Old pile fondation

Here's how I'd change it for what it's worth. Basically, I changed the hue, lowered the saturation and applied a multiply masked layer at 9% opacity. I think it leads to a more pearly appearing ice.

Mona, your version makes more sense if it was warmed with yellow. The complementary color for yellow would be blue, and this would likely be more accurate. I understand that color accuracy is not the be-all and end-all, but it does help to know what Vilnis might have started with. I assumed that he warmed with red, and thus I adjusted with the complementary color cyan, which does not work as well as blue, in my opinion.

 

What do I think of the picture? Well, here is a case where the artist's own preferences might collide with my own, especially if we are being asked to appreciate the chickenskin color which you came up with in naming the colors shown in this photo. I think that we are justified in performing these little experiments in hue before evaluating the picture. The picture is fairly strong in terms of composition, but it does not touch me too forcefully. I have seen plenty of Great Lakes ice, and the simple accumulation of frozen spray leaves me a bit cold, I am afraid.

 

--Lannie

I am confused...what are we doing with all these colours?

Richard, It would appear that no one wants to look at the actual picture, Too bad.

At this stage the discussion is clearly being driven by the assumption that the slightly peculiar colours were unintentional. In the absence of input from Vilnis I find that understandable. Certainly I have used warming filters in snow and ice and the results can be very difficult to control. Couple that with a few curves and you can end up almost anywhere. I guess in part we are exploring alternative outcomes and how to achieve them. But seriously...what is the end goal of these colour variants? To find the truth? To me that suggests the image was empty in the first place.

So Jack, was it really that bad? I tend to treat discussions on peoples posted photos like I am talking directly to them. The POW I think of as more dissociated from the photographer and so I think do many other people. It becomes ultimately about the image as it stands. I know this is off topic but it would be interesting to hear the other side of the story sometime.

I've studied it a few times now; it still leaves me cold. And the difficulty factor should not be counted, as someone suggested, because it does not make it better or worse. In fact, it could have been shot out of a warm bar window! Even then, that would not make a difference. It's how great did the image turn out, right? Notice no center of interest? Not that all photos need them, but it always make them stronger if there is one. The 'off color' of the piece works against it, so I'll throw my hat in with those that have beat that horse to death.

It is an interesting image, but I wonder if the timing could have been better ... I wish Vilnis timed this a bit better so that the highlight had not been disrupted as such. Mehmet Ozgur, April 24, 2006; 05:25 P.M.

 

That's the way I feel it too. The highlight in the middle of the picture hidden behind that peer bothers me quite a bit. I wish the sun was more to the left at the time of shooting. It would better complement compositionally also.

I don't have much trouble with the colors personally, the B&W seems better though. Uploaded picture is of quite bad quality, oversharpened and with lot of artifacts and noise, hard to appreciate from aesthetical point of view.Regards,

I find it really troubling that nobody here seems to be willing to accept that ice can be some colour other than blue or white.

I for one wouldn't be surprised at all if Vilnis came on this discussion forum (I wish more photographers whose photos are chosen would) and said that this is exactly the colour of the scene. It is really sad that PS work is so drastic and ubiquitous that everyone assumes the original image must have been different than that presented.

 

I find the colours of the ice in this image a bit uncomforting but certainly interesting and unique. Hopefully it was muddy water and not sewage or something. Neither would surprise me in this day and age.

 

Technically I don't get alot out of this image except for "wow, cool ice formations" so maybe different perspective/framing could have helped. The colour is the least of my concern.

I think it looks great as it is, no need to change a thing. I love the image, what a mysterious looking place.

 

The only thing I'd like to see, and this goes for almost every image of the week I see on the site is some text describing it. I don't mean tech details, most of us already know how to take photos. What I would like to see is a cutline and some info about the place. Photos leave me curious about the people they are of and the places they show. It would be cool if the shooters would write a short few lines to go with them when they are selected.

After viewing this great image I googled "Riga bay seashore, Latvia". I am glad the photographer gave us that info, the reason I am posting this is because so many give nothing. Google took me to a few sites where I read about Latvia, so I learned a few new things today and that's always a good thing! Thanks Vilnis!

I think this is a once in a lifetime shot. The composition is utterly surreal and it draws the viewer into the frame, eliciting feelings of danger and impending doom.

