Critique please - "Blue Serenity"

Constructive criticism most welcome.
The image has lost some subtlety of colour gradation in conversion for the web.
I'm interested mostly in views on whether this does convey a sense of serenity as intended, or how that might be achieved better.
Thanks.

P.S.
Just for reference, I've added a minimally processed version of the original. A grey afternoon looking across the Manukau from Tititangi Beach.

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I like it. I think you achieved the sense of serenity well.

Calming.

However, where do you want to draw the viewer's eye? Is it the point of land? If so, it's too high in the image and the foreground is distracting. If it's the subtle tonal banding of the water, then the point of land looks like it's disembodied and floating in the sky.

My first reaction was to suggest cropping out the foreground. However, I'm not sure what you're going for.

I wonder how it would be without the land?!?
Maybe the serenity would be enhanced if there were no obvious subject to draw the eye.
Thoughts?

I have some in landscape orientation too, but there's a bit less texture in the water at the level of the point.

P.S.
Maybe an almost square aspect ratio, with the bottom cropped?

If you were aiming for a serene, subtle look..you sure achieved it!

who spilled ink on the blue parchment paper??

xarqi wrote in post #8525980
I wonder how it would be without the land?!?
Maybe the serenity would be enhanced if there were no obvious subject to draw the eye.
Thoughts?

I have some in landscape orientation too, but there's a bit less texture in the water at the level of the point.

P.S.
Maybe an almost square aspect ratio, with the bottom cropped?

Without a horizon to anchor the composition, it looks a little unsettling. There is a hint of hills beyond. Perhaps increasing the contrast locally and make it stand out a tad more might help. Then again, as you note, the subtlety is inevitably lost in the conversion process whereas in the original it might have just the right touch.

it's purple :/

Mu Eugene wrote in post #8540483
Without a horizon to anchor the composition, it looks a little unsettling. There is a hint of hills beyond. Perhaps increasing the contrast locally and make it stand out a tad more might help. Then again, as you note, the subtlety is inevitably lost in the conversion process whereas in the original it might have just the right touch.

Thanks for that idea. The horizon is there, but may need beefing up some. It could represent a tricky printing scenario, if it gets that far.

jwoods85 wrote in post #8541089
it's purple :/

Insightful!
Thanks for stopping by.

Hi xarqi ... I like this image by the way. I think it is a nice concept graphically.

I hope you don't mind but I added what I perceive as a way to increase the drama and look without changing the image itself graphically, that is using your placement of subject, which is haunting, stark, and simple. I copied the background 3 times and used curves to increase contrast in the water. The bottom layer above background is multiplied with gradient mask darkening the bottom, 88% opacity, next layer is another multiplied layer with gradient mask that protects the middle area from darkening, and the last layer before curves is screen with a mask that promotes a lightening of the middle area. 3 layers for creating the effect of dimension on the original 2D surface.

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Is it just my eyes or did the purple become more blue (hence more appropriate to the thread title? The technique sounds great. I will remember to refer back to the post from time to time. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

jetcode wrote in post #8541377
Hi xarqi ... I like this image by the way. I think it is a nice concept graphically.

I hope you don't mind but I added what I perceive as a way to increase the drama and look without changing the image itself graphically, that is using your placement of subject, which is haunting, stark, and simple. I copied the background 3 times and used curves to increase contrast in the water. The bottom layer above background is multiplied with gradient mask darkening the bottom, 88% opacity, next layer is another multiplied layer with gradient mask that protects the middle area from darkening, and the last layer before curves is screen with a mask that promotes a lightening of the middle area. 3 layers for creating the effect of dimension on the original 2D surface.

Excellent! Many thanks.
I'll try to apply the methods you describe to get a handle on how they worked that magic.

xarqi wrote in post #8541561
Excellent! Many thanks.
I'll try to apply the methods you describe to get a handle on how they worked that magic.

I have the PSD file. Let me know and I'll email it to you. It has the masks which are critical. The color palette for web graphics is limited thus there is often color shift due to a compression of color resolution.

To break up the solid color cast and add more dimension to the image in this interpretation I used curves to add more contrast, converted to B/W using the Auto setting (no other real colors to manipulate), and tinted with bluish/purple 20%. Notice how different this coloring is. A little more dimensional. This is the copy I would use.

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jetcode wrote in post #8541663
I have the PSD file. Let me know and I'll email it to you. It has the masks which are critical. The color palette for web graphics is limited thus there is often color shift due to a compression of color resolution.

I'll send you a PM with my email address - many thanks.