I spent about an hour trying to process a colour version of this shot, but there's something about the quality of light at this time of year that's very difficult to capture – almost as though it was warm and cold at the same time. Anyway, in the end I gave up trying and switched to monochrome as I really couldn't come up with a colour version I was happy with. Also, I think this shot might have been better if I'd used a slightly smaller aperture as more of the shell would have been in focus. That said, one of the things I really like about this one is the shallow depth of field – almost as though the shell has left a trail in the sand. Ho hum, decisions, decisions ;-) Anyway, I'm reasonably pleased with it, but as always, do let me know what you think.
captured camera lens focal length aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?
3.06pm on 1/1/06
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f/5.6
1/500
aperture priority
-1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
no
If so, it's probably another DNS problem. If not, I have no idea what the problem is :-/
comment bytobias at 09:45 PM (GMT) on 1 January, 2006
I understand what you mean by the light. I also feel that if you have a blanket overcast sky it is difficult to get the light in the image right without blowing out the sky which comes up as a uniform white.
I like the processing to this. Great shallow DoF. Brilliant texture to the shell and sand. Lovely.
comment byMichael Brown at 10:05 PM (GMT) on 1 January, 2006
Outstanding perspective in this shot, with a perfect shallow DOF. Details showing right where you need it the most of all. And, the toning used really works well here.
Very nice!!
comment byrosa at 10:50 PM (GMT) on 1 January, 2006
I agree with mat, the picture kind of has a 'zen' feel to it. Very nice =)
Happy new year everybody! =)
comment byJem at 11:30 PM (GMT) on 1 January, 2006
I've had trouble with a few colour shots recently too Dave - this one is incredibly stunning in B&W though! I love the DOF. Brilliant :)
comment by james at 12:37 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
I really enjoy just about every image that you post, I'd really like some insight regarding your workflow. Your images almost always seem to have a distinctive quality that is all your own.
comment byManual Exposure at 01:51 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
This has a wonderfully grungy grit to it, like a print pulled from a dirty plate. You've allowed an enormous amount of detail to be visibile in certain areas of the frame while keeping others just out of focus making us wonder what lies beyond.
comment byViking at 03:24 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Nice. I wish there was a little more sand in focus, but the extreme blur of the background makes up for it :)
comment bynuno f at 04:05 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
I think that the aperture you used is perfect. The DoF that it created makes this composition very simple and well worked. My eyes are directly guided to the shell and are not distracted by other elements. Excellent work as always! : )
comment byParker at 05:22 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Looks great! I like the reflective tone of this picture.
On a more technical note, I've switched my subscription over to the RSS feed on the new server, and it's working fine. My only complaint is that the new feed doesn't seem to have thumbnails in it! That was a feature I really liked of the old one, that I could see each day's picture at a glance in my newsreader. Or maybe thumbnails *are* in the new feed, and I'm just doing something wrong and not viewing them right or something. Any ideas?
comment by d at 05:39 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
i've been meaning to ask ... how do you convert your colour images to black and white?
comment byjezblog.com at 07:29 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
er.....weirdly your whizzy site now appears very basic in default type instead of your usual trendy font etc.......er..? Great shot as usual nothing is changed on that front. The depth of field falling away in front and behind is great!
comment bytrob at 07:48 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
How did you get the background darker at the top? Clouds? Filter? Post-processing?
comment by Free Spirit at 10:24 AM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
This is my kind of photo! Shells are typically portrayed in a colourful setting and I love how this is different.
comment by Ron at 12:36 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Hi
When I typed http://chromasia.com/ in the address bar I go to the pixyblog home page. I like the picture.
comment byNavin Harish at 12:43 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Nice picture. The blor in the bushes in the background in creating a very nice effect. Happy New Year
comment bygaryx at 01:13 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Nice perspective and composition. I know what you mean about the light, I had a similar problem on the yesterday morning; I eventually settled on a b&w version too.
comment byPeace at 02:10 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
excellent dof!
happy new year!
comment byowen at 03:13 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Superb Dave. When I first saw this I thought you'd used the 100mm macro - amzing capture with the 17-40. It is a beautiful find - and the processing is spot on (as usual!)
comment by GP at 05:34 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Great as usual, but I really love the subject.
comment byKai at 07:22 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
This is lovely. It reminds me of mediation, if that makes any sense at all..
comment by paflechien at 10:05 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
This new version seems to be fully operational. I've just got my 20D, and try to remove some dust on the CMOS and after that i'll try to do my best ! As a french proverb says 'Souvent imité, jamais égalé' nice djn1
comment bydjn1 at 10:55 PM (GMT) on 2 January, 2006
Thanks everyone.
James: when I've got a bit of time I'm going to put up a few step-by-step guides to some of my images.
Parker: thanks for the info. I've fixed the feeds.
d: by either using Hue/Saturation to desaturate the image of by using the Channel Mixer.
jezblog: I think the problem with the stylesheets not loading should be fixed now.
trob: by using different settings with the Channel Mixer and a gradient mask to fade the effect.
Ron: that's fixed too.
comment bycoffeelover at 12:16 AM (GMT) on 3 January, 2006
Love it. B&W is so good that I didn't even initially consider it in color. Great work.
comment bytamONLINE at 03:38 PM (GMT) on 3 January, 2006
I love this photo. Black and white suits this very well, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. You probably wouldn't notice all the great shapes in the photo if your eyes were distracted by the colours. Also, the texture of sand against the shell and against the sky. You can almost feel the grittiness of the granules of sand.
