The-Alien-Observer

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words

Best Regards

Alf

ALEX

I must confess I was quite pleased with this one myself, the presence of the "observer" had something to do with it, but I take your point about the closer proximity, it does make a difference. Sincere thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback Alex, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

A very beautiful piece of work Alf.  The colors are spectacular, nicely done!

Wonderful atmosphere,beautiful colors and motiv.  Regards A.W

You know how you take some photo's and your quite pleased with the result, then 2 weeks later you don't like it any more........well this hasn't happened ......I'm still quite taken with this one......early days yet though : - )

Many Thanks for stopping by Steve

Cheers!

Alf

ANTONETA

Sincere thanks for your interest and kind comments, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

And well you should be proud of this fine image.  If you only knew how many times I've waited for people to leave the top of a lighthouse before shooting.......  :-)   But you've used this 'alien' to maximize the shot.  Very smart of you.  The colors are stunning, and I like that the the lighthouse didn't become silhouetted.  You can still see enough of the detail.  And the long shadows are wonderful.  A first-class image!  Hope you're doing well!

Great shot, lovely colours and seems a well balanced image, like the steps leading up to the door. Prsumably the tide comes in quite high.

Away to the Outer Hebrides shortly.

Hi CHRISTAL

I'm doing great thanks, and hope you are keeping well too.

Many Thanks for sharing your thoughts and providing well thought out feedback.

I know exactly what you mean about people being in the shot, and at one time it would really irritate me, particularly if the light was changing and I needed to take the shot quickly...........I've learned to stay calm and sometimes in exceptional circumstances I politely ask them to move, I haven't had anyone refuse .....yet : - )

In this case though, it wouldn't have mattered if I had asked him to move, even if I begged and pleaded and offered vast sums of money the Alien would have remained stationary, unmoving, silent and watching. Yeah, you've guessed he is made of metal (or some such shiny metallic material).......I don't quite know how he got there (It can only be within the last couple of months) but someone, or some group of people managed to place him there.........personally I quite like him, he adds a nice surreal touch to an iconic landmark.

I'm really pleased you liked this one Christal, it's my personal favourite of the trio.

Take Care

Alf

TERRY

Sincere Thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated. The tide doesn't come in very high, usually about a meter deep around the base of the lighthouse  I would guess, though higher on the spring tides. It does come in fast though, being on the mouth of the Mersey Estuary it is very flat and the levels rise quickly .......I have been out when the tide has turned, and that is one scary experience, on one ocassion I had to run for my life, the water had come under the sand and was sucking at my feet, and within seconds had surrounded me,  luckily I was a  lot younger and the adrenalin kicked in, and I moved at a rapid pace, but even then I couldn't outrun it, and when I got back to solid ground near the shore the water level was by my knees.

I am very envious of your Outer Hebrides trip, I can't wait to go back to Scotland in October.

Cheers Terry

Alf

Actually Tony made a very good point. I rather agree. The sky is awesome in this shot Alf, and just bright enough for me to SEE the Alien Observer. He probably didn't move because he wondered just how mch detail you were 'gathering about him'. 

Where is this beach Alf??? You've got some beautiful captures here!

Kind regards, Gail

I don't think I'm the only one who thought the 'alien' was an actual person.  I didn't realize it's a statue.  Someone's idea of humor?   Really weird.....but kind of cool too!  Thanks for enlightening me!  Just a fantastic shot, with or without the alien.  :-)

He didn't move, and he wouldn't talk, I tried to strike up a conversation, I mentioned the unsettled weather and if his spacecraft were having any affect on the outter stratosphere, no comment, I asked if he had a pleasant journey, nothing......I asked if he followed football ........again no comment ...I asked him if he was here to save the planet.....no comment, ...finally out of frustration I  asked how long he intended staying on earth.......he turned, his eyes red and menacing and spoke in a low gutteral monotone voice....."Earthling as soon as your ***** parking wardens unclamp my spaceship I'm gone, I only came for the fish and chips" .......I stuttered  "s s s safe journey" and backed away ....thought it best to leave him smoulder in peace. : - )

The beach is on the North Wales coast, near the mouth of the River Dee Estuary, its a lovely place, miles of clean beaches and sand dunes, but understandably popular. The best time to photograph the lighthouse is very early morning or late evening, both in terms of quality of light and to avoid the human element.

Sincere thanks for your interest and very kind comments Gail

Take Care

Alf

CHRISTAL

I think you could be right Christal, a few people thought he was a real person........I knew straight away that he wasn't..........well ok after the first twenty minutes of chatting to him : - )  Yeah weird, but I like weird, as long as it isn't overwhelming ugly weird that detracts from what is already beautiful.........like so much of our architecture these days.

