My Blue Period

[dubaiphil]

Picasso's Blue Period was between 1901 and 1904. Mine was considerably shorter, lasting one drunken afternoon during a Friday Brunch in Dubai - 2009.

We were enjoying ourselves at a restaurant 250m above the coast and in the late afternoon a hazy fog drifted in off the sea. This, combined with the cloud base just above our 'altitude' sandwiched the Atlantis hotel in the distance and the fronds of The Palm.

It was very murky but a little pp brought out the detail I wanted and for some reason I added a blue filter

Still, I quite like it

N.B. Posting on forums while under the influence is not recommended - neither is post processing!

[James G]

Phil, one word, ethereal! It wakens childhood? memories of reading Kim, and the Arabian nights, works for me.

[Mark von Kanel]

Phil, one word, ethereal! It wakens childhood? memories of reading Kim, and the Arabian nights, works for me.

was going to use exactly the same description. Nice one phil.

[oleleclos]

Still, I quite like it

I don't just like this picture, I love it

A fine demonstration, in my view, of the fact that pictures don't have to stick to reality but we have the freedom to make of them what we want.

[dubaiphil]

Thanks James, Mark and Ole. Something a little different. I tried various crops but prefer the negative space at the top of this version.

[MilT0s]

Great image Pablo.

[Donald]

I tried various crops but prefer the negative space at the top of this version.

I'd absolutely go with that view. It's the fact, in that statement above, you reveal that this image is as it is because it was planned that way is, for me, the important thing. So often negative space like this exists through accident or because the photographer just never got around to thinking about it.

As you (I) move the image about on the screen to see it with various crops from the top, it loses all the 'magic' that it possesses in this original format. Wonderfully creative stuff.

[Ken Curtis]

Phil. I'm going to take your advice and drink more if this is the kind of creativity that comes with hitting the bottle. I'm going to add a bottle of Scotch to my camera bag!

[rpcrowe]

I like the crop like you did it. It is a wonderfully magical image but, totally outside your accustomed style. It's nice to be a bit different every once in a while - alcohol or no alcohol!

[Dave Humphries]

Love it Phil

[dutyhog]

The blue is very effective - makes me feel cold winter. The symmetry of the main subject is fine, and the overall symmetry is nicely broken by the cross gradient and the foreground detail. Always worth exploring in Photoshop. G

[jeeperman]

Well seen, Phil. Beer goggles or no. Ilike this as is and as Donald said, changed....it loses it's magic. I think Ken may be on to something.

[Stagecoach]

It's pretty rare that we see coloured filters used at PP stage but what an excellent example this is. A stunning picture !

[Bobobird]

Fairyland......

[ggt]

I like your blue period!

[dubaiphil]

Thanks everyone - right place at the right time, luckily...