Archive 2014 · Emerald Bay Sunset

dpbingham
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Emerald Bay Sunset

Was camping in Tahoe last weekend, and as soon as I saw how the light was shaping, I rushed over to the Emerald Bay vista point to try and capture the scene. I need this group's critique -- the shot seems ok but lacks that certain "magic" that I see from others. Any suggestions?

Jun 24, 2014 at 03:55 PM

film_4ever
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Emerald Bay Sunset

It looks like you have good exposure for the sky, but the lake and trees are a bit dark.

You might want to trying making a copy and adjusting the copy for lighter water (at least in the bay) and lighter trees around the bay.

Then blend the two (or whatever final number you end up with).

You might also want to try "warming" the image some and see how you like it. It seems a little too cold on my monitor.

YMMV.

Jun 24, 2014 at 06:08 PM

Jeffrey
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Emerald Bay Sunset

I think you did a fine job of photographing the scene that you were facing. Did you want a more exciting sky or are you wanting more of your processing?

Jun 24, 2014 at 06:11 PM

dgdg
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Emerald Bay Sunset

I like this photo. It may seem a little dark, but my office monitor is junk.
I think the bottom is a little tight. Careful with the clouds, the colors and saturation are starting to overwhelm the foreground.

Maybe the only "magic" thing missing, if I would think about it now only because you asked, is the lack of a strong foreground element for depth and perspective. Maybe there was nothing there for a foreground object and THIS is the ideal comp. I don't know. It is a nice photo.

I still like this photo a lot despite your feeling a bit unsure over it. Good job.

David

Edited on Jun 26, 2014 at 07:42 AM · View previous versions

Jun 25, 2014 at 11:09 AM

Justin Grimm
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Emerald Bay Sunset

Here is the most honest critique I can give. I’m being super duper picky, to hopefully give you lots of ideas.

As for the "magic", a lot of that comes from the location, solid composition, and most importantly killer light. You definitely got color in the sky, but the light throughout the scene is rather flat because of how low the sun is and how the clouds block the bright horizon that is typical of shots like this. There is no main focal point or direction of light in this shot, so I'm not sure what to look at. I like the idea of the upper clouds mirroring the shape of the lake, but I think the composition would feel more balanced if this was a panorama. The lower cloud has a nice bend to it anyways and helps frame the shot. As is, the big sky pulls my eye out of the frame. The lake is naturally long and narrow in shape, so I think the frame should compliment it.

As for the processing, I can’t really comment with confidence being off my home monitor. However the blues do look a bit overdone right now. I actually disagree with the others and think this could be darker. The brightness and saturation of the sky has reduced the fine cloud details, and the bright blues poking through the clouds are a bit distracting. The trees look a bit too bright and green considering how low the sun is in this shot also. I guess it depends on the person though. Some slight burning could help lead the eye away from the trees and towards the horizon/lake.

Soooooooo........
After saying all this, I honestly think it would be so much easier to just keep shooting this location (as a panorama) until the light is a lot better. Just think if you had a nice sky with the sun poking through the clouds lighting up the trees and reflecting off the lake. Boom, Magic!

Jun 25, 2014 at 12:11 PM


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