There is a beach in Crosby, not too far from where I live, where the Sculpture and artist Anthony Gormley placed around 100 cast iron figures, all identical and quite far apart. They were cast from a mould made in the shape of his own body, I think there are a few images somewhere in my portfolio I took when I first started phootgraphy, but I have a few recent ones that I must post ...when I get time......they are a simply fascinating subject, surreal and yes...Weird : - )

Many thanks Christal!

Take Care

Alf

Cool shot Alf. Very creative with the backlit alien. Love the glow around the spaceship ;-). The shadows make nice leading lines to the lighthouse. Nicely captured Alf.

All the best,
Neil

Hello Alf,

Really stunning, I love it. 

Just some nitpicking, I would consider cloning out the windmills on the horizon. 

Ben

Breathtaking view with beautiful light and colours. I like the shadow that adds to the wonderful image.

My mouse wheel got tired scrolling to the bottom :)

What else could I say ?

Thanks for sharing !

Not original.

Then 

10x !

NEIL

Many Thanks, I've tried this type of shot before, but with a wind turbine in the snow. It has two big advantages it takes the sting out of the sun and all the flare and burned out highlights that go with it, and it serves to form the shadows you mentioned.

I've been wondering how the alien arrived on earth, it never occured to me that its spaceship was cunningly disguised as a lighthouse so thank you for clearing up that little mystery : - )

Cheers Neil

Alf

BEN

Thank you for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated. Yeah I think you might be right about the distant wind turbines, I tend not to notice them so much, probably because I'm so used to them, but it might be a small distraction to anyone else.

Best Regards

Alf

GUNNAR

Sincere thanks for your interest, and for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

FLORIN

Nothing worse than a tired mouse wheel, but imagine how the mouse must feel  : - )

Thanks for your interest and kind words.

(Not original either but theres only so many adjectives)

Cheers Florin!

Alf

I'm not sure where to begin.  The shadows cast by the lighthouse and stairway are dramatic without overpowering the frame.  I love how they create the diagonal perspective. The sky's colors are striking.  I'm also impressed by the subtlety of the ocean and the waves' shore break.  And, yes, I see him!

My best,

michael

The 'new keeper' up there? In line with the previous one I've just seen. All said above - what to say...magnificent!

MICHAEL

Sincere thanks for your interest and positive feedback. The composition is something I've tried before and it seemed to work back then albeit with a different subject, but hiding the sun and eliminating the flare and thus creating the shadows you mention seems to be a decent ploy when faced with brightness of this intensity. He see's you too Michael : - )

Cheers!

Alf

EL

Now that would have been a good alternative title "The New Keeper"  The truth is I don't know how he (it) got there. Close up it resembles C3P-0 (R2D2's robot companion from Star Wars) Maybe a student expressing thier errm "art" : - ) But I've grown quite fond of it now : - )

Sincere thanks EL

Alf

I think I like this one the best it has all the elements that I admire in a photo a hit of back lighitng, colours warm and shadowsn that elogate the use of 1/3 in postion of the shots area of focus. In contrast elements work the sky is nice and even great horizon line balance. Just a very professional classic image... Great work Alf... MJ

One of my favourite locations and you have produced one of the ultimate shots of the lighthouse. Superb work and congratulations.

Regards.....Johjn

MJ

Many Thanks for your interest and positive feedback, very much appreciated! The dynamics of the shadow is something I tried once before with some success, and the composition also serves to eliminate the harshest ray of the sun. I'm very pleased to get your views as quite often you observe elements of an image I hadn't previously thought of.

Best Regards

Alf

JOHN

Good to hear from you I hope you are keeping well.  This is also one of my favourite locations (now featured on a Dulux Paint TV advert too) I have been really lucky with sunsets at this location, they always seem quite spectacular, the hard part is timing the sunset with the outgoing tide.

Sincere Thanks John.

Alf

Brilliant!

I like light house based compositions and this one is magical. The sky, texture and the light management is fantastic. Amazing.
All the best to you. Warm Regards.

excellent composition, love the shadow cast my the lighthouse and its stairs. Regards, Bob

I think that what sets this one apart from the herd is the back lighting and perfect exposure.  If you pre-visualized this one then kudos to you.  If not, well, luck is good!  I like the semi silhouette with just enough detail in the lighthouse to reveal it's worn exterior.  The off center composition was another good decision.  One advantage to living near a subject like this is that every time you  go there to photograph it you get a completely different image.  Time of day, atmospherics, seasonal differences etc. are all variables which lead to this end.  Gives one a leg up on the person visiting for a day (or, more likely, a couple of hours) and who must shoot under the prevailing conditions at the time.  This one's worth printing.  Best, LM.