 

This is one of the coolest pics I've ever seen. Congratulations on capturing it so well.

Just revisiting the image here, I noticed a few comments by people who feel that some of

us are not talking about the image as it is, but rather suggesting ways to change it. I

would like

to see those people put forth more on this image-I feel they have abandoned us without

giving of themselves. For me, I think I have been pretty

straight up that I find the color objectionable, so objectionable in fact that other things

about the image have just seemed insignificant.

 

As to the color, I think someone mentioned that maybe we should accept this color

because it could be dirty water that created it. This is a good point, however, if this was

created by dirty water, it was not so dirty that it created thick muck with no translucence

or reflective properties. Also, the sky color really doesn't feel right, but moved towards

warm and away from the natural. On all these counts, we should expect some blues to

show up here somewhere. But for me, it isn't that it needs to be real, but I feel this

doesn't work and, as said before, I am at a loss as to why Vilinis would want it this way.

 

Talking about alternative ways to improve this composition is a dicey thing at best. None

of us were there to know the conditions or possibilities that existed-and I am sure there

was a precarious element to making the shot. Maybe a higher shot

would have been better, but how do we know that would be possible. If we deal with the

composition as it is, we might question why Vilinis chose to close us in with the two

pilings on the side at the edges-maybe just the one on the left and let us skip to the more

forward one on the right, pulling us in-or maybe neither. Does the ice on the left,beyond

the piling at the edge, create another

impediment to our getting into the image. Are the left side pilings too close to tangency

with the horizon and water line and thus create a disturbance to the eye. Other than the

natural

effect that is interesting on some level, is there anything else going on here to hold us or

give the image meaning. Has a way into the image been created or are we essentially held

at bay.

 

But I just can't get past the color and think about other issues, so maybe someone who

looks for more discussion can give us some insights and help us out.

Landscape, or in this case, seascape and weather photography doesn't get much better than

this. Absolutely amazing photo. A veritable feast for the eyes. Excellent composition,

excellent editing. Thanks for the variations in presentations in the thread; they really show

the impact that careful color management and filter selection have on interpretation.

 

Where can I buy a print?

GLOBAL WARMING is all that comes to mind. Any other color or no color in B&W loose the message. Excellent execution and powerful message. Yellow ice...

Alright, enough with the color argument. I've confirmed what I initially noticed days ago. This image looks entirely different on my Gateway Vivitron monitor at work, than it does on my NEC LCD monitor at home. So, I'm picturing everyone in this discussion sitting in front of their computers staring at something different, in so far as color is concerned. For your information Vilnis, I like your photograph much better on my NEC. I wouldn't suggest you pay too much attention to this color argument.

 

And now that we've got that settled, Natasha chimes in with her ridiculous political stab about GLOBAL WARMING. As Mary Ball has reminded me from time to time (Hi Mary), I think we are supposed to discuss the photograph, not misguided political views.

Ri@k, Natasha was expressing the way the photo made her feel. Global warming is

everpresent on many peoples mind. Her comment was not only justified, but appropriate. It is

good that you were aware of the color issue fiasco, though. I, for one, Am very interested in

all interpretations of this image as I think there is much here that strikes deep chords.

Sorry, maybe I was off base, but to my understanding, global warming is supposed to melt ice, not make it. If we are going to pick on society then Mona said it best by pointing the finger at pollution.

 

Mona wrote:

"..like sewer water and a comment on man's carelessness with the environment"

 

Pollution makes yellow ice, not global warming.

 

I honestly don't think Vilnis was trying to "send a message" about global warming. That would assume that he went out on a trek to purposely find photographs that depict the devastating effects of man on the environment. His portfolio certainly doesn't portray such a mission.

I added some picture description - for folks who were interested in process ;-)

 

BIG THANKS to everybody who express their really interesting thougts! All viewpoints about composition is very, very welcomed - because I am taking pics of this special place lot of times (not so far from my home) and... All the time I am disatisfied... !!!

 

Crop of other shot, publiced on other web page, with other camera settings and other directions against light source:

http://www.erfoto.lv/index1.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpicbig&pid=16221

 

Old port of my willage (20.min walking from my home). These old soldiers is much more gratifying. Even then, when there is "gray day".

