Critique St Monans Sunrise

It's not a bad attempt.
Tide's in and a decent sky.
Last time (only time) I was there was on way home from the Isle of May and the tide was out and sky was crap
So you've done a lot better than I did.:)
 
Looks a decent example and set of conditions.

Processing wise it could do with a bit more chutzpah-try lifting the mid point of the tone curve out a bit, a white point a little closer to the histogram edge (if there’s room) and a 1/4 point a little lower down darken but not obliterate the shadow details
 
It's not a bad attempt.
Tide's in and a decent sky.
Last time (only time) I was there was on way home from the Isle of May and the tide was out and sky was crap
So you've done a lot better than I did.:)

You’ve just described my normal visit. That or tides in and sun splitting sky with no cloud.

Was blowing a hoolie when i first arrived. Wave droplets blowing onto lens and me thinking i was going to get blown over the wall but calmed down a bit after an hour or so
 
Looks a decent example and set of conditions.

Processing wise it could do with a bit more chutzpah-try lifting the mid point of the tone curve out a bit, a white point a little closer to the histogram edge (if there’s room) and a 1/4 point a little lower down darken but not obliterate the shadow details

Ok

Will try to work out what this means and give it a go
 
Very nice, better than my attempt but the conditions were pants at the time. Sketchy place to take an image with the tide out. :LOL:

I'd maybe look at levels, and tweak to suit.
 
Very nice, better than my attempt but the conditions were pants at the time. Sketchy place to take an image with the tide out. :LOL:

I'd maybe look at levels, and tweak to suit.

On the tide going out. At the start of the pier there’s a dead end road running past the pier. Tide was going down as i was leaving and i thought there were some nice rock shelves appearing and there’s a shingle beach and steps down. On my list to go back at tides out and see what else there is
 
This is a cool little pier. I bet its a hotspot for photographers. I think with a bit more editing as described above this has the makings of a good photo. Good composition and the exposure is good so there is plenty to work with on the RAW file (assuming it was a RAW file).

A bit of dodging and burning (brightening and darkening) and vibrancy in the sky would make it stand out a bit more. A subtle vignette to draw the eye into the pier may help.

Whilst its an interesting looking object, I'd also clone out that rock with a cross to the right. Would be interesting if it could be made to work in the composition a bit more.
 
Last edited:
I like it. IMHO some of the comments above have been unnecessarily critical.....

I wouldn't say that. Everyone has said it is a good photo, and offered some tips of how they think it could be made better. As the OP has labelled the thread as a critique I'm guessing this is what they were looking for.
 
Looks great, just needs brightening a bit really as the others have said
 
Looks a decent example and set of conditions.

Processing wise it could do with a bit more chutzpah-try lifting the mid point of the tone curve out a bit, a white point a little closer to the histogram edge (if there’s room) and a 1/4 point a little lower down darken but not obliterate the shadow details

Sat with the curves layer open and it made sense. I don;t tend to use curves. Not a lot of space at the white end of the hiistogram. Quite like the edit but neeed to have a bit mork work on the sky. WIll post when happier. Thanks
 
I like it. IMHO some of the comments above have been unnecessarily critical.....

Thanks for the comment. I've just run through a quick edit on lightening itand it foes improve the image. I like the original but it's one that could be improved on. I've no issues with constructive criticism
 
Sat with the curves layer open and it made sense. I don;t tend to use curves. Not a lot of space at the white end of the hiistogram. Quite like the edit but neeed to have a bit mork work on the sky. WIll post when happier. Thanks

Curves/levels gives far more control over the contrast and brightness of the image than the contrast / brightness / shadows sliders and in the case of LR the blacks / whites sliders. Using your knowledge of histograms it’s dead easy to get the desired affect in using these tools.

Once you get used to using curves and levels it’s easier and better than the “sliders” and it’s universal to all photo editors.

There’s a great image in the making here - you’re almost there with it bar the edit we’ve yet to see :)
 
I quite like it as it is. Maybe a little dodging on the whiter spots of the sky and water and I would, if it were mine, clone out the rock on the rhs but I get that it’s part of the scene and ‘there’. It’s a very good image. (y)
 
Like that Jim. I'd clone the boy on the right if it was my shot and leave the processing. Think I might head up tomorrow/Thursday as the ground round the pier should be covered at sunrise. Hopefully a bit of sea too. It gets a wee bit scary up there when the wind is up and the last two times I have been the sea spray has ruined most of the shots.
 
Like that Jim. I'd clone the boy on the right if it was my shot and leave the processing. Think I might head up tomorrow/Thursday as the ground round the pier should be covered at sunrise. Hopefully a bit of sea too. It gets a wee bit scary up there when the wind is up and the last two times I have been the sea spray has ruined most of the shots.

Hope it works out for you Simon . Agree on the top when winds up and sprays about. Had one hand anchored on ladder at times
 
Curves/levels gives far more control over the contrast and brightness of the image than the contrast / brightness / shadows sliders and in the case of LR the blacks / whites sliders. Using your knowledge of histograms it’s dead easy to get the desired affect in using these tools.

Once you get used to using curves and levels it’s easier and better than the “sliders” and it’s universal to all photo editors.

There’s a great image in the making here - you’re almost there with it bar the edit we’ve yet to see :)


What makes you say that using curves and levels is "better" than using sliders, Steve?
 
What makes you say that using curves and levels is "better" than using sliders, Steve?

If you just use sliders you’re

A) not accurately setting the output histograms white/black point vs the input ones - how do you know how much blacks - whites to add.

B) sliders don’t let you match up the white points for the individual r, g and b channels to correct any colour issues (not always necessary mind you - and you can get creative by deliberating toning images using levels/curves

C) by adding contrast blindly you might clip out whites or blacks depending where the input (ie the camera) histogram lies. I’m curves/levels you can Taylor make the tone curve, and thus the output histogram of the file, with sliders - you can’t.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top