Tropical Oasis (best viewed large)

A big mahalos for ALL of your opinions here. I almost always take these types of colorful beach images in the middle of Summer because the colors are truly at their best. The differences between July, and right now in November is fairly dramatic actually. However, I usually wait to post anything like this here until the weather turns rather bland and cold on the mainland. The idea of inviting you Northerners to grab a Corona, bottled water, soda or whatever you want and take a seat for a few minutes, kick back and enjoy the warmth of the sun, seems to be having a measure of success. That was my hope for this image from the beginning.

 

 

Dont feel bad Kim, I too like the vertical perhaps as much or more than this one posted. If I crop it a bit more....maybe. Whenever there is a tough call like with these two, I usually go with the horizontal image for the simple reason that's how our eyes are laid out, horizontally, not vertically. Plus they are a pain on the display stands...

 

John, I actually paid extra attention to the sky/clouds before posting this. I hear what you are saying. When looking at the large file at 100 percent, here is what you get as attached. Yes there appears to be some blue in the clouds. After a close-up inspection I see a slight blue tint, but plenty of blue sky breaking through in many places around the clouds, which may exaggerate that appearance actually. I will look at it closer in the future as well. Thanks again for all of your thoughts, this IS how we learn.

 

I wish it were my long chair!

beautifully done. I like both versions

Vincent- I think the horizonal crop is cleaner looking but the verticle crop gives the sense of more space and less people. So I like them both, but prefer the verticle crop. In the horizonal, I just want to see the entire umbrella with a little space, it makes me feel cramped. John has a point about the blueness of the white clouds. Never having been to Hawaii, I have no frame of reference, so I like them as they are. But the amazing thing is the green of the ocean. I also love the wave action in the horizonal crop.

Great idea but I like the vertical version more. However, I would crop the lower part of it (the v. verion), that only shadows of 3 branches would be included. Regards, Baldur

 

It's very difficult to create a balanced arrangement of four elements. The horizontal version works because the umbrella is the odd one out in a symmetrical composition, whereas the vertical version offers no clear stability. We keep trying to arrange the two pairs vertically, then horizontally, then vertically . . . .

 

The chair isn't ugly. If you get some light on the back, your editor will be happy. . . . but don't lose the symmetry if you try this again.

Very beautiful picture of a classical theme! Good job!

Vincent, Beautiful, inviting scene! I have to say that Gin and I are both especially impressed with the vertical. We love the surrounding palm shadows. I caught what you said about the better light in the summer- guess we'll have to make another trip to the islands then- or just move there. Thanks for warming us up here in the COLD Adirondacks!

I love the horizontal Crop. Super colors as always and perfect lighting. I am sure you have your reasons...so I am going to ask why crop the umubrella out? I would have preferred to see the unbmrella completely. Another idea about composition would be to place the mountains (hills) on the ocean on the right third, the chair in the middle and umbrella on the left thirds.

"In the horizonal, I just want to see the entire umbrella with a little space, it makes me feel cramped.... I also love the wave action in the horizonal crop." Jayme Hall, November 27, 2004; 04:38 A.M.

 

That (wave action) is the only reason why the umbrella is cut off here. I have plenty without that problem, trust me since I had plenty of time to adjust my viewpoint afterwards. However, in this case I preferred having the little wave action (adding a richness to the water) of this one image, to that of a cleaner umbrella with no such extra action. Any waves/shore break at this place are very rare since most movement is broken up at the reef which is just beyond the islets. This beach is more like a lake.

 

 

"Great idea but I like the vertical version more. However, I would crop the lower part of it (the v. verion), that only shadows of 3 branches would be included." Baldur Birgis, November 27, 2004; 09:32 A.M.

 

The idea of cropping this makes sense because it will bring the viewer closer into the scene in my opinion. As it is, my ownly real problem with the vertical is that the chair and umbrella are quite small. It still works in terms of aesthetics due to the beauty of the location. In essence a completely different photograph altogether, and one that would work in our print line I am sure. However since I already have many like this, my goal was to bring the viewer INTO the scene, which I believe is done more effectively with the horizontal. The other problem and reason why I rarely crop anything from my originals is that we offer these as large as 24x36 Lightjet prints. When you start from 35mm, you really want to keep as much of that transparency as is possible. A slight crop would work if my goal is to bring the viewer into the scene of the vertical. However, I also think leaving it as is and presenting an entirely different type of image might even be the best way since I avoid cutting needed nagative. (Moving up the medium format is on the table...but not yet...)

 

"The chair isn't ugly. If you get some light on the back, your editor will be happy. . . . " Carl Root

 

Actually I was not to happy with the editor. She suggested I get another chair, go back and just shoot it again. Well, airfare, rental car, hotel all cost time and money. I do not plan to do all of that just because *the chair* could be improved on a bit. They instead went with this version here: I disagreed, but what else can you do?

 

http://www.webshots.com/g/32/33361-sh/49302.html

 

 

 

"I caught what you said about the better light in the summer- guess we'll have to make another trip to the islands then- or just move there. Thanks for warming us up here in the COLD Adirondacks!" David Kondroski, November 27, 2004;

 

Well Dave, guess you might just have to do that!! Look forward to seeing you guys in March. Bring plenty of film!! One way ticket, right?? Dave is a fellow brother in the faith as well as a very good photographer. May be moving out this way. Hope so. Forgot you are digital Dave...forget the film comment...

