The Twisted Jetty

[grumpy hec]

Hi

This is my first post on this forum so I thought it ought to be where I live. Home is Mersea island on the east coast of the UK. This is a view across one of the creeks, Strood Channel, seperating us from the mainland. The jetty does not get much use anymore but is great photgraphic subject



Twisted Jetty-1.jpg by Grumpy Hec, on Flickr

Taken with a 10 stop filter to give the sky more drama and processed in LR and PSE.

Look forward to comments and ideas for improvement.

cheers

Hec

[Polar01]

Hec: I like the feeling that the image gives with the long lead into the distance. I have used 10 stops alot and are really good a giving a time and motion feel to the image. It looks like the clouds were coming at you out of the west as you state that the channel separates you from the main land (being from across the pond I hope I have the directions correct). If you want to have some fun might I suggest you reopen the orginal file in RAW, using the crop tool crop the sky, then click on the magnify tool to inlarge the image, now just work the sky, once you get it to what you want, click on crop tool, pull down clear crop, and you will see the hold image. Now save it with a slightly different name (-1), open the first file in PSE, duplicate the first layer, then go to File>place, (get the image that you worked the sky), now that image is layered on top the orginal, add a mask, invert to make it black, select a brush make sure the foreground is white and paint the new sky in. This is just a suggestion to have some fun.

Cheers:

Allan

[grumpy hec]

Hi Allan

Many thanks for your suggestion. I see what you are getting at.

Since I processed this I have discovered a few more techniques in B&W processing so I think I will have another go at this taking on board your ideas on working the sky a bit more. Interesting technique using the crop tool to enable easier working of a specifc area. Hadn't heard or thought of that one before.

BTW your conclusions on the direction of the shot and wind are pretty much spot on. Not a huge amount of wind on the day so I will have another try shooting this scene on a more stormy day to get greater movement in the sky.

A question for anybody. Is the image too dark?

I keep looking at it and thinking it's too murky even allowing for my intention of it creating a rather dark and moody feel. Interested in peoples thoughts on that.

cheers

Hec

[Donald]

The jetty does not get much use anymore but is great photgraphic subject

I can see what you mean, Hec. I could spend hours with that thing!

Congratulations on your first post - a very dramatic image. The one thing I wondered about was whether the jetty at bottom of the image, as far back as the edge of that pool of water on the left, could use a bit of a dodge just to bring a very slight bit more detail into it? My first impression was that it felt too dark and I found myself peering at that area around the old straw to see the detail.

Just something for you to consider.

[grumpy hec]

The one thing I wondered about was whether the jetty at bottom of the image, as far back as the edge of that pool of water on the left, could use a bit of a dodge just to bring a very slight bit more detail into it? My first impression was that it felt too dark and I found myself peering at that area around the old straw to see the detail.

Thanks Donald

I take your point. I'm going to have another go at processing this from step 0 taking into account the comments.

My thoughts on the dark foreground was originally to set up a gradient leading the eye through the picture along the jetty and give a sense of depth. Problem is I was clearly in a particularly gloomy mood and got a bit carried away!

Best I try again

cheers

Hec

[Polar01]

Hec: I took a quick go at your sky to give a bit more drama, as is it too dark and gloomy, I do not feel so, you are trying to show a way that the image took you. Some say that a image tells a story, I do not think this way, instead I believe that the viewer, views the image and creates there own story. There maybe similar stories, but each one slightly different. I agree with Donald that the area he point to could be lighten up just a slight touch. Love the mood and drama of the story that I write from it,

Cheers:

Allan

[grumpy hec]

Thanks again Allan. I do see where you are coming from.

When I get the time, hopefully inn the next day or two, I'll re-process from scratch with lessons learnt.

In the meantime I'll watch the weather to have another shooting session and try and get the image I'm after. I can feel this going on for ages!!. Happily it's only a very short distance way from my house so I can dash down when conditions look good.

cheers

Hec

[grumpy hec]

I have reworked this image taking on board some of the comments I received previously.

Would be grateful for more feedback.




Many thanks


Hec

[JohnnyG]

And then, there's the total "grunge" look which though perhaps a little overcontrasted/overcooked, adds a wholely different mood to the scene. Maybe somewhere in the middle...who knows.

[grumpy hec]

There's always something to be said for the "over the top" look on occasions