This is the coastguard lookout station on Rossal Point near Fleetwood, and though I've never seen it manned, it does have an emergency telephone which you can just make out in this shot.
The post-processing for this one was quite dramatic, despite the rather under-stated end result, so I thought I'd put the original up too:
As you can see, the major change is to the tone/colour of the image, but I also spent quite a lot of time working on balancing the foreground and the tower/sky areas of the image. Unusually, I reduced the contrast for the sky and tower which has given the image a more painterly feel than it would otherwise have had.
As always, I'd be interested to hear what you think of it.
captured camera lens aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?
4.45pm on 7/11/07
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
f/5.6
1/60
aperture priority
-1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
16x9
Don't really have a comment about the photo today, but i do have a question, if you dont mind. Did you use the canon raw software that came with the camera? seems Capture 1 and canon's software are competing on my comp. Is there a way that you know of to tell C1 to be the primary tool?
comment byRhys at 08:46 PM (GMT) on 8 November, 2007
The 'Eastern Bloc' feel (towers and look-out points) makes it interesting.
Did you take the shot knowing that you would have to do all of the above PP?
comment bydjn1 at 08:54 PM (GMT) on 8 November, 2007
g: are you using a Mac or PC?
Rhys: yes and no. I knew that the original would be a fairly flat image with an overly dark foreground, so had a rough idea as to the scope of what would need to be done, but I wasn't really thinking about how the final image would look. Often, when I post-process a photograph like this one, the final image 'evolves' during that process.
comment byCraig @ id7 at 08:57 PM (GMT) on 8 November, 2007
Dave, I know exactly where that is, and I'd like to be there with you mate to be honest.... I think the end result is a worthy image, and altho the PP was heavy, it makes it no less of an image. And it looks like a prison from a distance, and this is the view as you run away, thats my mind anyway..... csj
comment bymarcus at 10:01 PM (GMT) on 8 November, 2007
A stunner, just love the way you toned the picture.
PC. Upon hooking up my canon it automatically open the canon utility. I tried several times to redirect C1 to be the primary tool but to no avail. I might uninstall canon software and see if it doesn't default over to C1.
comment byRubenV at 02:11 AM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
Hi Dave,
Love the shot, but given the viewpoint, I wonder how you took it. Were you on a pier, or a boat, or something similar?
I know, it's a silly question, but seeing this lovely picture made me wonder.
comment byTom K. at 03:01 AM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
Not a point of view you see too often. I really love the image. Truly exquisite work here.
comment bySamir at 04:34 AM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
Love this picture. I'm jealous of your landscape pictures.
comment bymilou at 02:58 PM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
The muted light/feel is most handsome.
comment byRichS at 04:13 PM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
Love what you have done in post-processing. I often struggle to balance the sky and the land, especially with these cold ( but dry ) days where the sky is almost completely grey.
Did you use a filter on the camera, or was the original completely raw before PP started ?
comment bydjn1 at 05:28 PM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
g: in which case I'm afraid I can't help you as I use a Mac, but suspect that uninstalling the Canon software might do it.
RubenV: I was on the beach, on the other side of this bit of water.
RichS: no, I didn't use a filter for this one. One of the benefits of shooting on very overcast days is that the discrepancy between the ground and sky isn't quite as pronounced as usual.
comment by Carole at 05:31 PM (GMT) on 9 November, 2007
I really like the cool almost wintery colors in the original.
This is the coastguard lookout station on Rossal Point near Fleetwood, and though I've never seen it manned, it does have an emergency telephone which you can just make out in this shot.
The post-processing for this one was quite dramatic, despite the rather under-stated end result, so I thought I'd put the original up too:
.../archives/along_the_watchtower.php
As you can see, the major change is to the tone/colour of the image, but I also spent quite a lot of time working on balancing the foreground and the tower/sky areas of the image. Unusually, I reduced the contrast for the sky and tower which has given the image a more painterly feel than it would otherwise have had.
As always, I'd be interested to hear what you think of it.
camera
lens
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 35mm f/1.4L USM
f/5.6
1/60
aperture priority
-1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
16x9
Don't really have a comment about the photo today, but i do have a question, if you dont mind. Did you use the canon raw software that came with the camera? seems Capture 1 and canon's software are competing on my comp. Is there a way that you know of to tell C1 to be the primary tool?
The 'Eastern Bloc' feel (towers and look-out points) makes it interesting.
Did you take the shot knowing that you would have to do all of the above PP?
g: are you using a Mac or PC?
Rhys: yes and no. I knew that the original would be a fairly flat image with an overly dark foreground, so had a rough idea as to the scope of what would need to be done, but I wasn't really thinking about how the final image would look. Often, when I post-process a photograph like this one, the final image 'evolves' during that process.
Dave, I know exactly where that is, and I'd like to be there with you mate to be honest.... I think the end result is a worthy image, and altho the PP was heavy, it makes it no less of an image. And it looks like a prison from a distance, and this is the view as you run away, thats my mind anyway..... csj
A stunner, just love the way you toned the picture.
Hi Dave,
PC. Upon hooking up my canon it automatically open the canon utility. I tried several times to redirect C1 to be the primary tool but to no avail. I might uninstall canon software and see if it doesn't default over to C1.
Hi Dave,
Love the shot, but given the viewpoint, I wonder how you took it. Were you on a pier, or a boat, or something similar?
I know, it's a silly question, but seeing this lovely picture made me wonder.
Not a point of view you see too often. I really love the image. Truly exquisite work here.
Love this picture. I'm jealous of your landscape pictures.
The muted light/feel is most handsome.
Love what you have done in post-processing. I often struggle to balance the sky and the land, especially with these cold ( but dry ) days where the sky is almost completely grey.
Did you use a filter on the camera, or was the original completely raw before PP started ?
g: in which case I'm afraid I can't help you as I use a Mac, but suspect that uninstalling the Canon software might do it.
RubenV: I was on the beach, on the other side of this bit of water.
RichS: no, I didn't use a filter for this one. One of the benefits of shooting on very overcast days is that the discrepancy between the ground and sky isn't quite as pronounced as usual.
I really like the cool almost wintery colors in the original.
Carole