 

"Another idea about composition would be to place the mountains (hills) on the ocean on the right third, the chair in the middle and umbrella on the left thirds." Jay Patel

 

Actually Jay I did do just that as well. Not at this exact spot because we are directly in front of the Mokoluas. I went about a quarter mile to the left where the shoreline allows that composition to work more effectively. The problem?? It was later in the day and the colors were already faded. Plus I still felt this had more impact straight on and closer up. I may have had one of those scanned and will look around. My home-scanner is dead right now.

 

Thats enough typing for this week. many many thanks for your time and thoughts once again. This is why I post on Photo.net. Aloha.

 

 

 

Wow! very nice, I likes it. Pointless me saying i like the colours, cos thats obvious. ;0)

An item of interest: I have noticed quite often in my images as well, when using PS that the software interprets the sky as BLUE, BLUE. Often the phenomena is seen at its worst when "autolevel" is used and some posted images where autolevel shift to blue resulted, caused angry remarks to me by the posters of the images when I noted the phenomenon, because apparently this glitch was missed and the blueness was thusly accepted as being "factual".

I have noted many images where very judicious use of the curve tool and the pickers (i.e. going to what should be a grey area) immediately overcame the glitch and restored coloration to the image. Another phenomenon HIGHLY visible on photo.net is that different parts of the world have different concepts of color and its place in an image. A good example is the tendency for NORTHERN EUROPEAN photographers to post images that reflect the colors in their environment and that these "color concepts" differ severely from what Tylor sees, or what us southwestern dudes see...But....Tylor, when I see these images...yes, the Corona "mirage" appears immediately and I think of nothing else but a nice beach chair, a shady umbrella, and endless margarita drinks....

Thanks for the taste of warm weather, Vince. I'm off for my first visit in the Caribbean (7 day cruise) next weekend! We had a nine0inch snowfall over Thanksgiving here in Michigan...needless to say, the change will be dramatic!

Vincent- I'm not quite sure what you mean when you said, "That (wave action) is the only reason why the umbrella is cut off here. I have plenty without that problem, trust me since I had plenty of time to adjust my viewpoint afterwards."

 

Are you saying you cut off the tiny edge of the umbrella edge to keep it from competing with the wave action? I guess I just am not understanding what you're saying.

Sorry Jayme. What I meant was that I liked this one with the wave action, despite my having cut off the umbrella. In other words, the little water action here more than makes up for the umbrella being cropped. In fact that problem in the eyes of some here, really does not bother me at all. I feel that I am a little more into this scene because of the cut-off umbrella. But can also understand why some do not like that. Thanks again.

your colors are amazing. I think this one should stay in colr and not be in black and white.

tropical oasis example 01

tropical oasis example 02

This is obviously a couple of crude examples, but I think the shadows from the palm fronds balance the image enough on the left side to give enough room to move the chair and umbrella somewhat to the right of the image. I think I also agree with your editor that a more aesthetic chair could be used, a "wooden" beach chair I think might be ideal here. I do agree that overall the vertical comp is the best version, but unfortunately Webshots dislike them...monitors aspect ratio. Just some thoughts...

Steven ThompsonPhoto.net Patron, November 29, 2004; 07:57 P.M.

tropical oasis example 02 is a wizard of photoshopping on photonet! I was feeling the picture was AOK, but tropical oasis example 02 looks very good I would admit. It is such a fine shade of differnce betweent the two of htem. As marcel duchamp said Viva la differnce!

Well thank you Mr. Chubb, but as you can see my Photoshop skills are very weak, as mentioned this was more so intended as very crude examples just to see how they might look with different positioning of the umbrella, etc. Simply examples to other possibilities. Going back to Vincent's original slides I am sure he has other versions taken at different angles to work with if he decides to one day. An arrangement closer to #1 was more so what I was referring to, but only a quick example as well... to see how a different balance of subjects might work.

Many thanks Steven for taking the time to show me what you had in mind. I prefer 02 better of your examples here. Based on that example, I can see how a right side crop might be possible here by bringing the viewer even closer into the scene. Because of the cropping issue that I mentioned above (needing as much neg as possible for enlargements) I will probably keep this one as is and go back into my portfolio from this shoot to see what else there might be after being enlightened so to speak after posting this here. Yes it's true Webshots rarely takes verticals for obvious reasons. I did not even submit that version. And yes a wooden, highback chair would definitely have helped my cause as well. Live and learn. Guess it means on my next visit to Oahu, I'll just have to go back and do it again. Reckon I can suffer through it. Mahalos for your efforts Steven. And for all of who've taken the time to comment above! Improvement always follows threads like this. This was my first time setting up a scene. Now however, I feel better prepared for the next attempt. Many thanks again. Aloha.

congratluation s on your first attempt to setting up a scene. You will be exellent at it in due time my frined. In due time.

A paradise for one. . . I see the chair is waiting for me. . . (~;

So beautiful, excellent work.

Colors are popping...but after this long thread I am just going to plop in that chair, watch the wave action, and just chill out. BTW, this is a nice set up...fabulous work as always ;-)!