Thurstaston Hill Wirral at Sunset

[Brocks]

Right I'm not sure about these so please be honest.....Red sunset on red rock with brown fawner(?) may be a little OTT.

I wanted some shots of the church at Thurstaton at Sunset but thanks to a delay I had no chance of setting up a suitable spot so I went for a banker.....The highest point of the wirral.

All shot with an ND Grad, 24-105L at 24mm AV mode at f/16, ISO 100 Bracketed +/-2 and 0 EV with a Tripod, Sharpened in Canon's DPP, Mixed in Photomatix, Colour balanced in DPP and straightened in GIMP

Dee Estury with Llandudno and Snowdonia far in the distance. Sun was settiing 80 degrees to my right but the crowd made a shot impossible.

Once the crowd had gone and sun had set...

This shot tells me I need a wider lens.....

 

[Tyke Tiler]

Nice set there, a very moderate use of HDR too, not over done at all IMO. Very nice sunset too.

C+C-wise, the composition is a little off in a few, the amputated bench bottom etc. Also white balance is a little magenta heavy, are you on auto?

Also they could do with a little finesse in the PP deptartment, a touch more contrast and a wee sharpen works wonders.

There is some motion blur in the shrubs which is fairly difficult to avoid with HDR, If the wind is a blowing then maybe hang on until is subsides or frame a shot without so many trees and bushes.

Here's a very quick edit with the magenta toned down (green photo filter in photoshop) and sharpened a smidge.

Hope this helps

T.

 

[pchidell]

I really like this set! 2, 3 and 4 are excellent but I prefer the edit on 2.

 

[Brocks]

Nice set there, a very moderate use of HDR too, not over done at all IMO. Very nice sunset too.

Thanks thats a relief. I wasn't 100% sure if they were OTT.

C+C-wise, the composition is a little off in a few, the amputated bench bottom etc. Also white balance is a little magenta heavy, are you on auto?

WB was on Auto Yes. I'll have a go at the others too.

Also they could do with a little finesse in the PP deptartment, a touch more contrast and a wee sharpen works wonders.

They have been sharpened to the gills in DPP. I confess PP is not my forte...same for composition, WB, exposure..:razz:

There is some motion blur in the shrubs which is fairly difficult to avoid with HDR, If the wind is a blowing then maybe hang on until is subsides or frame a shot without so many trees and bushes.

It was virtually a still day. Shutter speeds were 30sec, 8 sec and a fraction of a second. I guess even a light breeze would be an issue at those speeds. I was on the Wirral's highest point too!

Here's a very quick edit with the magenta toned down (green photo filter in photoshop) and sharpened a smidge.

Hope this helps

T.

I see you point, Thanks!

I really like this set! 2, 3 and 4 are excellent but I prefer the edit on 2.

Thanks as do I, I must get a wide angle and try again. 4 is my least favourate as I think it's quite soft.

 

[Kryptix]

Love the bench edit.

 

[petemc]

Seems to be some alignment issues on a couple, and I'd also say saturation / white balance in others. Also some have the classic Photomatix bright spots. Not sure why this happens but like on the bench shot the rocks in front look very bright compared to the others. Even the bench looks odd. The seat part is very different. Tried dropping the RAW files into Photomatix?

 

[Brocks]

Thanks Pete,

Seems to be some alignment issues on a couple,

Not 100% I understand you there mate, I checked the horizons in gimp and they're spot on. I tried to put the horizons/trig points on lines of thirds but is some cases that killed the light so I had to get the best compromise

and I'd also say saturation / white balance in others.

As per the comments in posts above, I'm gonna have a play with that. I'm not sure how I fix the WB though without trashing the colour of the sky which is as I saw it. (on this monitor!)

Also some have the classic Photomatix bright spots. Not sure why this happens but like on the bench shot the rocks in front look very bright compared to the others. Even the bench looks odd. The seat part is very different.

Having looked at the RAWs the seat of the bench and the ground infront is indeed lighter. The grain stands out in all three shots.:shrug:

Tried dropping the RAW files into Photomatix?

Doing it now

 

[NickA]

A good set of photos, 3 & 4 for me, altho the bench edit does look good.

 

[petemc]

Not 100% I understand you there mate, I checked the horizons in gimp and they're spot on. I tried to put the horizons/trig points on lines of thirds but is some cases that killed the light so I had to get the best compromise

The stone there looks really blurry which is often caused by alignment issues across the 3 images. Assuming you took 3 at the scene not from 1 RAW.

 

[RichardC27]

Excellent set, I must go up there with my camera one night. My girlfriend lives very near there so we go up every now and then. Good use of HDR too, it's not overdone.

 

[Brocks]

The stone there looks really blurry which is often caused by alignment issues across the 3 images. Assuming you took 3 at the scene not from 1 RAW.

Kerching! Gotcha now. It was three images not one using a tripod. I was stuggling with finding a solid stance for the tripod, but i'm sure it didn't move.

The 24-105 mm was at it's widest end so mayby thats the issue. I really need awide angle lens.

 

[petemc]

Don't think its the lens per say. Just movement between the shots. Should be ok with any lens.

 

[RogWarham]

Sorry to say - but they are just nor for me. No key element in there. No point for your eye to land on - just a flat on image (HDR is very poor - again may be just be, not a great fan of it - seems WAY overused in so many images).

Rog