Cockermouth Sunset

[BellyBoy]

Hello,

I was just browsing through my image database when I found a shot that I took a couple of weeks ago of a sunset with the silhouette of a part of cockermouth (some trees and a church steeple).
I took it from the upstairs window and I quite like the colours.
I haven't increased the saturation at all and I haven't altered the contrast - the colours in the photo are the real colours of the sky.
I really enjoy sunsets so I hope to take more soon.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1689/Sunset29.jpg

[Graphic-Addict]

Great shot - colours like this last such a short time. Well spotted

[BellyBoy]

Thanks - it was great to watch the sky change colour for probably 30 mins - red, orange and purple.
The weather has been terrible for a few days which is annoying as I was hoping to go out and take some landscapes :(

[Woodsy]

The colours are spot on, and the exposure on the sky is also spot on.

However, shots like this unfortunatly lack foreground and a focal point. That said of course, it is rather difficult to achieve these attributes without a good location.

My advice when taking shots like this is to look for something for that breaks the "norm" of the foreground. You have gotten half way there with the church spire in the distance, but for me it isn't apparent enough to give the shot the interest it needs.

Silouetts (SP?) are always going to be apparent in shots like this, so maybe try and find one that really stands out in the shot, and adds interest.

Lastly, with the black lower part of the image (as we see it), it's a little too strong and could do with being cropped to somewhere around just below a 3rd of the filled image space. This reduces it's impact in the image and is a little less distracting. In turn this allows you to admire the awsome colours more easily.

Hope that is of some help :)

[RobertP]

I agree the bottom black is a bit too much and the steeple nearly makes it as a subject but isn't quite strong enough. the sky is nice but it is not enough to carry the shot on its own.

[BellyBoy]

Thanks for the advice, I know what you mean for the silhouette but it was all I had to play with from the upstairs window.
I'll have a play and reduce the black - just a tick........

[hillwalkinggirl]

I agree - it would look a lot better with some of the black at the bottom cropped of.

[BellyBoy]

Ok - 2 edits for you!

The 1st - crop off bottom:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1689/sunset-edit-1.jpg

The 2nd - crop off top and bottom:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1689/sunset-edit-2.jpg

I'm not sure which one I prefer - maybe the 1st edit?

[hillwalkinggirl]

I prefer the 1st.:thumbs:

[bidden]

yep 1st for me, I think the sky carries itself :thumbs:

[BellyBoy]

Ok thanks guys :thumbs:

[chris321]

*Giggles at 'Cockermouth'*

Seriously though, it's a very nice sky! I prefer the 1st crop as well, but agree that there's not quite enough emphasis on the steeple.....maybe try a different vantage point next time there's a nice sunset to get more of the steeple in?

[BellyBoy]

maybe try a different vantage point next time there's a nice sunset to get more of the steeple in?

I could try next time :)


*Giggles at 'Cockermouth'*
That's nothing, us locals call it 'Kn*b in gob' ;)

[ldwallis]

*Giggles at 'Cockermouth'*

Seriously though, it's a very nice sky! I prefer the 1st crop as well, but agree that there's not quite enough emphasis on the steeple.....maybe try a different vantage point next time there's a nice sunset to get more of the steeple in?

HORRAH!! someone else as immature as me :lol:

[jonnypb]

lovely colours, always nice to see shots from fellow cumbrians :D