Comments Please, Lighthouse

[Bonito]

Hi everyone,
I entered this in a competition and was told there was no punch, but I
have seen some great shots that do not necessarily have a lot of "punch"
but really capture the mood. This was taken right before dusk, no sun at
all, and so foggy you could hardly see. I was trying to capture that feeling.
What are your thoughts?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3289672655_305650d522_b.jpg

[Karl Johnston]

Could use a bit of contrast (try burn tool) on the lighthouse to bring that out more, conversely could use a little bit of dodging on the foreground to bring that out more. The lens flares are a bit distracting, but acceptable.

It's all personal preference, though, I like the image as it is though would like to see a little bit more of the foreground lightness (dodge that). Make sure you control the flow or opacity of the brushes so they don't overflood the area you paint.

[Photos By Katie]

I was going to say a bit more contrast as well but if you look at the bottom of the photo, there is alot of contrast. I think it is very nicely done.

[howaboutnow]

I quite like this photograph.

[jgrussell]

Hey, the real issue is: do YOU like it? If so, to heck with the competition. (And, FWIW, I like it very much.)

[neumanns]

I think you nailed it....Don't worry about there opionion. Some images are supposed to be soft, foggy images fall in this catagory. If I had one nitpick it would be crop the mowed grass off. Feel free to disregard my opinion as well.

[utah steve]

I like it. . .I think it conveys the mood. But like was said earlier, all that matters is that you like it.

Play with the contrast a bit and see what you get.

Steve

[Andregen8]

Ahhh...."punch" what does that mean? If anything they are wanting one of those perfectly exposed Ansel Adams-esque images where you can see contrast and texture even in the beach rocks down by the piers. Yes, a little more contrast would make it "pop" more, but if who knows...is "popping" better than "punching"? Well...I guess to make yourself feel better you could go by a $10K medium format camera or an 8x10 and take the same picture? I think it is fine. If every picture we took was perfect...we wouldn't be talking. Keep shooting!

[tonydee]

told there was no punch, but [perhaps it] really capture[s] the mood. This was taken right before dusk, no sun at
all, and so foggy you could hardly see. I was trying to capture that feeling.
What are your thoughts?

Just an outpouring of various thoughts... don't take it too seriously... but hopefully something might "resonate" with you, give you that alternative perspective into how others might see the work...

I don't think it delivers what you've said you wanted to capture. There's little sense of fog... the lighthouse itself is just slightly softer than the foreground, but there's no changes in density in the subtle fogginess, and not enough affect to create a significantly quickened sense of fading into the depth. Beyond the lighthouse, it's simply a uniform grey but there's no feeling that it's foggy to someone who didn't see it in the first place. Being greyscale makes it harder to distinguish fog from simply a detail-less expanse of water that happens to blend boringly into the sky.

I'm not sure the flare works well either... looks almost photoshopped in it's so perfect... also might stand out more on a colour version.

Your treatment of the "curves" has also left the lighthouse curiously "flat"... there's little gradation across the curvature to give it depth.

I can see the deliberate effort to balance the longer expanse of walkway with the lighthouse itself, but somehow it still feels curiously empty on the left... my eye falls into the void beside the lighthouse, maybe partly wanting to escape the light itself.

Cheers, Tony

[Bonito]

Thanks everyone, for all your thoughts and comments.
Really happy to hear some of you really liked it and that makes me feel great!
I will also take into consideration all the critiques and comments that will help me
do better next time.

[F4 Cyborg]

what are those circles under the walkway and over to the left in the sand. looks like a shot through a window or a picture of a picture.

[SwingBopper]

I think the multiple lens or filter flares spoil the mood. I count 4. You can see them all the way from the light source down to the lower right of the frame. You might try removing your filter if you shoot again. Or maybe it's the lens. Other than that, it's a nice shot; but I'd clone out the electrical wire. If you re-shoot, moving to the right and placing a person in the scene might help too.

[Bonito]

Cyborg, that is a bit of lens flare you are seeing, not shot through a window or of a picture.
And thanks SwingBopper, I never thought of cloning out the wire, it is distracting.

[jenabean4]

I like it! I am not a pro - my only change would be to crop it so the lighthouse falls more left, almost all the way left.

[HappySnapper90]

More contrast is not needed. I see far too much addition of contrast in digital photography simply because you "can" instead of having to use a film with your required level of contrast from the start.

This photo's contrast is just fine, but it deserves a 4:5 ratio frame instead, as I show. It eliminates the grass infront of the white flowering weeds.

[kiwichris]

I would crop even further, this lets the eye walk into the isolated lighthouse in the fog. Personally I think it is a delightful picture otherwise :)

343977

[HappySnapper90]

I would crop even further, this lets the eye walk into the isolated lighthouse in the fog. Personally I think it is a delightful picture otherwise :)


I disagree since you removed the foreground leaving just subject which doesn't often work well and it doesn't here either. By removing the foreground, you decrease the depth within the photo. :cool:

[Bonito]

Thanks HappySnapper, I do like the crop you did-removing the grass, just leaving the
flowering weeds. I appreciate everyone input and thanks for taking the time to look and
comment.