Muskegon Pier Lighthouse

[Harpo]

Just got back from a motorcycle trip to the Midwest USA. Took the car ferry across Lake Michigan from Muskegon MI to Milwaukee WI. This is leaving the channel out into Lake Michigan. Handheld from the top deck of the ferry. Does this work compositionally without a foreground considering where it was taken? Cropped and minimal PP done in iPhoto. On the left side of the frame there was distracting junk on the deck I cropped out, hence being close to the edge of the cottage.


Muskegon Pier Lighthouse by Michael VerVelde Photography, on Flickr

1/200, f/11, 69mm, iso 200

[Bobobird]

Really cool pic and so scenic.

[rpcrowe]

I wondered how it would look with less sky and water. I had to cut off the top of the antenna but, don't think it matters that much. The pier sort of makes a leading line to the lighthouses, the horizon is at the top 1/3 of the image and I think that the Coast Guard cutter is in a great place.

[FrankMi]

Nice image, Mike! I like Richard's crop and border as well as it emphasizes the subject.

[Dizzy]

I think Richard is on to something there with the tighter crop. I took a wag at it also, and
did the same crop as Richard, and leveled out the horizon:




Mike

[Harpo]

Yeah, I was wondering if I should clone out the mast coming off the building too…then crop out more of the sky. Ill give that a try to clean it up Thanks for the suggestion.

Richard, the border… is that in photoshop? I have CS3 on my computer that I have yet to master and plan to focus on that this winter.

[epmi314]

I agree level horizon and crop out the mast in the cottage. Don't know if some of the junk to the left of the cottage could also be cloned out to give a little more room to the left. I'm not certain it is needed though. I really like the image with the recommended tweeks. As a Michigander this thread immediately caught my eye! Taking the ferry is so much more enjoyable than fighting the Chicago traffic for hours on end, unless you plan on shooting some cityscapes.

[MrB]

Mike, I think it would be a shame to crop out the sea, because you then lose those wonderful reflections. I would try a small clockwise rotation to level the sea, lower the top of the antenna, and then put the horizon on the top third line. A bit of local contrast enhancement on the sea helps to bring out those reflections -



Philip