Compositionally a nice picture, but had you been able to get your camera a little higher to leave out the waterline horizon (which does appear to be a little out of true) I think it might have been even better. Your exposure shows good shadow detail and the reflections on the sand together with the water patterns make this into a very pleasing upload. Showing the hand rails angling into the picture adds a nice touch. You must have had a little discussion with yourself about camera settings I think, and please correct me if I have seen this incorrectly. You wanted to have a minus compensation to cater for the sun's reflections on the sand, but might also have wanted some positive compensation for the shadow detail. Settling for 2/3 has done both reasonable well but has left the highlights of the smooth sand a little light and the shadow detail just a little dark. A good compromise shown Paul, I like it. Frank

Compositionally a nice picture, but had you been able to get your camera a little higher to leave out the waterline horizon (which does appear to be a little out of true) I think it might have been even better.
Your exposure shows good shadow detail and the reflections on the sand together with the water patterns make this into a very pleasing upload. Showing the hand rails angling into the picture adds a nice touch.
You must have had a little discussion with yourself about camera settings I think, and please correct me if I have seen this incorrectly. You wanted to have a minus compensation to cater for the sun's reflections on the sand, but might also have wanted some positive compensation for the shadow detail. Settling for 2/3 has done both reasonable well but has left the highlights of the smooth sand a little light and the shadow detail just a little dark. A good compromise shown Paul, I like it.

Frank

Thanks Frank. I did lighten the shadows a bit with the dodge tool as I remember - following the 'under expose to protect detail' rule. I am wondering if the whole thing might be better a little darker? Paul

Thanks Frank. I did lighten the shadows a bit with the dodge tool as I remember - following the 'under expose to protect detail' rule. I am wondering if the whole thing might be better a little darker?

Paul

It IS the sort of thing that I shoot, Paul, and that's why I like it. The shadow looks like a wonky ladder on the sand:D. In some ways, I agree with Frank about the horizon being unnecessary, but I do like the way the top of your railings run along it. The two dark areas top right tend to spoil the clean outlines of the railings, though, so I'd crop those out. The line that needs to be straight, apart from the horizon, to my mind, is the end of the railings on the right. The biggest problem in editing this is the large dark area below and to the left of the railings, which I found became a little too dark when adding contrast. I assume this is the area that you lifted with the dodge tool? I've done a modification where I used perspective correction, using the front of the railings and the horizon lines, then brightened the image and darkened the railings and shadow, and also used Levels to add a bit of colour. I cloned out the bits top right and put in a bit of sea. My second mod has some canvas added to the left, to give the railings a bit more breathing space. The perspective correction obviously resulted in losing some of the image edges, so I cloned in some of the right side. The brightening is obviously a personal choice, and I did try your idea of darkening it, but wasn't at all happy with that. Pamela.

It IS the sort of thing that I shoot, Paul, and that's why I like it. The shadow looks like a wonky ladder on the sand.
In some ways, I agree with Frank about the horizon being unnecessary, but I do like the way the top of your railings run along it. The two dark areas top right tend to spoil the clean outlines of the railings, though, so I'd crop those out.
The line that needs to be straight, apart from the horizon, to my mind, is the end of the railings on the right.
The biggest problem in editing this is the large dark area below and to the left of the railings, which I found became a little too dark when adding contrast. I assume this is the area that you lifted with the dodge tool?
I've done a modification where I used perspective correction, using the front of the railings and the horizon lines, then brightened the image and darkened the railings and shadow, and also used Levels to add a bit of colour. I cloned out the bits top right and put in a bit of sea. My second mod has some canvas added to the left, to give the railings a bit more breathing space.
The perspective correction obviously resulted in losing some of the image edges, so I cloned in some of the right side.
The brightening is obviously a personal choice, and I did try your idea of darkening it, but wasn't at all happy with that.
Pamela.

Nothing much to add to what has been said already. It just occurred to me that it might work well in mono so have produced a mod and brought out a little more shadow detail and converted to mono. Albert

Nothing much to add to what has been said already. It just occurred to me that it might work well in mono so have produced a mod and brought out a little more shadow detail and converted to mono.

Albert

I like your own suggestion best paul, - darker. the shot is a bit flat to me, and its got nothing to do with the sea, its about the rail, the shadow, and the texture of the sand. Darker works for this, - I used the actual shadow of the rail on the sand as a black reference, and cropped severely, straightening the left post into the bargain, It may be a bot too severe for some tastes, but it works for me. The horizon is not off level either, - there a very slight pincushion due to I expect a wide lens, thought the exif doesnt say which focal length you used. Regards Willie

I like your own suggestion best paul, - darker.

the shot is a bit flat to me, and its got nothing to do with the sea, its about the rail, the shadow, and the texture of the sand.

Darker works for this, - I used the actual shadow of the rail on the sand as a black reference, and cropped severely, straightening the left post into the bargain, It may be a bot too severe for some tastes, but it works for me.

The horizon is not off level either, - there a very slight pincushion due to I expect a wide lens, thought the exif doesnt say which focal length you used.




Regards


Willie

Some interesting stuff and on a shot type I rarely take. I think all the mods work one way or another. I did start with it darker, and, having looked at Willies mod, that ids the way I would go - just shows how subjective photography is. Am pretty sure the horizon is straight - just lens effect. Must keep my eyes open more in future. Paul

Some interesting stuff and on a shot type I rarely take. I think all the mods work one way or another. I did start with it darker, and, having looked at Willies mod, that ids the way I would go - just shows how subjective photography is. Am pretty sure the horizon is straight - just lens effect.

Must keep my eyes open more in future.

Paul