Strangers on the beach

[GrahamH]

I'm not used to asking people if I can take their picture, but with the lady in the chair, it just made the shot. Using a super-wide, I kinda had to ask as I had to be so close.
Showed the back of the camera pic and I gave her my card and she e-mailed later, loved the pic when I e-mailed it to her.
Sky was gorgeous.

Graham

[kdoc856]

Great shot, Graham. Huge dynamic range to contend with and you managed it masterfully. Great color, perfect timing and placement of your 3 central elements. A lot of technical excellence here. Trivial point: do you keep or remove the tiny outcropping on the extreme left? Super image, regardless.

Kevin

ps: I admire anyone with the chutzpah to ask a subject for shooting permission. I just sneak my shots and run if they scowl at me.

[Shadowman]

This photo falls under intended use and ability to recognize the subject regarding the legal need to ask permission. But when in doubt, on the intended use and abililty to recognize; it is usually a good idea for the photographer to ask. One turn of the head for both parties and you would have a different story.

Nice image, has a bit of a curve to it, was this done with a fisheye or telephoto? Just reread the post and saw what lens you used.

[Geoff F]

A pity that the woman in the chair isn't as perfectly sharp as the other figures. That would have made a guaranteed prizewinner.

[Donald]

That is, in my opinion, a wonderfully composed image. Everything is in the right place.

[GrahamH]

Thanks for the comments. The sky down here is spectacular on a regular basis. Sunsets could be better but the clouds are often too low to give the large vista I like.

Shadowman, I deliberately positioned myself so her face couldn't be seen so that I could avoid legalities (or at least practice doing so). Do you feel that she is recognisable even though the face can't be seen? I believe that your first statement agrees that she isn't recognisable, but I want to make sure I understand. Thanks.

Kevin, Geoff, Donald. I've also posted below the original SOOC (JPEG, I shoot RAW/JPEG and usually process from RAW). You can now see the work done on it.
The two people I deliberately photographed in another image (also posted) but the composition wasn't as good (I've also helped that female to lose at least 30 lbs and regain a figure 30 years ago). THAT image had better balance, but I preferred the second composition and merged the two appropriately. The chair woman needed more visual weight hence the change of position (got closer), which meant it was harder to get everything within DoF range.
I don't take pictures, I make images .

Graham

Woman in chair, close up. Could be a bit sharper, but fairly decent. Should have selectively sharpened her.


SOOC - jpg.


Second image

[Plumcrak]

And wonderful images they are! Well done

[ggt]

Oh, I love the angles of the clouds. After looking the picture over, I wondered if you'd cloned something around the clouds to the left of the woman in the chair --and seeing your original, you did! Maybe if the clouds didn't look so stacked above each other? I know, I shouldn't have noticed at all. I seems as thought they clouds were like that originally, but not having the "bathers" there made them stand-out to me.

The colors are fantastic --really "ooh ahh"!

[GrahamH]

Hi Gretchen,
Yup quite a bit of cloning went on to clean up the scene. And I could have done a better job left of the chair.
I like the challenge of attentive people, makes me see things differently, keep up the good work.
The colours really are like that.
The camera doesn't get the same effect straight out of camera to match my memory of it.
Or is it that I interpret the scene with the more saturated colours automatically?
Graham

[ggt]

Graham, Thanks for your kind words. I can get way OCD about things -I hope everyone knows to tell me to be quiet when it gets to be too much.

I don't know about the color. Sometimes the colors in photos seem unbelievable, until you visit the location yourself and realize the photo doesn't begin to capture the full effect. I had that experience in New Mexico. I got out of the airport and immediately began figuring how I would paint the landscape in watercolor --then I realized why so many artists settle in Santa Fe. It's just so incredible, the photos and artwork depicting the area are real, not fantasized--and at the same time don't fully communicate the beauty. Now, I see artwork from the area and fill in the gaps myself.

Thanks for posting this, I'm still taken aback by the sky. Just wonderful!

[Sergio M.]

Graham, I have to agree with everyone what a great set of images. I especially like the sky and clouds. Awesome exposure.

Serge

[GrahamH]

Thanks Serge and Gretchen for your comments.
I haven't had the experience of a major storm (tropical or hurricane) and am looking forward to the experience as a photographer. Of course, once I have been through it then I may change my mind . There is a hurricane shelter nearby however.
I used to take many pictures of cloud scenes, forming a library for other uses but now down here, in my new location, the clounds are so frequently awesome. It's nice to be spoilt for choice, although I will miss the ice and snow of southern Ontario.
Strange beastie I am.
Graham