single photos Substratum - Taken underneath a pier on th northeast coast of the UK. Looking for critique and comment. Please view the larger version if you have time to see more of the file detail. Thanks

Appreciate all feedback and critique, positive and negative, comments

on feel, composition, processing, etc ... thanks

This is a brilliant shot. I love the symmetry of the lines. would have been nice to have the same tone on bot sides but thats all right.

Perfect exposure I think! Gosh! ...all the detail you have captured sure makes it look quite precarious!

Regards ~ Mike

Very nice shot. I like it too.

Obviously this has a lot of quality, beyond doubt. Congratulations. The execution is perfect. Exposure, light, and texture is right, and the timing is right. Colours are great. Reflections are right. Symmetry is achieved. The only thing I miss is a story. When i saw the thumbnail i thought is was from a sailboat or a oil rig. Seen bigger i couldn't figure out what it was, and had to read your comment: "Pier" and then the "substratum" had me confused, probably I just don't understand exactly what the story is.... I see nature combined with human industrial architecture, but can't categorize it. If I was a manager of an oil rig I would contract you right away. It is very beautiful! Is this is done with the HDR (high dynamic range) technique?

David, Thanks for the comments. This indeed was processed using HDR with the photomatix software which was kindly given to me sometime ago for test and tutorial. Im glad you asked if it was though as this was processed for realism in the tone mapping stage ... Ive been using HDR in various stages for some of my shots for a couple of years now.

 

The shot is the underside of the structure of a pier, which is Saltburn Pier at Saltburn in the north of england. There were 5 exposures in this shot with around 1.5 stops between them.

 

I know what you are saying about the human element .. and as this beach is often a haunt for dog walkers it would have been nice to have had one in shot, though the HDR process does make this more complicated. Its perhaps more a local interest shot but also is historial owing to this being one of the older standing piers in the UK, originally built in around 1869.

 

Either way I often try to find beauty where others perhaps don't. I also try to look on occasion for unconventional takes on a familiar scene.

 

Thanks for your comments.

 

Dan

As the detail on the underside of the pier is irrelevant, with the camera tilted down to get more of the wavy, abstract reflections, would have made a more interesting shot. We would also have lost half the sky, with that bright distracting sunspot, for an earthier (waterier) feeling.

Thomas, thanks for the comments but the subject matter wasn't the beach, it was the pier itself hence the title - substratum, which is the substructure of the pier in this case.

 

The sun spots and hues to me are not so important, it's representing the heritage of this old pier, and displaying it in a different light. I must admit that I have shot ripple beach work here previously but did not do so on this visit .. perhaps it would have been wise to have taken another version with your composition suggestion and next time I am there I will be certain to do so.

 

Thanks for the comments.

 

Dan

Thomas, difficult to say, as this is wide angle any tilt would change the whole composition, symmetry and move the horizon, and so altering the overall balance. I believe Dan would have done it automatically if it would have been better.

This is an absolutely wonderful picture and I gave it 7/7 with no hesitation. Why? Because of the following...The composition is like a very creative abstract, there is symmetry and yet the sky breaks it with a fantastic yellow/red hue to the right turning into blue to the left. The cables create a zig zaging effect that is very interesting. There are blade like deck extensions on top which reminds me of virtual pictures inspired by a post atomic catastrophy mad max type world. I do not understand and never saw anything like that before, it adds interest. The pipe reflection emphasize the metal theme. The central pipe splits the picture and the thin central shadow continues with it too. It's lucky and oportunistic but it works great and it's part of the charm. The water/sand patterns are sharp and enjoyable to look at. This is a poster picture perfect. I love it because I think it's great and quite flawless. The perspective is very dynamic and powerful. My compliments to the chef.