Archive 2016 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

kurt765
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

I haven't been able to travel much lately, but at least some clouds have returned to Southern California.

Into the Sunset by Kurt Lawson, on Flickr

Sunset at the Breakwater by Kurt Lawson, on Flickr

Sunset Splash by Kurt Lawson, on Flickr

Sunrise on the Incline by Kurt Lawson, on Flickr

Oct 31, 2016 at 09:01 AM

JimFox
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

Hey Kurt,

#1 is a really great surfer shot. All of the lines of the clouds and reflections radiate out from the surfer, very well done. #3 is my next favorite, nice job on catching that wave splash like that. I do think a shadow recovery might be nice in that one, though it does work with the shadows being darker. But in #2, I think that one has a lot of potential, but it's just too dark and the lack of shadow detail I think really hurts that one. #2 has some incredible clouds, and I like how the incoming wave is almost a reflection of the lines in the clouds how they radiate out from the left side. But it being so dark, it just makes it hard for the eye to really spend any time on the image.

Jim

Oct 31, 2016 at 01:37 PM

matthewsaville
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

IMO, the 1st and last images are the strongest, the dynamic range in #4 is great, looks pretty natural, but in #1 I would go even more in the direction of a silhouette. I can faintly see that telltale Adobe "crunch" in the shadows (clarity + shadow recovery?) that I never really like.

The 2nd and 3rd images are beautiful shots, but I guess I've been to the beach too many times for images of rocks to really get me as excited as the other images do.

Oct 31, 2016 at 04:46 PM

kurt765
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

Is your monitor particularly dark Jim? I did a rather significant amount of shadow recovery in all of these. Nearly black rocks make for some rather dark silhouettes, and pushing them any further (I'm already at the limit to my taste) would really dump them too far into HDR land for me.

Oct 31, 2016 at 04:48 PM

dswiger
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

Great So Cal sunset shots!
The 2nd with surfer is the most complete to me.

Thanks for posting

Dan

Oct 31, 2016 at 10:42 PM

Sean Goebel
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

I agree with Kurt, the shadows are fine as is. They look realistic and not crushed at all.

Oct 31, 2016 at 11:28 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

kurt765 wrote:
Is your monitor particularly dark Jim? I did a rather significant amount of shadow recovery in all of these. Nearly black rocks make for some rather dark silhouettes, and pushing them any further (I'm already at the limit to my taste) would really dump them too far into HDR land for me.

Hey Kurt,

Perhaps it's just me, or my taste in how dark should be. Everyone else is liking them as they are, so you probably have them processed as they should be. And for sure, process them to your limits as an artist.

Jim

Nov 01, 2016 at 02:44 PM

DSC01
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

Kurt,
Very nice set !
#1 would be my favorite, it just all seems to come together as a beach shot . The reflective color off the thin water layer on the beach really jumps out here and looks great.
Regards,
Dean

Nov 01, 2016 at 03:53 PM

kurt765
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Southern California Sunsets and a Sunrise

Thanks for the comments!

Nov 05, 2016 at 10:43 PM


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