Melancholic Weather @ Labrador Park

[gersunchan]

1. In what area is critique to be sought?

I hope get some critique in terms of the composition, as well as the exposure of the image taken.

2. What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?

It was an experimental piece, after several shots, I manage to achieve what I believe to be the "right" amount of exposure with my ND filter. Together the with the composition, I wanted to bring forth the melancholic weather, the overcast skies and moody waves.

3. Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)

It was starting to drizzle when I had my camera on a tripod, and after a few more shots, I had to evacuate to the nearest shelter to prevent my gear from getting soaked. some light post processing was done to straighten the horizon and a grad filter to recover some details in the sky. Tried to take the background (cranes in the back) into consideration when framing the shot, but the rain had stopped be before I could find a better frame.

4. What the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture

I personally like this picture as it looks like a calm picture, but as I look at it more, the stormy and rough elements start to stand out and become more imposing.

What do you guys think? Please do provide some constructive advise to help me improve Thank you in advence

 

[Shizuma]

Please don't think i am rude...I will just say it as it is

1. I can't feel the melancholy. it looks like a LE Landscape with suitably exposed brightness for daytime (no melancholy in lighting)
Composition wise I think the jetty running across horizontally kind of clashes with the cranes (also a horizon i think) in the far background. the cranes look like they are sitting on the jetty. which is pretty visually confusing for this cat

2. With ND filter you know you smooth out the water, how to see the waves. no waves seen.

3. Shoot with your ND off. it might help bring out the mood

4. no rough elements or storminess. that is what an ND does in landscapes. it performs the optical equivalent of an averaging over the varying parts of your composition.

 

[nitewalk]

Cluttered background which merged with the midground and nothing strong in the foreground. Becomes quite flat and dull to look at. Youwould need something stronger in the foreground as anchor and a less cluttered background. Not the easiest of scenes, i'd say! Have to really think and rethink, do and redo!

 

[gersunchan]

Please don't think i am rude...I will just say it as it is

1. I can't feel the melancholy. it looks like a LE Landscape with suitably exposed brightness for daytime (no melancholy in lighting)
Composition wise I think the jetty running across horizontally kind of clashes with the cranes (also a horizon i think) in the far background. the cranes look like they are sitting on the jetty. which is pretty visually confusing for this cat

2. With ND filter you know you smooth out the water, how to see the waves. no waves seen.

3. Shoot with your ND off. it might help bring out the mood

4. no rough elements or storminess. that is what an ND does in landscapes. it performs the optical equivalent of an averaging over the varying parts of your composition.

Thanks for the feedback, and elaboration on how the ND filters will work on the image.

I guess you are right to say that there is some clutter in the background, I am still thinking of a good way to bring that element(the cranes) and blend it into the image in a complementary manner, maybe one day when the weather and skies are nicer I will go down and try again. Regarding the point of it being melancholic, I was not trying to bring it out with the texture of the seas and sky as I was experimenting with the ND filter, instead, I was trying to bring forth the mood through the colour of the sky and the sea, just like a white calming blanket, but turmoil and uncertainty underneath when you see the very faint textures in the sea. The waves wrapping around the rocks also gave me an impression of the rocks being "eaten", corroded and stuff like that, hence the idea disappearing was melancholic to me.

 

[gersunchan]

Cluttered background which merged with the misground and nothing strong in the foreground. Becomes quite flat and dull to look at. Youwould need something stronger in the foreground as anchor and a less cluttered background. Not the easiest of scenes, i'd say! Have to really think and rethink, do and redo!

Thanks for the advise and comment on the composition, true that I need of a better anchoring element in the foreground, perhaps I could have gone lower to the bank and get a better composition of rocks in the foreground. A pity that a storm was rolling in that day and I felt that it was not worth it to put me and my gear in danger. Definitely will visit that rocky shore for more!

 

[Octarine]

Tried to take the background (cranes in the back) into consideration when framing the shot, but the rain had stopped be before I could find a better frame.

Find a better frame first. Everything else is second. Yes, you have achieved a decent exposure, fine. But it is of limited use if the framing is so off. What exactly do you like about the cranes merging with the jetty / walkway?