The "I went for a sunrise shoot and the sunrise was rotten" shot

[PeterB666]

The title says it all.

This is Shelly Park Beach Bathes in Cronulla, a Southern suburb of Sydney.

Shot with my Olypmus E-P1 and Olympus 9-18mm lens at the 9mm end of the zoom. I have shot this location before but only with a 20mm lens so this is a somewhat wider shot.

Shame about the sunrise but that's as good as it got this weekend. It was hight tide and the swell was flatter than a pancake. Worst of all possible scenarios.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/23034038@N05/4916249546/" title="Shelly Beach Pool by peterb666, on Flickr">

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"800" height="450" alt="Shelly Beach Pool" /></a>

 

[chalkdust]

So we are left with three colors and several shapes. I like each of the colors. I like each of the shapes. This is a photo that rewards contemplation.

 

[grebeman]

Whilst of course I can't see outside the frame I personally might have been tempted to place the vertical sign towards the right hand side of the picture, perhaps 1/3 of the way into frame, just my feelings and hopefully taken in a constructive way. Perhaps you might comment on your reason for placing it in the centre.

Barrie

 

[PeterB666]

In retrospect, the sign placement is wrong. The problem I was pre-occuplied was dealing with the stong shadows caused by the very strong sodium vabour lighting from behind me that was casting a very distinct shadow of me and my tripod into the shot. There is also a secondary light source that has cast quite a faint shadow anyway (which I have only just noticed).

I did another shot to the left which resulted in the sign being better sited but I noticed that secondary shadow and didn't use it. I might play around with that one in Photoshop and see what I can do with it.

 

[grebeman]

You seem to have a lot of coast illuminated by sodium lights, if I'm not mistaken this factor has arisen in other of your coastal photographs :smile:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts over the issue of composition problems.

Barrie

 

[PeterB666]

I have two theories about the lighting, either:

1. people swim at night, or

2. the sharks like to see what they are eating.

Almost all the rock pools for adults are lit at night. I only know of 3 that aren't and one of them is abandoned.

 

[grebeman]

Blimey, perhaps if you begin to feel the economic downturn over there in Oz maybe they'll turn them off for you.

Barrie

 

[BBW]

Peter, I wonder what this might be like in black and white? I agree with chalkdust about the interesting lines and shapes. I can understand why you're not pleased with this photo because compared to you others it is quite different due to the unreal qualities, especially. And I know you hate those lights - very funny by the way about the reasons for them.

Just maybe turning it into black and white or monochrome might be a pleasant surprise for you. I see quite a bit about this image that I do like.

 

[dulaney22]

I love that pic . . . colors are outstanding.

Would you mind posting the shot from the 20mm? I'm a super noob and would like to see the difference in perspective.

Lee

 

[PeterB666]

The conditions were completely different and I didn't do a shot from the same spot so it is difficult to give a comparison.

I will hunt through the 2 collections and see if I can find 2 from a similar spot with a similar outlook but for the time being there is this one ...

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Shelly Park - Cronulla-6 by peterb666, on Flickr

You can just make out the Kurnell Peninsular on the horizon on the left side and that nearly matched up with the wider shot.

 

[BBW]

Just looked through your shots from this location via Flickr and am amazed.

 

[PeterB666]

I don't really have two shots from exactly the same spot but these are as close as I have...

20mm

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Shelly Park Pool March 10 by peterb666, on Flickr

9mm

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Shelly Park Pool Aug 2010-1 by peterb666, on Flickr