Ripples

This is one of those delightful images that completely confounds the viewer's (or at least MY) sense of scale. The diagonal composition and nearly monochromatic feel combine to make a wonderful bit of visual haiku. Very nice!

Like Matt, I find the unknown scale, the diagonal, and the dark monochromatic minimalism very appealing. Adding further is the gentle movement of water and the way those rippling waves pick up wonderful highlights -- great stuff.

Thanks you guys.

 

I was doubtful this had much broad appeal so it is especially gratifying to get such nice comments about it.

All comments are welcome. Thanks for your time.

Ian;

 

I am glad that you chose to have the diagonal run out at different points on the top and bottom and not out of the corner in either instance. The light is beautiful giving lovely highlights off both the waves and the wet sand. The slight tinge of motion blur on the water does a wonderful job of separating it from the sharper lines in the sand, offering a more vivid contrast between the two textures than would have otherwise been possible.

 

I concur with Matt, I do get a sense of poetry from this.

 

Irregardless of whether this photo has broader appeal, I am going to venture a guess that you knew I would love this one.

What a brilliant photo !

 

As Matt said, the confusion induced by the scale in total opposition with the minimalistic composition really gives a very nive poetic feeling, and is a strong meditative focus : This is a photo which requires a long time to be looked at.

 

 

And as Gordon mentionned, I agree that your choice of offseting a little bit your diagonale actually not only gives a little more interesting composition ( it is always good to go against the rules ), but mostly because the scale of the "active" water motion's beeing stronger, and more contrasty than the "frozen" motion of the sand, now gives you a perfect balance for the whole image.

 

 

Gordon, Laurent-Paul, thanks.

 

Gordon, its is interesting to read about the things you have noticed here.

 

The play of light off of the ripples and the sand is what drew me to this in the first place. I knew also from the outset that I didn't want the diagonal to end in either corner -- it seemed a fairly calm and staid subject for a photo and I didn't want to use a stable or predictable framing. I imagined when I took it that I would want either a square or 4x5 -- I knew 4x6 was going to be too long a format.

 

But, I mis-judged and had the sand exist left of the top corner (counter clockwise from the corner) and right (also counter clockwise) from the corner at the bottom. It was only in cropping the image and working on it that I decided to change to this with a little rotation. I didn't loose any more of the image than I would have simply going to 4x5 anyways.

 

I dare admit that I don't think I considered the shutter speed very much at the time. This is probably as fast as I could set it and get enough DOF and a low ISO.

 

Laurent-Paul, you absolutely right about the fact that the less dynamic sand needed more space to balance the more active water in the image. That is exactly what made me re-adjust my composition in post.

 

I am also happy about your comment that this requires a long time to appreciate. I am always looking for images with staying power -- those that can be rewarding the 20th time they are viewed as well as the 1st.

 

I am glad so many of you have found this to have a poetic quality. I often feel that way about the small scale landscape studies of others. In fact, I was just thinking the same when looking at Charles Cramer's abstract mud pattern images yesterday. Anyways, I am pleased this has that same sentiment for others.

 

I was a little worried that people would find this too dark. But I didn't like it lighter -- it either became too saturated or too dull. This has a richness that I like.

 

Oh, and Gordon, I did think this might be up your alley. ;-)

Ian I find this image to be as thoughtful and intelligent as the engaging comments it has evoked. This image represents one of those life truths...the simplest things in life are deceivingly complex.