Saltburn

Phil1974

Phil1974

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Name
Phil
Edit My Images
Yes
Hmmm are they that bad that nobody dares comment for fear of offending? [emoji39]
 
There's nothing really wrong with them but they just don't really do anything for me i.e. there is no real interest in the shot to hold my attention
 
Hi Phil
No1 Bit of a 50:50 shot along the horizon and unfortunately it doesn't really do it for me, its rather dull weather (which I think is most of the problem) the light is flat as a pancake, would be a different view at sunrise / sunset! There's a good diagonal lead in along the shore line to the buildings but they need to pop as a focal point with some great light. There's a lot of dead area in the cloud and the sea with not much to hold it up. Id be inclined to loose the car and pole on the RH side as there a little distracting. You also have a few dust bunnys lurking:eek:.

No2 I like this shot... If I were to be picky and its a personal thing... I find the seaweed hanging of the supports to the left very distracting, especially the great big dollop on the First support on the Left.

No3 Like shots pulling away into the distance... Not sure if its the monitor I have here at work but it looks a bit blue, so that's either WB or a colour cast:(? The kick board along the bottom of the railing look to have a blue tinge (much more than in shot No4) and the colour of the decking boards also reflect that compared to No4. I think a true square crop would work better here by losing 20% of the sky. Also the horizon needs a tweak counter clockwise.

No4 Less colour cast here decking looks more of a natural colour and needs a tiny tweak CCW. Not a bad symmetrical shot could almost be if that bench wasn't at the end of the pier:) Nice streaking clouds.

I think you were basically fighting against some really flat light and no matter how creative you get, nature always gets the better of you! I cant count the times I have taken my camera for a walk:mad:. Perhaps I'm just a defeatist nowadays but sometimes the camera doesn't even make it out of the bag:(.

Hope you find this constructive as its intended
Cheers
Steve
 
Well I live there and unfortunately you picked a poor day! The first would benefit if you could lighten the cliff side a bit. The pier shots do look a bit blue but I like the way you have got the end of the pier lined up with the horizon.
 
I like number three :) I love the square ratio and simplicity of the shot. I think there's a lot of space at the top of it though and I'm not sure if it would be a bit better if the camera was pointing down a little more (horizon on top third line?), to remove space at the top and include a few more boards leading in. I think the lighting looks unfavourable but I think you've pulled off some great images under the circumstances:)
 
Thanks guys. Great comments from Steve especially and definitely taken as constructive. Believe it or not these were taken around sunrise and you're right, the light was very flat. I will have a play with the changes you suggest, the blue cast didn't occur to me until you said it but it makes sense as to why I prefer number 4. I'll also have a look at cleaning the sensor, although the "dust bunnies" may be salt on the 10-stop filter as this was a bit grubby I discovered. As for lightening the cliffs in number 1, I think the sliders are maxed out in LR due to my abysmal original exposure, but I'll have a go :)
Hopefully I'll get back up there in the future, it's been a few years since I was last there and I only had the one morning :(

Thanks again.....
 
Really nice set!!
 
I like the last two pier shots, especially pic No3 although the little red bouy keeps drawing my eye I actually think it works, especially as the image has an overall blue tint, which I quite like. A more dramatic sky would improve it though especialy as there is so much of it.

Not so keen on the toning in the first two, I'm not a lover of the yellowing sepia look but thats just a personal thing.
 
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Thanks. Number 3 is one of the most popular of the set on Flickr and 500px as well but I know what you mean about that buoy/life ring. I might try cloning it out. I have done a quick WB tweak on it too and quite like it and it looks better as part of a set with number 4.
I would have liked more movement in the sky but was limited to 30sec exposures due to my poor planning and lack of spare batteries [emoji53]
 
Number 3 for me too. Nice crop and it has a peaceful feel for me.
Not keen on the conversions for 1 and 2.
 
Hi Phil

One thing jumps out at me straight away as to why these shots don't stand out as well as they could and its more obvious from the thumbnails, they are all too central leaving the viewer wandering rather than having a particular focus. When your fighting with poor conditions then composition will become all the more important as an element of the shot. Try to keep your horizons away from the centre line and more to the thirds lines - so either more sky if its of interest or more foreground. The second shot works and defies that rule due to the pier having a good lead line and it being off centre - however i cant help but thinking the tonal treatment you gave it may have killed the atmosphere a bit and a more colourful version would have worked better ?

One last note - i can see quite a few dust bunnies on the first shot ( sensor marks ) mostly on the left in the sea which could do with cloning out or a sensor clean sometime soon.

Maybe go back take on board everyone's suggestions and repost them as an exercise ?

and finally well done for getting out there and taking them ! on another day you could have had an amazing sky or sunset but you have to be there to get it !

Best regards
Andrew
 
Viv/Andrew,
Thanks. I have started a couple of edits that I'll work on over the weekend and repost them. Watch this space :)

Phil
 
Hi Phil,

Like no.2 Could probably echo Steve's comment regarding the seaweed on the left.
I possibly may have step backed a couple of feet?
 
Ok, here we are with some edits taking on board the comments. Let me know what you think....

1. Pole and car cropped out and headland placed on lower third. Bit of highlight recovery to show some more detail. Hopefully all dust removed :)

View attachment 36012
 
Oh well. I liked them. Thanks for the initial feedback everyone. I think the edits improved them so appreciate the comments. Shame there was no follow up.
 
Really nice looking pictures but is the horizon level? If feels to me like it slopes down from left to right, is that me or does it need levelling?
 
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