Distant lighthouse

[madcrow]

Got this shot yesterday with Ballycotton lighthouse in the background.
Comments very welcome.
Thanks, Maurice.

[Geoff F]

Basically OK and a very tricky exposure to start with; but I just wonder if having so much dark sky is making the scene a fraction 'top heavy' ? I suspect a slight crop of the top would still have enough of a stormy feel but concentrate the viewer more on the rocks and sea instead of the sky.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Maurice,

I agree with Geoff's suggestion to crop some off the top, say about 15% of image height.

I like the tonal range and think that's about right in terms of balance between foreground, distant background and sky (just need a bit less area of the latter).

Is the lighthouse that tall building on top of the island/hill?

Dave

[DanK]

I agree with Geoff and Dave's comments.

I find these sorts of shots very hard. I just spent two days on a boat traveling along the Norwegian coast, which looks somewhat similar. If you use a long lens, you lose the sweep of the view, but if you use a wide lens, interesting detail becomes tiny. My only solution has been to crop severely at the top, bottom, or both. A panorama would be better than a severe crop, but not practical on a boat...

In this case, the crop that Geoff and Dave suggested will help address this.

[madcrow]

Basically OK and a very tricky exposure to start with; but I just wonder if having so much dark sky is making the scene a fraction 'top heavy' ? I suspect a slight crop of the top would still have enough of a stormy feel but concentrate the viewer more on the rocks and sea instead of the sky.

Geoff, Dave, and Dan, thanks for advice and comments.
Maurice.

[madcrow]

Hi Maurice,

I agree with Geoff's suggestion to crop some off the top, say about 15% of image height.

I like the tonal range and think that's about right in terms of balance between foreground, distant background and sky (just need a bit less area of the latter).

Is the lighthouse that tall building on top of the island/hill?

Dave

Dave, yes lighthouse is on the island. Thanks for advice.
Maurice.

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured.

[JBW]

Geoff, Dave, and Dan, thanks for advice and comments.
Maurice.

Maurice forgive my impertinence? Flipping and re-posting your shot seemed the best way to make sense of my suggestion. A simple flip draws my eyes to the lighthouse and makes me feel as if the waves are coming at me.

[Craigie]

Very atmospheric, nice shot Maurice.

[Stagecoach]

Maurice,

I have looked at this a few times and whilst I like the scene I felt it had more potential. Whilst the lighthouse is a part of the scene the craggy rocks and surf lines have the greatest impact to me.

Hopefully you do not mind (I'll remove it if you wish) but here is my interpretation and I'm not sure why the flip works better for me but I'll blame Brian

Basically I have dropped the highlights in the sky, crisped up the rocks and surf, cropped to remove some of the dark sky and the horizon to the edge of the lighthouse rock.

[madcrow]

Nicely captured.

John, thanks.
Maurice.

[madcrow]

Maurice forgive my impertinence? Flipping and re-posting your shot seemed the best way to make sense of my suggestion. A simple flip draws my eyes to the lighthouse and makes me feel as if the waves are coming at me.

Brian, never though of doing that and I like it, well done. Your forgive.
Thanks, Maurice.

[madcrow]

Very atmospheric, nice shot Maurice.

Gary, thanks.
Maurice.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Maurice I really like Grahame's edit although the image is more about the beautiful view now rather than the lighthouse.

[madcrow]

Maurice,

I have looked at this a few times and whilst I like the scene I felt it had more potential. Whilst the lighthouse is a part of the scene the craggy rocks and surf lines have the greatest impact to me.

Hopefully you do not mind (I'll remove it if you wish) but here is my interpretation and I'm not sure why the flip works better for me but I'll blame Brian

Basically I have dropped the highlights in the sky, crisped up the rocks and surf, cropped to remove some of the dark sky and the horizon to the edge of the lighthouse rock.

Grahame, nice job, I can see what you mean. I like what you did. Your forgive, please do not remove.
Thanks, Maurice.

[madcrow]

Hi Maurice I really like Grahame's edit although the image is more about the beautiful view now rather than the lighthouse.

Binnur, I have to agree with you about Grahame edit.
Thanks, Maurice.

[JBW]

Brian, never though of doing that and I like it, well done. Your forgive.
Thanks, Maurice.

my pleasure

[Wavelength]

O, that's a very distant light house indeed Great atmosphere too

[NorthernFocus]

Quite a nice seascape. The cropping and edits really brought out the potential of the scene. Flipping the image will seem an improvement to some and not to others. For whatever reason my brain prefers to see motion going from left to right so the original was just fine in that regard. Then there's the thing about altering a recognizable location. It may work for us out here on the web but not likely with a local audience. Nicely seen and captured with some good editing options thrown in for good measure.

[madcrow]

O, that's a very distant light house indeed Great atmosphere too

Nandakumar, thanks.
Maurice.