The Jagged Edge

Comments and critiques welcomed.

Preciosa!

The rocks are so detailed and sharp that I feel as if I would get cut from walking on it. The waves have a silky look that is still well defined. The sky is the perfect touch adding drama and contrast. One of the best photo's I've seen in a while.

Excellent! A beautiful capture.

Great shot, Wonderfull light!!

The natural color and lighting here is outstanding. Great work on an amazing photograph. Kudos!

Thanks everyone who commented. This was one of the most difficult scenes to capture. The thick haze and mist was almost impossible to deal with and the polarity of lights and darks were extreme. A 3 stop gnd filter didn't even help so I went with 3 exposures and blended them.

Mind posting the 3 seperate photos taht you blended so that I can get a better understanding of how this was done?

I'm so jealous that you get to go to that beautiful place every year. This is a great visual record of the beauty you got to see. I feel like I'm there.....almost. (it's 25 degrees here)

Very nice exposure of this dramatic and dynamic scene.

 

Simon

Beautifully done Will! Superb shot...

Thanks all for your kind words.

 

John, here you go:

Sea

rocks

So that's how everyone gets photo's with such deep contrast and saturation. I just thought my camera wasn't good enough to take deep and dramatic shots. Thank's for posting the method you used. I'm going to try to do as many multiple exposure images as I can tomorrow at the quarry and see if that makes a difference in my landscape shots. I think you might have just helped me turn my skill up a notch for next time. As usual, thanks for sharing. I would have gone nowhere in terms of photography had it not been for you guys here.

Maxym, the technique really has nothing to do with saturation. The technique is used to achieve dynamic range (to be able to get detail in the lights and darks) There are other ways to achieve this...like using a grad nd filter. The difference between lights and darks were too extreme in this situation even to use a gnd filter though.

Will:

It's nice that you blend this so well.How did you blend this?I mean what kinda software and setting...etc?Thanks!

I use layer masks in PS CS3.

I hope you didn't get the wrong idea, but I knew the technique was used to create high dynamic range images. What I meant about contrast and saturation was that it is usually the byproduct of HDR images. I have a Canon P&S camera, so neutral gradient filters and exposure bracketing are out for now. I also have not manually bracketed much because it is not really convenient, but when has taking perfect pictures ever been convenient, right? I haven't had much luck with HDR images, but I think I will use your example with layer masks. Sorry about the defensive response, its really my ego talking here; but really, your technique and your photos have been very helpful and inspiring. Thanks.

Will, it is a pleasure seeing this blend...better yet, appreciating the three originals and that somehow you were able to visualize blending three images. That is the pleasure & art of photography...ability to "see" what your camera and ps tools can deliver ...which opens up so many more options...all the while someone else would have walked away muttering it as unattainable. Thanks for sharing.

This is a very good photograph and i like it a lot.....though its not 100% perfect yet. Imho the transition zone at the horizon(the left side) is a bit to hard and to dark.

Thanks again! It is an amazing Photograph!

Will, Beautiful image and a nice description of the technique. I am very familiar with the dynamic range problem here in Hawaii with the nearly black lava shorelines. Great job here.

Thanks Chuck. I glad you do know because it's almost impossible to get a decent exposure in these conditions...along with the constant haze and mist, but of course it's paradise and you can't beat the scenery. I'll have to try to get up with you the next time I come out there.

This is a masterful job of blending 3 exposures, congratulations. Regards, Ron