View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

I have not posted in awhile . Please tell me what y'all think of the dusk shot .
Thanks
Don

 

[Asher Kelman]

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine​

Hi Don,

This is a very pretty view and no doubt a favorite scene for photographers. I missed this yesterday as I was out and then tonight I discovered it and am pleased to see this new work. Let me be the first to comment!

The lit street lamps and the reflections in the water make nice patterning across the right side of the image. This increases the weight of the shoreline, so the left side could easily be increased to balance this, (even if there are no more boats to be included). The bright area all the way to the lower right edge of the image, coming from the street/parking area below the lit building, could be dimmed at the edge, else the eye is pulled off the picture. It would be great if there was a little more image to the right and we went just beyond where that bright area naturally dims.

I hope this comes from a larger photograph or that you have other images also to share to see more on either side.

Asher

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine​

Hi Don,

This is a very pretty view and no doubt a favorite scene for photographers. I missed this yesterday as I was out and then tonight I discovered it and am pleased to see this new work. Let me be the first to comment!

The lit street lamps and the reflections in the water make nice patterning across the right side of the image. This increases the weight of the shoreline, so the left side could easily be increased to balance this, (even if there are no more boats to be included). The bright area all the way to the lower right edge of the image, coming from the street/parking area below the lit building, could be dimmed at the edge, else the eye is pulled off the picture. It would be great if there was a little more image to the right and we went just beyond where that bright area naturally dims.

I hope this comes from a larger photograph or that you have other images also to share to see more on either side.

Asher

Asher, thanks for responding this photo gives you an idea of the overlook .Done with 17-85 as the other was with a 70-200f4L IS . Wonder if a vingnette in LR would help that right lower corner with the light ?
This one is closer .

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine​

Hi Don,

This is a very pretty view and no doubt a favorite scene for photographers. I missed this yesterday as I was out and then tonight I discovered it and am pleased to see this new work. Let me be the first to comment!

The lit street lamps and the reflections in the water make nice patterning across the right side of the image. This increases the weight of the shoreline, so the left side could easily be increased to balance this, (even if there are no more boats to be included). The bright area all the way to the lower right edge of the image, coming from the street/parking area below the lit building, could be dimmed at the edge, else the eye is pulled off the picture. It would be great if there was a little more image to the right and we went just beyond where that bright area naturally dims.

I hope this comes from a larger photograph or that you have other images also to share to see more on either side.

Asher

However do not the house light and the other light to the left of the house frame it ?
Just wondering and I could make it more like a night shot since it is shot in raw.

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

Removed light with LR local adj brush but do not know if I like the darker version better then dusk .

 

[Rachel Foster]

We honeymooned in Camden in 94. Thanks for posting.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Where do never ending things end?

I have not posted in awhile . Please tell me what y'all think of the dusk shot .

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine​

Hi Don,

Your picture, although of a charming location, has diffuse non-stop dazzling lights that take attention away from the harbor and boats. So, perhaps, we can cheat and pretend that in some parts folks are away or else sleeping and the lights are off.

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine Edited, ADK​

This way we might be able to focus attention on samples of the scene to bring back some sense of a town switching over to night time, but having the precious harbor and white boats lit well. Well is that it? Can't we strengthen the water area? So I have attempted that by adding a section of water to the left and a few tiny boats to make the curve continue to the edge.

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine, Edited, harbor expanded ADK​

So now there's a little more light in the right side of town to the edge but this is balanced by a more extensive water area. The picture is anchored in the lower right by one bright house. It might very well be that the original is preferred. So be it. I just want to raise this question of, "Where do never-ending things end?" I do not know that this is, as yet, the right answer, but I think it's at least, an important visual issue. I consider we need to be skilled enough to tackle this by our initial composition but sometimes, it might require post-processing and design to control distractions and build the motif and attention as one wishes. Hopefully now, this charming harbor town is revealed from the dark countryside with no end of little boats hugging the extended coastline.

