single photos Mexican Sunset

from the archives . . .

I'm peering in to the darkness, looking for a piano...

 

It has a certain drama and moodiness and I like the way the sun is reflected in the strip of wet sand in the foreground. I think you could crop it square (from the right side, leaving the sun still slightly off centre) -- but that's probably just a personal bias - though I do like the enhanced formatlity of a square crop in this case. But this won't be an image of yours that I'll return to and ponder. I'm curious - what inspired you to post it?

This is a cropped version - the sun was dead center, but the elements to the right and left were out of balance. I liked the shadow detail, but I suspect more than a few monitors won't be able to show it. Printing could be tricky as well . . . haven't tried it yet.

This is so different from your usual images, diversity is good,and I find this one dark, moody, and romantic. Too dark maybe.

Can you see the circle in the lower left corner?

hi carl,

 

 

as per the circle...yes.

 

as per the photo...an A sharp.

My first A# rating. . . . Sounds good to me!

Very moody and dark, and contrary to your normal style. I like it lots, along with most everything else you have done.

Moody, dark and contrary. How long have you known Carl anyway? ;-)

 

This photograph reminded me of the old adage, "Never underestimate the value of a well executed cliche." Your monitor calibration chart shows just how bad my monitor at work really is, so since I am unable to comment on the aesthetics let me ask a question instead. Are all sunsets photos a cliche or do some rise (or set) above others?

 

I assume that any red-blooded photographer would be unable to resist taking a shot like this. I think what makes this one work is the combination or division of warm and cool colors. The silhouetted rocks remind me of a sphinx or perhaps a dragon. Something primal and ancient at any rate. To me, sunsets make me feel like I am witnessing the beginning of the world as if someone had hit the restart button and all the slates were suddenly wiped clean. No more wars or conflicts, just second chances.

 

Dennis, you're exactly right. I brought my FE and a tripod to Mexico just before my first child was born in 1982. Would I have taken it if there were no silhouetted rocks to add a bit of interest? Don't know. All I know is that I knew very little about composition back then. This is a center weighted bulls eye compsition, cropped a bit to conform to "rules" . . . . and because I think the sun looks better on the power point.

I still know very little about composition or anything else for that matter. On my monitor at work this looks more like "Moonrise in Mexico." I am a little surprized that there or no difraction rings or stars in this photo.

 

Note - I went in and pegged all the color channels on my monitor and now I can see a little more of the shadow details in the surf.

 

The closest I can come to something similar is a month I spent working in Santa Monica. Your shot reminds me of that experience. I hope your time in Mexico was just as memorable.