Just lovely,
comment byAlex at 06:33 AM (GMT) on 4 January, 2006
Looks great! I like the tone of this picture.
comment byMiguel at 11:15 PM (GMT) on 18 January, 2006
One can almost see some big company's name on the top left corner of the picture, like Accenture or something.
It's a great shot even if it didn't come out coloured. :)
I spent about an hour trying to process a colour version of this shot, but there's something about the quality of light at this time of year that's very difficult to capture – almost as though it was warm and cold at the same time. Anyway, in the end I gave up trying and switched to monochrome as I really couldn't come up with a colour version I was happy with. Also, I think this shot might have been better if I'd used a slightly smaller aperture as more of the shell would have been in focus. That said, one of the things I really like about this one is the shallow depth of field – almost as though the shell has left a trail in the sand. Ho hum, decisions, decisions ;-) Anyway, I'm reasonably pleased with it, but as always, do let me know what you think.
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f/5.6
1/500
aperture priority
-1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
no
Mmmmh... Love the way the background blurs away. This photo has something calming.
I cant see it. But I can see the thumb here...And when I click on the thumb here, I get an error.
Fellow Eskimo: hmmm. Does this address work:
http://chromasia.pixyblog.com/iblog/index.php
If so, it's probably another DNS problem. If not, I have no idea what the problem is :-/
I understand what you mean by the light. I also feel that if you have a blanket overcast sky it is difficult to get the light in the image right without blowing out the sky which comes up as a uniform white.
I like the processing to this. Great shallow DoF. Brilliant texture to the shell and sand. Lovely.
Outstanding perspective in this shot, with a perfect shallow DOF. Details showing right where you need it the most of all. And, the toning used really works well here.
Very nice!!
another outstanding shot!
I agree with mat, the picture kind of has a 'zen' feel to it. Very nice =)
Happy new year everybody! =)
I've had trouble with a few colour shots recently too Dave - this one is incredibly stunning in B&W though! I love the DOF. Brilliant :)
I really enjoy just about every image that you post, I'd really like some insight regarding your workflow. Your images almost always seem to have a distinctive quality that is all your own.
This has a wonderfully grungy grit to it, like a print pulled from a dirty plate. You've allowed an enormous amount of detail to be visibile in certain areas of the frame while keeping others just out of focus making us wonder what lies beyond.
Nice. I wish there was a little more sand in focus, but the extreme blur of the background makes up for it :)
I think that the aperture you used is perfect. The DoF that it created makes this composition very simple and well worked. My eyes are directly guided to the shell and are not distracted by other elements. Excellent work as always! : )
Looks great! I like the reflective tone of this picture.
On a more technical note, I've switched my subscription over to the RSS feed on the new server, and it's working fine. My only complaint is that the new feed doesn't seem to have thumbnails in it! That was a feature I really liked of the old one, that I could see each day's picture at a glance in my newsreader. Or maybe thumbnails *are* in the new feed, and I'm just doing something wrong and not viewing them right or something. Any ideas?
i've been meaning to ask ... how do you convert your colour images to black and white?
er.....weirdly your whizzy site now appears very basic in default type instead of your usual trendy font etc.......er..? Great shot as usual nothing is changed on that front. The depth of field falling away in front and behind is great!
How did you get the background darker at the top? Clouds? Filter? Post-processing?
This is my kind of photo! Shells are typically portrayed in a colourful setting and I love how this is different.
Hi
When I typed http://chromasia.com/ in the address bar I go to the pixyblog home page. I like the picture.
Nice picture. The blor in the bushes in the background in creating a very nice effect. Happy New Year
Nice perspective and composition. I know what you mean about the light, I had a similar problem on the yesterday morning; I eventually settled on a b&w version too.
excellent dof!
happy new year!
Superb Dave. When I first saw this I thought you'd used the 100mm macro - amzing capture with the 17-40. It is a beautiful find - and the processing is spot on (as usual!)
Great as usual, but I really love the subject.
This is lovely. It reminds me of mediation, if that makes any sense at all..
This new version seems to be fully operational. I've just got my 20D, and try to remove some dust on the CMOS and after that i'll try to do my best ! As a french proverb says 'Souvent imité, jamais égalé' nice djn1
Thanks everyone.
James: when I've got a bit of time I'm going to put up a few step-by-step guides to some of my images.
Parker: thanks for the info. I've fixed the feeds.
d: by either using Hue/Saturation to desaturate the image of by using the Channel Mixer.
jezblog: I think the problem with the stylesheets not loading should be fixed now.
trob: by using different settings with the Channel Mixer and a gradient mask to fade the effect.
Ron: that's fixed too.
Love it. B&W is so good that I didn't even initially consider it in color. Great work.
I love this photo. Black and white suits this very well, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. You probably wouldn't notice all the great shapes in the photo if your eyes were distracted by the colours. Also, the texture of sand against the shell and against the sky. You can almost feel the grittiness of the granules of sand.
Just lovely,
Looks great! I like the tone of this picture.
One can almost see some big company's name on the top left corner of the picture, like Accenture or something.
It's a great shot even if it didn't come out coloured. :)