Critique Sunset at Clevedon Pier

SFTPhotography

SFTPhotography

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Took a wee trip down to the South West for a day. It was quite a misty day and it helped soften the scene up. I really like pastel colours and I struck gold last Monday.

_DSC0183 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC0203 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC0204 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Nice to try something a little different and go somewhere you've not been before. This was actually what got me into photography was travel, road trips and going new places so for this year I want to get back to what got me started and go some new places.
 
I'm with you on those pastel colours, very nice, really like the reflections of the lights as well... My only crit would be that compositionally they feel a little unbalanced top to bottom, I can see why you've left quite a lot of sky to show the graduation of colours but I'd prefer to see a bit more of the bottom to balance it.
 
You are a busy boy!
Lovely colours and great to get the layered effect top to bottom ... 1st is my pick as the length of the pier is emphasised.
 
Welcome to our corner of the world.................:)
There was some very interesting light and mist last Monday, not that I able to exploit it photographically, but seeing it was enough. I love the first as the muted pier as it starts to fade out a bit at the far end, and the lack of any definition in the reflection really compliments the colour, haze and the whole feel of the image. In the other two the sharper definition of the pier and reflection just don't work as well.
 
A regular haunt of mine so it's nice to see it captured so well!

Nice one [emoji108]

Steve
 
justinminns said:
I'm with you on those pastel colours, very nice, really like the reflections of the lights as well... My only crit would be that compositionally they feel a little unbalanced top to bottom, I can see why you've left quite a lot of sky to show the graduation of colours but I'd prefer to see a bit more of the bottom to balance it.
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I hear you.

I took these from the prominade rather than the beach.

Going to the beach would have achieved exactly what you say, and you're right as the reflections are cut off because of my higher vantage point.

However, I felt when I was lower the top right part of the pier was cut off due to the lower perspective and I hummed and hawed as to where to go
 
Well if going to new places gives us images like these then we are in for some great shots this year! Love 1 & 2 with 1 just edging out in front for me. As for 3, it is a good shot but like Graham coming in from the left is just not working for me. Also (and this may sound odd) but when I look at them the pier in 1 & 2, for me, are part of the scene whereas in 3 it is the scene (if you get what I am saying?).
 
I suspect the biggest difference between 1&2 vs 3 is that 3 seems to have been shot from a slightly lower position and is zoomed in just a bit closer to the end, which has cropped off the reflections of the lights in the water.
 
These are rather nice Steve and well worth the trip. You were blessed with such lovely light. Number 1 is my pick as I'm not keen on the cut off light reflections in the other 2. The other 2 are still very, very nice as they are but the first has the edge for me.
 
Blimey Steve did you get through passport control at the wall:D
Very nice set, 1 and 2 are my pick i think that No2 is edging it as i really like the reflection in the sea of the lamps. Difficult to get that shot where it would not cut off that reflection somewhere i guess.
It's a really cracking set and the pastel shades are beautiful.
Nice Work(y)
 
All three are very attractive .I'm torn between the first one and the 'warmer' reflections of the second. You've caught it on the right day too. I have some shots of the pier using LE but at night.
 
In the past I would instantly have preferred 3, but the arrangement is better in 1 and I am really starting to appreciate softer more pastel shots. Other than when looked at for a split second on an iPhone where impact and instant gratification is needed, I don't believe anymore that pictures have to have a strong black and white point. (Hope @Kodiak Qc doesn't read this blasphemy!)
 
I really like these, nice soft colours.
I'd agree with Justin's comment above and lose some of the sky in exchange for seeing some more reflections in Nos 2 & 3.

Last time I visited there was a lot of scaffolding around the entrance to the pier - is it still there?
 
Really special with the first being my favourite.
Sublime colours.
 
Brian G said:
I really like these, nice soft colours.
I'd agree with Justin's comment above and lose some of the sky in exchange for seeing some more reflections in Nos 2 & 3.

Last time I visited there was a lot of scaffolding around the entrance to the pier - is it still there?
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No. Totally clear.
Craig_85 said:
In the past I would instantly have preferred 3, but the arrangement is better in 1 and I am really starting to appreciate softer more pastel shots. Other than when looked at for a split second on an iPhone where impact and instant gratification is needed, I don't believe anymore that pictures have to have a strong black and white point. (Hope @Kodiak Qc doesn't read this blasphemy!)
Click to expand...

I am not a fan either of high blacks in an image, I prefer a softer, more natural, gentler asthetic. For this sort of scene pastel wins every time over the sun flaring into the shot.
 
Craig_85 said:
Other than when looked at for a split second on an iPhone where impact and instant gratification is needed, I don't believe anymore that pictures have to have a strong black and white point. (Hope @Kodiak Qc doesn't read this blasphemy!)
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with that, but as lovely and pastelly as these are it still looks to me like the black and white points have been set to pure black and pure white (which is spot on imo)... I'd wager if you looked at the histogram for these, the graph would reach the edges.
 
justinminns said:
I don't disagree with that, but as lovely and pastelly as these are it still looks to me like the black and white points have been set to pure black and pure white (which is spot on imo)... I'd wager if you looked at the histogram for these, the graph would reach the edges.
Click to expand...

Not quite but close. A lot gets lost in the downsizing. The big one is so much nicer its not real.
 
SFTPhotography said:
Not quite but close. A lot gets lost in the downsizing. The big one is so much nicer its not real.
Click to expand...

Wasn't a criticism btw, processing is spot on imo... just an observation. Setting the black and white point on pastel shots, to add just enough contrast without spoiling the softness is a delicate balance
 
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