So I quite liked this composition with the leading lines kind of going in the same direction towards the wind surfer. I do wish the wind surfer was larger in the frame and more heavily weighted as a subject but I obviously couldn't control him to go where I wanted.
What I really would like advice on is the post work. I can't quite tell what it is that this needs added or taken away. Contrast? Sharpness? Vibrance? It feels like something can be done to improve. I've also been staring at this image for way too long and I'm losing my sense of direction.
Any advice or critique would be greatly appreciated.
Hard to say - maybe desaturating the sky a bit will harmonize the foreground and also make the parachute punchier?
It sounds like the windsurfer is a key element for you, however, what about experimenting in B/W and making it all about the contrast and textures?
I’ve actually already had to desaturate the sky pretty significantly; as soon as I dropped the highlights out the color was there. Maybe it’s accentuated because I like to make my shadows cooler and my highlights warmer and the sky had a bit of a natural part between those, but I actually kind of like it.
I’ve also tried about everything to make the wind surfer and his kite stand out more but it ends up looking really bad.
Also for BW I feel like this scene is a bit too busy, I prefer black and white with very simple compositions.
The following are just my thoughts nothing more, just tossing ideas out there as one would say.
My eye first hits the dark area in the foreground, follows that up to the bright rushing water, then hops up to the bright portion of the sky.
I know the following edit is a drastic change to what you have, but just playing with cropping, tones and softness, the wind surfer now pops a bit more.
This is not an easy image, I feel your struggle! It would also be interesting to see this scene with the camera a foot or two lower; though I understand why it's higher pointing down to get the foreground. It's def a complex scene to capture.
Unfortunately the camera is already only about a foot above the water and with a strong wind it would have been suicide to try to lower it more! Getting the tripod set on a bunch of craggy rocks in the water, trying not to trip and fall while setting the camera settings and getting the scene focused were all very difficult in the wind unfortunately.
Such is the life of landscape photography I suppose 😂
Thanks for the suggestion Joe
haha gotcha-gotcha! Yeah, dont take too big of chances.. :)
Hi Trevor! I can't help feeling that you're trying to do the impossible here. The windsurfer is small. As you say, you couldn't control that. But if you, say, get up early, and go out to shoot a sunrise, and it's cloudy and raining, you just won't get your sunrise. A lot is out of our control, and we can only concentrate on the opportunities that are actually there.
The foreground is interesting in itself, but very "busy" as a foreground to a windsurfer image, and in a sense irrelevant - logs & rocks are hardly a natural association with windsurfing! Maybe these disparate elements could be combined in one image, but it's a tall order.
I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but often - not just sometimes - we simply can't get the shot we hope for, or an almost-opportunity remains just that: almost, but not really. Maybe your problem with direction stems from conflicting, irreconcilable goals.
There's plenty to work on here as a landscape, or you could race up the shore and concentrate on the windsurfer, especially if you had a long lens, but I think this image falls between two stools.
Hi Chris, I completely agree with most of that. I tried to make the foreground work by creating leading lines that have some repetition so that even though its busy it feels a bit simpler. I'm not sure that really worked out though as not all of the lines curve exactly the same way.
The real composition I was sort of hoping for when I came out included the leading lines of sand grooves working along the coastline, as in the picture here. Unfortunately the tide was really high when I showed up again. This spot is actually a bunch of ruins from a hurricane many years ago in my hometown in south texas which makes for an interesting landscape. For the locality of it I tried to capture some of the rocks/ruins with the windsurfer (portland is known as one the best wind surfing spots in the world). That, I think, would have been really enjoyed by the local community.
As you said maybe a tall task. I'd like to return again and see what kind of composition I can come up with that works.
Thanks for the input!
Hi Trevor. I actually feel you are looking at this the wrong way. The wind (kite?) surfer is way too insignificant in the frame to be considered as the subject, and for me is more of a distraction than a supporting element.
I would look at this purely as a landscape - you have interesting leading lines in the foreground and a sky full of drama to work with.
I would probably try cloning out the kite/surfer and cropping from the top. You will lose some of that gorgeous sky but it will help retain focus within the frame.
It's a hard one, but as others indicate sometimes the best plans just don't pan out.
I completely agree. I'm sorry Trevor but at first glance I thought you had just given the image a cool name as I didn't notice the surfer. If you are bonded with the overall image ( which happens to me all the time) I would remove him and work on this as a landscape as it is a very well composed and interesting one!
I think the wind surfer shouldn't be your main subject in this picture, but an add on or something that your eye will go to through the pic.
What you got and which I found it awesome is that piece of wood is aimed directly at the surfer.
You can edit your photo so the attention will go to the log. Since its a straight line, your eye will follow it towards the surfer.
A bit more focus from your editing on this part of the pic would be great.
Lately I have been using circular adjustment option in Photoshop (cant remember its exact name), where i choose outside or inside, and i also use brushes.
It helps me put more emphasis on a point i like while not really impacting the whole picture.