<<< o >>>the watchtower 39 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

This is a coastguard tower, towards the southern end of Fleetwood beach. I've photographed it several times before, but haven't been happy with any of them. This one though, taken yesterday evening as Eric and I wandered along the beach, is a bit closer to the sort of shot I've been after.

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
8.59pm on 6/6/06
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f/8.0
1/200
aperture priority
+0.0
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
yes
 
3x2 + fylde coast [scenic] + reflections [water]
comment by Frank at 09:11 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Very nice mirroring and wonderful colors.

comment by Brett Admire at 09:16 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

I love the water relfection shots

comment by rambohoho at 09:20 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

hehe, the beach of backpool is your landscape studio.

comment by Andrew at 09:27 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Nice photograph, it almost has the apperance of a painting. I like the colours in it as well.

comment by marco's light opinion at 09:27 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Nice shot Dave.
The 180 deg rotation cause a sort of visual aberration, as mind cannot immediately resolve the prospective of the real ground at the bottom of the image, giving a sense of dreamy and inconsistent vision. I find it very suggestive.

How do you obtain a so definite reflected image? I suppose you had to keep the camera very close to the ground, is that correct?

comment by Mark at 09:30 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

I was photographing this very thing on Sunday...just not from such an interesting angle. I like what you've done with it.

comment by nuno f at 09:39 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

There's nothing like keep trying until we find the right shot that we are happy with. Amazing reflexion!

comment by thukai at 09:51 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Very nice shot. Great composition even though it's a reflection shot.

Seem to me that you missed a few hotspots in the sky there.

comment by shooter at 10:11 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

The colours make this shot work for me, I am not so sure it is a reflection, has there been some use of creativity within PS, it still doesn't detract from the lovely feel you have managed to capture here though. I have to say having these areas a tram ride away is a luxury I would love...

comment by Tomasz at 10:13 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Very nice, painting-like. Nice warm colors and composition.

comment by Bill Hooker at 10:41 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

I agree with Marco, the 180deg rotation had me scratching my head for a moment. But it's a nice shot.

comment by Manuel at 10:47 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Great colors gamma. El efecto me gusta algo menos... :)

comment by djn1 at 10:48 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

marco: I was probably a couple of feet above the water.

thukai: I can't see them on my monitor.

shooter: nope, just some curves (for colour correction and contrast) and Hue/Saturation to boost the saturation. Oh, and a bit of selective color too. but no changes to the content.

Bill: it's not something I've done for a while, but I've put up quite a few rotated reflections in the past.

comment by Eric at 10:55 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

love it! thanks again for hanging out yesterday! I had a great time!

comment by Caryn at 11:01 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

Wonderful capture! It looks like a painting, almost impressionistic. And the colors are gorgous.

comment by mooch at 11:46 PM (GMT) on 7 June, 2006

I like this shot Dave. A nicely textured oil. Delicate light too. Looks like dusk drawing in on a lovely summers day.

comment by Joseph at 01:26 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

typicaly great shot. nice one!
I love the orange and the blue in this. reminds me baywatch, or something =)

comment by Robert at 01:46 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Thukai may be referring to the dark spots that look like sensor dust (check to the right of the tower). I don't see any white pixels.

It's amazing that this is a water reflection considering the clarity of the image and as marco noted the confusing perspective. Fascinating image.

comment by tim at 01:53 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

For a moment i thought that it was heat shimmer... silly me...

comment by pfong at 01:56 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Nice work. Impressionistic and yet a literal depiction all at the same time. Marvellous.

comment by Sarah Smith aka Rustic Relics at 03:33 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Your photography is just stunning...i am always amazed to see what you post up next...you have such a natural talenet, thank you for sharing it with the world :)

comment by alan at 04:11 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

lovely image... a very calm mood - I think it stems from the softening effect from the reflection

comment by micki at 07:10 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Beautiful work! I was thinking the effect was more like what you'd see through the shimmering heat. Will this be it, or will you continue to try to achieve exactly what you see in your mind's eye?

comment by navin harish at 09:14 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Nice colours. Looks like a painting.

comment by JD at 11:31 AM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

I really do love your reflection shots ;)
the saturation in this is amazing, love the greens next to the blues

comment by RD at 12:41 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

It's a beautiful picture, but I'm confused by it. I'm not understanding at what angle this reflective shot was taken if you were 200 feet above the water. "Rotated reflection"? And what is the figure at the top of the tower? Looks likea giant in a space suit.

comment by M A R I N U S at 01:46 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

agree on the 180 rotation and all the nice things said about the reflection. really like this shot..

comment by Raymond Tse at 02:29 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Very nice effect - it took me a while to work out how you did it (should have read the comments first!)

comment by newpost at 03:18 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Hi. Idont like the last couple of photos. sorry. please go back.

comment by Page at 04:35 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Trippy . . . . at first I thought it was just still loading . . . :)

comment by Bob at 05:15 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

It's a great illusion and I'll not pop the bubble. I'll only say that when I analyzed "Tin Foil Tower" you provided me one of those "a-ha" moments. And, no, it doesn't have merely to do with rotation. Very nice thinking.

comment by thomas at 05:41 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

i like the reflection of the tower. great colours.

comment by Paul at 05:50 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

WOW! At first I thought I was looking at the tower through some extreme heat! Very nice reflection shot!

comment by Pete at 06:38 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

I like this, its got great colour and good composition, but I cant work it out. Is this a reflection, or a heat haze effect?

comment by DAVE at 06:50 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

sublime

comment by djn1 at 08:28 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

Thanks everyone :-)

comment by kubik at 08:54 PM (GMT) on 8 June, 2006

I am watching your photoblog for a long time and I like it a lot.
I decided to make one for myself. So check it out and feel free to add comments. I am sorry that titles are only in Czech, but photos are what is imporatant.
www.losfotos.webz.cz

comment by Sysagent at 10:01 AM (GMT) on 9 June, 2006

Good shot Dave, really looks well on the focus etc for the image which is tricky on reflections shots like this.

comment by Ben at 09:49 PM (GMT) on 12 June, 2006

Truly, I don't know how you do it! Absolutely beautiful photograph.