Sunset over the industrial Thames

[ionian]

To the west of London, the Thames river is a meandering slice of suburban heaven. To the east, it is a hub of industry and shipping. I live to the east! We have been experiencing some sort of heatwave in recent days, so I thought I'd pop down to the river and admire the sunset looking west towards the QE2 bridge.

As always, C&C are very welcome. Particular concerns are: should I clone out the blurred lorries on the bridge (I quite like the movement in an otherwise static scene so haven't as yet) and do you feel the foreground / bridge areas are underexposed?

Oh, and I have actually sharpened these (I normally forget) so if you feel they need more sharpening I'd be grateful if you'd say so, as I will need to look at the way I'm handling this!

1.


2.


3.

[Donald]

For me, #2 and # 3 don't work as well. I feel that the picture doesn't need what looks like, the muddy shore in the foreground.

I think the first one is a beauty. Again, for me, it doesn't need any more sharpening for on-screen display. I think it's a very strong composition and those trucks on the bridge contribute to the image. Don't take them out.

What does distract me though, are those still-sunlit clouds up at the top left. For that reason, I wonder about a crop to a 16:9 ratio. That gets rid of those clouds and gives it more of a panorama feel.

Well done, Simon. That's one for the portfolio.

[ionian]

Thanks Donald - always nice to get positive feedback off the bat! I was looking to create some diagonal lines in images 2 and 3, with the shoreline and gullies, to juxtapose that straight horizon and bridge. A nice beached boat would have given me a foreground focal point, but alas there was nothing but mud. It's a local spot to me and is likely to constantly change, so one that I will undoubtedly revisit in the future.

[Geoff F]

I don't mind the muddy foreground but I think there is probably too much of it in #2.

Much the same regarding that lorry. Possibly a number of vehicles or none at all would be my overall choice, but any of those options would still work for me.

[DougR]

I agree with Donald. When I hold on the crop tool and move the picture to the top of the screen, cropping into the bottom set of clouds works for me.

Nice picture.

[bnnrcn]

I like #1 and #3. I would crop #1 from the top to eliminate the small clouds next to the frame

PS. Too much FG with sand in #2.

[John 2]

Nicely exposed set of images Simon. I too would crop the first from the top to produce the same aspect ratio as the second and third. 1, 3 and then 2 in that order for me.

[Barbara Ponder]

I agree with Binnur! #1 is especially lovely!

[ionian]

Thanks for all the comments, much appreciated. I agree about the crop to a 16:9 ratio on image 1. I was trying to show the sunrays in my original crop, but it certainly works better without those top clouds. Updated image below.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/uvSSfp]

[Shadowman]

Nice set, the sky is the key point within these scenes.

[bnnrcn]

The crop looks better

[gregj1763]

Agreed, the edited version of#1 is my pick.
Well done Simon

[IzzieK]

I thought of cropping the little clouds too but I fear that the slight crepuscular rays on the top right will be affected too much but the edit is better than the original here and you did not completely cut off those c rays with some still showing...

[Krawuntzel]

Hello Simon
Version 2 of #1 is much better than the already good "original".
#2 does not work for me - not for the mud, but because the nearest ditch is leading the eye out of the picture.
#3 is working, because the mud is "pointing" to the bridge; the blurred lorries give me the impression of haste which is part of industry.
Erwin