 

http://www.erfoto.lv/index1.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpicbig&pid=3588

 

http://www.erfoto.lv/index1.php?module=My_eGallery&do=showpicbig&pid=14908

Didn�t expect my comment to cause a controversy - so here is why I said what I said.

 

Growing up in russian winters, I have only seen this color of ice on the foot deep frozen sheets of ice on the filthy city roads. Soaked and drenched in dirt, oil and gas ran off that accumulated over a period of 5-6 months, those sheets of ice covering the roads had similar color. The effect was limited to roads and the brims of the roads only; the 6-8 foot icicles hanging of the buildings, frozen pathways and walk ways were white - periodic rimes covered everything in white crystal clear cover of ice - clean and white. This is the color of winter I remember - http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=528359

 

And to see so much ice so severely discolored in the middle of such a great body of water is deep down disturbing to me. All I can think of is how much was dumped into that water for that whole bank to be that color. Global warming is just a result of man-made pollution.

 

And Rilk, I find your conduct inappropriate and offensive, there is no need to use language like �chimes in with her ridiculous political stab� no matter the circumstances. It is rude. Especially when you don�t even know the person you are talking to and especially when you speak in public. If you wish to continue this discussion you may contact me in private. C. R. Hips, thank you very much for your comment. You are 100% right. To all others - I shared my thoughts because contrary to the usual, every time I opened photo.net the same thought went through my mind and for me this is �a good picture, and it works because of the emotion it evokes.

Wow nice links Vilnis! They are all nice. I like the closer image of the ice, and the light reflecting off the surface.

Oh, and for everyone caught up in this "pollution" and sewage discussion because you see some brown in the image, first of all, the ice is covering old decaying brown wood and wood posts and rocks, probably covered with dead brown/green algaes and with the water freezing while mud/silt was being churned up. Brown doesn't always equal poo. :P I don't know how such a nice picture caused such a negative response that way. My first impression of the image was me wanting to reach out and touch the ice, rub my hand over it, feel the coldness and smoothness of the water frozen completely frozen in such a way. Also the light reflecting off the ice really helps make the image so nice.

 

IMHO this photo gets:

 

10 out of 10 for uniqueness

10 out of 10 for framing/composure

8 out of 10 for detail

I think its a great photo and the composition is superb. I love the way I feel when im watching this photo, it feels like im there myself. Cropping is perfect - there is nothing unnecesary (did I spell it right?)And the version that you've posted here looks so real, thats how the ice really looks like. I like both ways. Real and surreal. This is my 'surreal' version.

Why it shouldn�t be pink with white spots? Or just make it all red, get rainbow

there and maybe some solitary frozen tree in foreground will get more

dramatic atmosphere. Finally, why you shot it in a real field in that cold

weather and ice everywhere, you should just stay at home and use your

creativity and Photoshop and �make it� virtually. Is that the future of

photography, landscape photography in particular? I just can�t believe all that

suggested �improvements�. Can you just leave it as it is because it is just

perfect? 7/7 my friend, you deserve that and do not listen all these �creative�

suggestions, your composition is just perfect.

"Let it be as it is!!!"

 

The last I checked, this was a learning site. A lot of us are going to analyze things to death, and offer alternative treatmetns, because that is how we learn. (It is also within the rules, if anybody cares to read them.)

 

This is a good photo. It isn't perfect. Discussions about color, etc., are quite in line with the mission of this forum. Photos are not being posted here by the elves because they are the best photos, much less sacred and untouchable icons. They are here to stimulate discussion and provoke edited alternative versions (again, check the rules if this troubles you), and, the last I checked, color was a pretty important component of a color photo, and thus quite within the purview of the things that we justifiably discuss--notwithstanding that we can be quite certain that our monitors are not calibrated the same.

 

All that said, I wish that I had taken this photo, but I wouldn't have warmed it. On my monitor, it does indeed look like plucked chicken skin. I don't like that effect, and it is for that reason that I want to consider alternative color treatments, and considering alternatives brings us back to wanting to see the original.

 

How about it, Vilnis? Could you post an in-line version of the original that we could dissect a bit more?

 

I love your work in general, by the way. This one is good, too, but I like many of your others better.

 

--Lannie

Aleks, if the original looks like raw chicken skin, your "surreal" version looks like cooked chicken to me. Still, if you find that appetizing, fry away--just don't expect many converts to your KFC version.

 

--Lannie