Archive 2021 · Sanctuary Spot

Mark Metternich
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Sanctuary Spot

"The problem is that you need a sanctuary spot somewhere out in nature."
~ John Miller

A quote from my weight training partner back in the early 90's. I immediately took his advice and found many on my native Oregon Coast! With no camera I would often sit all day, watch the entire show, taking it all in, having my sacred time, being healed and refreshed. Later the camera became the excuse to go all the time, and make it my career to share it with and teach it to others.

Techie stuff for those who ask:
Camera Settings: Sony A7R2, Voigtlander 10mm f/5.6, f/13, 0.4shutter, 100ISO. A slightly longer exposure was also used as described next.

As always I used the Gold Standard highest quality workflow available today: Photoshop's mega-exciting (if you are into improving file quality) 32-bit lossless Raw Layers (if you have any questions, feel free to PM me).

I also pulled slightly from a longer exposure to clean up some shadow areas, but with the same settings as the first file, and the exact same luminance using the "Toggle Sampler Overlay" in Camera Raw/Lightroom. This was used to measure and match the exact brightness levels of the original layer. Then I blended it into the shadows.

Blending was done easily, using the "Layer Style - Blend If" sliders (Yes, they still work in 32-bit Raw Layers and are totally lossless!!!) instead of a luminosity mask (I very rarely use a luminosity mask - and make my own with an easy action - finding "Blend If" so much easier to get quality lossless luminosity selections!). It is also just a simple easy click to make a "Blend If" selection into an actual Luminosity Mask (which you can save as a Channel) if you feel the desire (click on the RGB Channel for its selection).

Lastly, "Blend If" is such a game changer so many people now. I was extremely happy talking with very popular photoshop teacher Blake Rudis about how he also LOVES and teaches "Blend If"! I told him: "Dude, I'm like the Blend If guy! I've been preaching and teaching it for over a decade!"

That was a fun conversation with a really awesome guy!

Feb 02, 2021 at 12:52 PM

chez
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Sanctuary Spot

Mark, I like the composition and the bottom half of the image, but that sunstar and the sky just doesn't do it for me. The sunstar makes me stare at it rather than looking at the image. I don't know what it is with the sky, but again I feel it takes away from the image.

Feb 02, 2021 at 01:29 PM

junglialoh
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Sanctuary Spot

Nicely presented the substantial movement of waves surrounded the seashore boulders

Feb 02, 2021 at 04:25 PM

Mark Metternich
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Sanctuary Spot

chez wrote:
Mark, I like the composition and the bottom half of the image, but that sunstar and the sky just doesn't do it for me. The sunstar makes me stare at it rather than looking at the image. I don't know what it is with the sky, but again I feel it takes away from the image.

Thank you Chaz. I appreciate your candid feedback on my images as always.

I never really liked sunstars that much in the days it was sort of faddish, and everyone was doing them so much. This one I was cool with not cloning it out.

junglialoh wrote:
Nicely presented the substantial movement of waves surrounded the seashore boulders

Thank you very much! If you have not ever shot this spot, it is a life changer! Just don't fall off!!!

Apr 09, 2021 at 05:38 AM

girvincn
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Sanctuary Spot

Impressive as always, Mark. This was clearly some wild light. The motion in the water is absolutely perfect; I love the textures presented.

However, I do agree with previous comments about the sky. I'm not a huge sunstar fan, but it doesn't bother me here. Rather, it's the light in the clouds - it seems a bit overcooked. Knowing how technically proficient you are, I doubt any highlights are actually blown, but that's what it looks like on my end. Maybe it's the crappy work-provided laptop I'm viewing it on right now, but most of your images look perfect, even on this screen. Even if the highlights aren't blown, I might suggest taming them just a hair, knowing many of us mortals view your stupendous work on screens unworthy of their perfection.

Anyway, those are just my two cents. You continue to impress me with the mastery and variety of the images you create! Thanks for sharing.

Cass

Apr 09, 2021 at 04:41 PM

steidlewave
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Sanctuary Spot

That starburst is epic. Fantastic shot.

Apr 17, 2021 at 03:01 PM


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