<<< o >>>The groyne #2 6 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

As I mentioned when I posted this shot, one of the things that Jason wanted to cover during his recent one-to-one training was 'seeing creatively'. As an exercise, we took four different shots of one of the groynes on Fleetwood beach. In my first shot it was used as a frame, while in this one it was used as a backdrop. Of the other two shots, one uses the groyne as a leading line, while the other focusses on some of the small scale detail in the wood.

As an exercise, especially if you find a subject a bit overwhelming at first, breaking a shot down in this way really helps to focus your attention: just list the various ways in which a particular element could appear within a shot, and then shoot them all. Some will work better than others, but the more you practice the easier it gets: in terms of thinking about which shots to take, and in finding ones that will produce the most interesting results.

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
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RAW converter
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cropped?
3.22pm on 9/4/10
Canon 5D Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
43mm
f/8.0
1/400
aperture priority
+2/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
ACR
Topaz Detail
16x9
 
16x9 + fylde coast [scenic] + beachcombing + show the original
comment by Dan Kaufman at 05:59 AM (GMT) on 1 May, 2010

...and as the expression goes: "Practice Makes Perfect"
Another good one Mr. Nightingale !!

comment by steve deer at 07:31 AM (GMT) on 1 May, 2010

love it... really surprised at the narrow depth of field at f8

comment by Jason at 11:07 AM (GMT) on 1 May, 2010

I really wish I had seen this that day. It turned out to be a very nice image and clearly demonstrates what you set out to teach me about "seeing creatively". There are shots to be had if you take a little time to slow down and think about your surroundings or subject before you start shooting. Great typical "trademark" Chromasia toning by the way :)

comment by Brooks at 07:07 PM (GMT) on 1 May, 2010

Oddly enough, I really prefer the original here. i think it's the foam green color of the string that sticks out to me. And for me the contrasty look doesn't compliment this scene quite as much as the flatter/slightly overexposed version. Just my thoughts ;)

comment by Carlos Garcia at 01:50 AM (GMT) on 2 May, 2010

And the day of the ropes arrived quietly... unnoticed they emerged and began their twisted reign... sorry :)

Love the detail that you "unbeach" (as opposed to unearth) in this image. Cool.

comment by djn1 at 03:49 PM (GMT) on 2 May, 2010

Jason: yes, slowing down helps, but it's also the case that you need to make sure that you don't let your preconceptions about what you think you're going to shoot get in the way of what you could shoot.

Brooks: it often surprises me when people prefer the original, but it's a perfectly reasonable opinion to have :-)

Carlos: :-)