



I've moved the WB towards the red but I'm not sure if I have overdone it.

I took some prints to the local pub for review and most people preferred the standard sort of scene. But one guy who has good photographic knowledge and a sharp critical eye instantly picked this image.

So I'm uncertain which one to use. But there is still plenty of time to get some much better shots before the new year anyway.

This was probably the best of the more conventional scenes.

[Donald]

Geoff

First reactions ...

I go with your friend in the pub and agree that the boats in the grass is an attention-grabber. But ........... I think the depth you've created in the 'conventional' scene also puts it in the 'this is very good' bracket.

I wonder what the boats amongst the grass would look like with a bit of LCE (Local Contrast Enhancement) on them just to make them 'pop' a little bit more. I acknowledge your comment about it being hazy and just about to turn wet. So there wouldn't have been a lot of contrast. And maybe LCE would remove the sense of peace and tranquility that's in this image. But I'd like to try just a little bit.

So - Boats amongst the grass' should definitely be in the calendar.

The conventional image? I'd say it was still a strong candidate. I wondered about a bit of burning on the water in the foreground (very lightly, just to take off the extreme brightness? But other than that ........!

[Geoff F]

Thanks for the comments, Donald.

The boats in grass photo has lost a bit of zip during conversion to an internet size; the print is much sharper and with better contrast. I will try a little LCE possibly with a masked layer so some areas don't get overdone.

Many of my other shots of the second scene have absolutely perfect reflection but it is just a little too much and you can't see the tide mark on those stakes. They just don't look real. Possibly, I might try to add a little blur to the reflected image area.

With the one here, that little bit of tide scum drifted up the creek and created a patch of obvious real/reflection variation. But as you say, even this could probably be improved with a fraction more contrast.

Incidentally, those stakes mark the edges of a road which gets submerged on every tide. I have another shot which, in the distance, shows part of the road which stays above water and there is a person on a horse just entering the water.

But there are also a couple of gulls in the foreground immediately in front of the horse. So the perspective looks weird; either giant gulls or a miniature horse.

[Bobobird]

Both look very good to me but what do I know hehe.