Sunrise at the Lake

Poverty Point Reservoir, Delhi, LA

I like the line of trees, beautiful colors!

great colors and composition, beautiful photo

Very Nice. The color is beautiful!

Nice composition! The trees really make the shot, to me.

I like the overall composition of the shot, but I'm wondering if the sides can't be cropped a bit. For me, the trees on the left and right sides of the image aren't as interesting the one in the foreground and the middle of the back row.

This is just my take (and we're not in the Critique section), so I take no offense if you don't agree. (No reason you should -- it's an effective shot.)

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

I agree with your comment, Tiger. I've played with the cropping some. The above image is at 5:4. I'm not sure about going more square than that, and I'm not sure about losing the top of the tree in the foreground. Anyway, I'm not very strong with pp, so if anyone wants to have a go at the original, here it is...

Forgot to reply!

I meant to write that I liked a square crop on this. When I wrote my first reply, that was actually the aspect ratio I had in mind.

This said, this is a matter of taste, and mine might suck. I can't figure out how to get interesting elements into 3:2, so instead I crop out what I don't like and don't make the most of the symmetry of a square composition.

PS: I think you did a very nice job with the colors in post. They don't look too overboosted in my eyes, but they add a nice bit of pop that you probably saw at the time of the picture.

Sorry to bump, but just a quick little brag:

I posted this shot on B&H's facebook page a couple of months ago, and they used it today as an example when they asked for submissions using shadows and silhouettes. No major award or anything, but it certainly brightened my day!

Congratulations. When you think of how many photos B&H has to see, it's quite an honor to be singled out.

I might would clone out the four little white lights in the tree line and then hang that rascal on the wall. Great capture.

EDIT: Got a question for you...What's the story behind the pic. Being a sunrise shot, had you witnessed it before and were you set up waiting for the right moment? Or, did you just happen by at the right time? Just like to hear the story behind neat shots like this that are not the National Monument type shots where you pack up your gear and head there to get some quality shots.

Jon Clemens wrote in post #13768340
Congratulations. When you think of how many photos B&H has to see, it's quite an honor to be singled out.

Thanks. I was quite honored, and had no idea until I woke up today and noticed that several people had commented on the picture on facebook. I went to the B&H wall and figured it out. Like I said, it was just a picture I had posted on their wall a couple of months ago, and to think that somebody liked it enough to make it their example photo was pretty cool. I know it's not that big of a deal and they do it all the time, but I'm just an average amatuer photographer and it really made my day.

Randy Digby wrote in post #13769295
I might would clone out the four little white lights in the tree line and then hang that rascal on the wall. Great capture.

EDIT: Got a question for you...What's the story behind the pic. Being a sunrise shot, had you witnessed it before and were you set up waiting for the right moment? Or, did you just happen by at the right time? Just like to hear the story behind neat shots like this that are not the National Monument type shots where you pack up your gear and head there to get some quality shots.

Great question, and like you, I enjoy the stories behind the pictures. I live about a mile from this lake, and often drive around it taking photos. This particular spot is right on the highway (a two lane out in the country). I had never stopped there before, but knew how cool the place looks. The morning I took this shot, I actually planned to shoot the sunrise there. The funny thing is that it's a view that you pass by quickly on the road, and I wonder how many people actually take the time to even notice it (I usually get passed by other cars when I'm driving that road). For perspective, the highway is about 10 feet behind me in the picture.

I've gone back a couple of times and taken more shots which I like also. It's a spot that the view changes with the time of day and also the season. I wish it were an easier place to park and take photos, because I've probably missed many good shots just because I didn't want to deal with cars flying past while I take pictures.

Here's another shot that I took a couple of weeks later. I probably bumped the saturation too much, but I like the effect:

Nice -- congrats on the B&H photo recognition!

Awesome deal Sandwedge! Congrats.

Terrific picture. I love the tree in the foreground and the line of trees behind it (plus their reflection). Cool silhouette and way to capture the colors.

Being featured on B&H is pretty cool too.