Approaching storm

[Guest]

On a wintry day we went for a drive to our nearby coast. Rugged up well I took these. I struggle with landscape/seascapes so feel free to say where these can be improved.

Dark clouds approaching Middleton Beach - a popular surfing beach.


Looking towards "The Bluff" - local landmark.

[David Morison]

Re: Approaching storm

I particularly like #2 with the contrast of the sun on the rocks, although it was a shame you didn't have the breakers there as in #1. #1 is a bit too gloomy, it's a pity there is no sun on the shore in this one. The horizon in #1 is a little skewed even from this angle.

Did you get your feet wet?

David

[Guest]

Re: Approaching storm

As David says, the horizon is skewed, it's the first thing a viewer will notice. Nevertheless, both shots certainly capture the wintry day and hopefully fair skies will return for the remainder of your getaway.

[Janet]

Re: Approaching storm

I love the drama of the first one, although the horizon is a distraction.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

Janet x

[Ann1e]

Re: Approaching storm

Brings back memories, Lyn -

We travelled down to Victor Harbour with my cousins and then along this part of the coast before heading back to Adelaide via Goolwa. We walked across the causeway to Granite Island - what an beautiful area this is! You're lucky to have this so close to home.

Regards,
Ann1e

[Cathrine Stephansen]

Re: Approaching storm

I'm pretty certain the horizon in the first can be fixed. I tried 3 degrees clock-wise in PS, an that makes a straight horizon. Both the sky and the sea should be clonable so you don't have to crop away too much to straighten the horizon.

[Guest]

Re: Approaching storm

Lyn

I've taken your storm, levelled it (2.2 degrees) and played with the curves (primarily to give more contrast in the mid range) and increased the saturation.

I was thinking about that clarity of light you get around a storm edge.

Whilst it wasn't planned I think the crop suits the shot



Nick

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

As David says, the horizon is skewed, it's the first thing a viewer will notice. Nevertheless, both shots certainly capture the wintry day and hopefully fair skies will return for the remainder of your getaway.

Hi Mark - I usually don't argue back (being the meek soul that Iam!) but in this instance I want to say something about that horizon.
Living in this area all my life, I have intimate knowledge of this coastline. The "skewed horizon" in the far distance is actually the start of the Coorong Sandhills, a coastline much loved by South Australians. I did consider straightening it, but it is an integral part of that piece of coast.

Having said that however, I concede that to a viewer not used to our coast, some would see it as perhaps not photographically correct.

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

I particularly like #2 with the contrast of the sun on the rocks, although it was a shame you didn't have the breakers there as in #1. #1 is a bit too gloomy, it's a pity there is no sun on the shore in this one. The horizon in #1 is a little skewed even from this angle.

Did you get your feet wet?

David

Thanks David - Point taken about the horizon (reluctantly ) See reply to Pandora.
No - feet remained dry but shortly after taking #2 the heavens opened and it was a run up a steep flight of steps to the car - with Camera tucked under my jacket.

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

I love the drama of the first one, although the horizon is a distraction.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

Janet x

Thanks Janet - I was trying to capture the moodiness of the day.
It was just a day trip. We Aussies think nothing of travelling 200kms for a day trip.
On our one and only visit to England in the 1980's we stayed at a B & B near Stourhead. Our hosts were only about 25kms from the garden, but had never been there. They were amazed when we decided to visit it in a morning! We are used to travelling vast distances at home.

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

Brings back memories, Lyn -

We travelled down to Victor Harbour with my cousins and then along this part of the coast before heading back to Adelaide via Goolwa. We walked across the causeway to Granite Island - what an beautiful area this is! You're lucky to have this so close to home.

Regards,
Ann1e

Thanks Annie - Port Elliot, which you will probably remember, is a small town in between Goolwa and Victor Harbour. It is my home town - parents had the local Bakery there for years. I adore this part of South Australia. You have reminded me that I must take some photos from Granite Island.

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

I'm pretty certain the horizon in the first can be fixed. I tried 3 degrees clock-wise in PS, an that makes a straight horizon. Both the sky and the sea should be clonable so you don't have to crop away too much to straighten the horizon.

Thanks Cathrine. I am quite pleased with myself as I am still learning about PS - and these are the first two photos I have completely used it without falling back to my safety blanket of Olympus Master.
I did the degrees clock-wise in #2, but couldn't bring myself to do it in #1 - see my reply to Mark.
A case of my heart over-ruling my head I guess.

[Floribunda]

Re: Approaching storm

Lyn

I've taken your storm, levelled it (2.2 degrees) and played with the curves (primarily to give more contrast in the mid range) and increased the saturation.

I was thinking about that clarity of light you get around a storm edge.

Whilst it wasn't planned I think the crop suits the shot



Nick

Hi Nick - Thank you very much for taking the time to edit this photo.
I see exactly what you mean.
In my reply to Mark I tried to explain why I didn't alter the horizon.
But bearing in mind that viewers are not familiar with the subject, I guess the photograph has to have the correct appeal.

[Cathrine Stephansen]

Re: Approaching storm

The sea looks more correct in the altered version as well, in the original, it seemed to be sloping a bit more than natural in the original. Although I did like the tones in your original better than the altered, I agree with Nick that it took the cropping well.

It's a very nice shot. With horizon and sea "corrected" I like it better than the second. The second is nice, but dramatic skies with a touch of good light in the clouds often make good seascapes and tell a story of life on the coast. E.g. I have a couply of misty ones of the Twelve Apostles that are very different from the tourist brochure images taken with polarizers and full sun, but they explain very well why that area is called the Shipwreck Coast...

[Guest]

Re: Approaching storm

Hi Nick - Thank you very much for taking the time to edit this photo.
I see exactly what you mean.
In my reply to Mark I tried to explain why I didn't alter the horizon.
But bearing in mind that viewers are not familiar with the subject, I guess the photograph has to have the correct appeal.

There is always a difficulty when reality creates an ambiguous scene, the design of our world apparently included some compromises thoughtlessly left unsuited for photography. I actually didn't fully 'level' the shot so the sea does gain hight as the headland recedes.

I did notice that you posted the file as a GIF, not as good a format as jpeg for photographs because of the way it treats colours.

Nick