Here's another one for the critics. What would make this shot better? I happened to be there on a day when the place was closed (Tuesdays, I think?) The shot is a little bit wider than the scan- on the print there is some empty space to the side of the shed..



-I like the fact that the place was closed, as there aren't a lot of people milling around. I think this adds to a sense of isolation.

-Zooming out a little more might have helped also add to a sense of isolation.

-The lighting is a little flat, but as mentioned on other posts, my luck in matters meterological is less than inspiring.

-If I had waited a little longer, I probably would have had the chance to catch a whale in the background. All my stuff was packed away when he showed up. Patience is a virtue...

What else should I do to jazz this up on my next trip?




[This message has been edited by Hanifich (edited 05-21-2002).]

It's been a number of years since I visit Pt. Reyes - pre-Harbour Lights days.

You might have heard of the rule of thirds?

Visually divide your picture into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Place a center of interest at a point where two of the lines intersect.

In your example above, tilt 'down' the image so that the top one-third is water and the bottom two-thirds is rugged rock. No need to pan either way, the lantern room would be positioned at one of those intersecting lines.

As I recall there is a long decending set of wooden steps leading down to the lighthouse. Including those stairs snaking 'down' from the lower right corner of the image to the upper left lantern room would lead the eye right to this center of interest.




The above image gives you an alternative composition. The black areas would be more image. In addition to repositioning, I adjusted the image through PhotoShop including increasing the saturation.

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 05-21-2002).]

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 05-21-2002).]

[This message has been edited by JChidester (edited 05-21-2002).]

I've been looking at your pictures and can only comment in this way. I don't have the expertise to be able to handle a camera and know all there is to know about photography, filters, etc.

I go out there and "point and shoot" and try to get the best possible pictures that I can, but most of the time I must rely on the elements to be there.

By looking at pictures posted on the forum and listening to the wonderful comments and ideas that are shared here on the forums. I believe that everyone can learn more about taking pictures, especially good pictures.

John, thank you for sharing that rule of thirds. It's absolutely amazing at the wonderful ideas and little tricks that all of you share with us and in a BIG WAY help each of us to capture on film, what it is that we love so much. LIGHTHOUSES!

Thanks to all the forum members who are willing to share their expertise with us! I for one, and I would think that there are many others who feel the same way, appreciate it.

Bert

[This message has been edited by MtnHkr (edited 05-21-2002).]

Here are some alternate compositions- unfortunately, this light doesn't allow for much of a walk around, unless you intend to get wet!



This shot would look a lot better if I had followed the rule of thirds- if I had it to do over, I would pan right a bit. The Nikon N80 is really helpful in helping set up the thirds- there are gridlines (much like John has drawn above) that appear right in the viewfinder...




I liked this shot, which is a little closer to the composition that John has suggested. I should have comitted more to the stairs in the foreground- here they are a little distracting, although this shot is growing on me. I think the stairs are lost to view behind the outcrop on almost any view, unless one scales the fence.



This shot follows the rule of thirds in respect to the tower and house placement. I also seem to remember some fundamental rule of composition which calls for a triangular element in a print that helps carry your eye around the image. That is established a little here by the top of the tower, the corner of the house, and the shed. This shot just doesn't excite me to0 much; it is a little static and boring.

Which of these 4 shots, although they all lack something, do you folks like the best? The winner might hang in the living room until I can take a better shot, hopefully in October...




[This message has been edited by Hanifich (edited 05-21-2002).]

Hey Bert-

Another worthwhile place to go talk photo technique is on any one of several usenet newsgroups (ie rec.photo.equipment.35mm). Just beware the people there can be a lot grouchier than those you'll find here!

Here is my take on how I would crop this picture, I also lightened it up a little and minor tuning to color/hue/saturation.

also adding a border/frame dresses up a picture nicely too,

Wow Mark! That border make Pt. Reyes look just like Turkey Point!

Ok Larry, I took it back to Photoshop and adjusted the vertical hold and fixed it, how's it look now?

I actually like all the photos because I like looking at pics of lights I've never seen.

One thing bothers me in all the photos, the rust stains! It makes me want to just go there and put a fresh coat of white paint on the light?

This topic, Lighthouse Photography, has brought some really interesting interaction amongst the CF members.

Bob

Mark-
That touch up job looks good! I think if I enlage this up and hide some space with matting it should look pretty good.

Bob-
I hear what you are saying about the rust stains. I was in NC recently and was surprised to find both Bodie and Hatteras really could use a paint job! That would be quite an undertaking- at least most of Pt. Reyes you could hit with an extension ladder!

Chris, you might need to adjust the color of your scan a little. I don't know what software you're using for your photo images, but the saturation and contrast look a little low. The photo below was shot from about the same location at the top of the stairs on a foggy day the last time I was at Pt Reyes. I was trying to use the line of the stairs to give you eye something to follow into the main subject of the photo which, of course, is the lighthouse. In this particular case, positioning the lighthouse using the rule of 3rds didn't work for me vertically in the image but m ore or less did horizontally. The vignetting at the corners of the image was caused by the lens hood of the 200-400 mm zoom used for this photo.

Amazing what you can get for foggy shots, isn't it?

------------------
Terry (Only my mother, brothers & sisters call me Teresa) Forrest