Braving the weather for first pics!

BrownSparrow · 21 Jan 2008 at 22:17

Well as we all know the weather this weekend wasn't the best, however i decided to brave the bournemouth coast whilst staying at my girlfriend's place. I hadn't managed to get out of the house with my new 40D and 50mm lens due to work/weather/other commitments. The rain let up for an hour or so before it got dark so we headed for the beach.

Our time was limited and i'm still a relative beginner, so here are two shots which i have cropped and slightly processed (another learning curve i'm attempting to conquer!).

It was blowing a gale, but i think these two aren't too bad. Let me know what you think, be gentle!

ElDude · 21 Jan 2008 at 22:20

I like the lamp posts on the beach. The only thing that spoils it for me are the two blurred figures wandering along.

I'd try that one again and wait until there's no one around.

(Oh, and I couldn't see the images until I went to the hosts page)

BrownSparrow · 21 Jan 2008 at 22:27

D'oh! Fixed

BrownSparrow · 21 Jan 2008 at 22:35

ElDude said:
I like the lamp posts on the beach. The only thing that spoils it for me are the two blurred figures wandering along.

I'd try that one again and wait until there's no one around.

(Oh, and I couldn't see the images until I went to the hosts page)

How about this one?

GeX · 21 Jan 2008 at 23:27

the first one.. it's a shame its missing a dramatic sky

like it otherwise

the second one.. i likes, but i like it half way between the people being there and not. hope you don't mind, i merged the two and came up with this;

Neil79 · 21 Jan 2008 at 23:34

^ , i'll submit that to ghost hunters uk

BrownSparrow · 21 Jan 2008 at 23:45

GeX said:
the first one.. it's a shame its missing a dramatic sky like it otherwise

the second one.. i likes, but i like it half way between the people being there and not. hope you don't mind, i merged the two and came up with this;

snip

I know what you mean about the first one, i thought the same too. Unfortunately the conditions were terrible, and the background was hazed out by the rainfall that was heading our way!

I like what you have done with those two pics GeX, i think you got where i was coming from with it, the difference being you had the skills to put it together! I've got a lot to learn with photoshop!

Do people like the composure of the pictures? As i've said i am a beginner and i'm very passionate about photography but i realise i've got a lot to learn!

GeX · 21 Jan 2008 at 23:59

i do like the composisiton on them both, on the first one it might've been worth doing multiple exposures, if you did one underexposed you'd get the detail in the sky and then you blend it with normal exposed one.

all i did to join the images is put one on top of the other, line them up with the 'ghosty' layer on top, then using the eraser tool, wipe most of it away apart from the figures themselves, then alter opacity for the layer down to about 54%.

you're def on the right track, just keep taking more pictures and trying things and you'll get improve your skill set

James07 · 22 Jan 2008 at 00:19

Dude i like the second one i think its brilliant.

Wanting to sell?

That would make my little collection complete then

Let me know.

RandomTom · 22 Jan 2008 at 19:47

James07 said:
Dude i like the second one i think its brilliant.

Wanting to sell?

Not meaning to cause offence to the OP but lol you're easily pleased james!

BrownSparrow · 23 Jan 2008 at 12:43

James07 said:
Dude i like the second one i think its brilliant.

Wanting to sell?

That would make my little collection complete then

Let me know.

Blimey, a buyer already on only my second pic! :eek:

Let the bidding begin, do i hear £1000?..

ichabod crane · 23 Jan 2008 at 13:40

in the first i fond the cliffs on the horizon very distracting there kind just have present id be tempted to just clone the white all the way down to the horizon line would look a lot cleaner that way, and the second is well composed but i think a little flat, not enough definition or contrast for a black and white image, how did you create it? did you just desaturate it in photoshop?

BrownSparrow · 23 Jan 2008 at 20:41

ichabod crane said:
in the first i fond the cliffs on the horizon very distracting there kind just have present id be tempted to just clone the white all the way down to the horizon line would look a lot cleaner that way, and the second is well composed but i think a little flat, not enough definition or contrast for a black and white image, how did you create it? did you just desaturate it in photoshop?

Point taken with the first one, it was a terrible day and the distance was shrouded in rain.

What do you mean about the definition and contrast? I was aiming for a 'bleak' kind of feel to image. I didn't do any post processing really, just straightened it a bit and cloned out some spots of sand that were blown towards the lens.

ichabod crane · 23 Jan 2008 at 20:56

i guess you used the B&W function on the camera for the shot then? this normally gives very bland results is what i was saying. Its much better to do B&W conversion in something like photoshop or tweak the curves on the image above to give better contrast in the image.