Asher

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

It seems capturing a location one can be limited in positioning and choice of elements. I usually do not change the original much but I appreciate you pointing out some ways.
I really changed it making it like it was fully dark with lights . How did you like that look ?
Don

 

[Asher Kelman]

Removed light with LR local adj brush but do not know if I like the darker version better then dusk .

Hi Don,

I felt that this was overall just too dark. Here's what the issue is. How does one make something important when everything is lit and shaded the same? When everything is bright or everything dark and no form, pattern or shape or movement is obvious, then it can become a weak image. now one can have a light image as in Cem's recent scene in a cold morning mist, but that has a definite composition and forms, even though they are faint, they work. You picture has, to me, at least, too much detail all over. Also there's not enough water to balance all the weight of the town.

What I try to do is make somethings more important than others. Look at my last edit with the expanded bay and the boats along the extended coast. It now is more like a harbor with the water being considerably more important than before. At least that's my intent.

Yours is uniform.

Don Ferguson Jr.: View from Mt Battie Camden harbor Maine, Edited, harbor expanded ADK​

You haven't commented on the edits I have offered you! You really don't have to like it! It's just from my head, one possible way of balancing the picture and trying to give it more interest and impact. I don't think you can do this with Lightroom just yet, as the local editing is still not up to photoshop capability.

Asher

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

You are better at PP them me I guess you used dodge and burn tool with multiply blend and added canvas using clone to do boats? You are right it does put more emphasis on the boats .
Don

 

[Johan Combrink]

I will not make comments other than the fact that I like the whole scene and gives you a view of an entire community. I am sure the other input has been of value and not need for me to comment further.

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

We honeymooned in Camden in 94. Thanks for posting

Glad you enjoyed the photo and hope it brought back memories.
Don

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

I will not make comments other than the fact that I like the whole scene and gives you a view of an entire community. I am sure the other input has been of value and not need for me to comment further.

Thanks for commenting and as I said in the other post I think capturing a location one can be limited in positioning with the choice of elements . And for an accurate travel memory I like the original version but can also appreciate edited ones.
Don

 

[Asher Kelman]

You are better at PP them me I guess you used dodge and burn tool with multiply blend and added canvas using clone to do boats? You are right it does put more emphasis on the boats .
Don

Don,

There's a guy that teaches "just dodge and burn" for his beatification of his models and he's excellent. However, use of layers with masks is utterly non-destructive and one can return to allow what was hidden to show through again or be masked more. That's the flexibility of masks that is missing from just using the doge burn tools. However, that's not all there is to it. Some folk use the history Brush with the doge/burn tools to paint back what was there but altered by the subsequent edits. So in photoshop, there are many ways to creative Nirvana. However, one must find such a path, to undo one's sins of omission or commission, to make the best and most nuanced edits. snapping a picture is often just the start of the work of creating art. Sometimes the choice of how one points the camera and what has been chosen to record is only the basis for the craft to follow.

Insurance policies, forensic images and other documentation must have no fingerprints of our imagination. Photography for art, however, is not required to be as untainted by our private intent or imagination. A faithful photograph of a scene subject or just a social snapshot snap might prove invaluable to humanity. More often, I believe, my own, (always tentative), definition of art applies to our very best photography,

"Art is the creative, physical and agreeable expression of the human mind, by work, skill and effort, that we treasure, experience, revisit, preserve and hoard for ourselves and society."

Asher

I'll try to find the D&B retouch fanatic!

 

[Don Ferguson Jr.]

So I guess you used masks to make those changes ? I probably need to get PS cs4 .
Regards
Don

 

[Asher Kelman]

So I guess you used masks to make those changes ? I probably need to get PS cs4

Hi Don,

If you can get your work to pay for CS4, then buy it, it has so much power. However, just PS 7.0 will give you layers and CS2 will add the superb Shadow Highlight tool in Image-Adjustment. This is a great advance, I feel. CS3 and CS4 add extra notions but already with CS2 you will have a major flexibility in local editing. Look to see if someone has a used copy to sell with the license and get it transferred to you officially through Adobe so when you eventually upgrade, your will get the discounted price. Of course, if you have access to a student/faculty privilege, you can buy software at the greatly reduced student price.

If you are rich, just buy CS2 or above!

Asher