Manistique Morning

First thing I checked was whether this one was large format. Great detail; I love the subtle reeds and grasses. There's a lot in her that really comes together. Congratulations.

Hey Walter, sorry I don't get around enough. Great image. I prefer your crop. Squares do nothing for me. Put into that mix a perfectly centered square and I am bored to tears. I think your crop allows the bright rock in the foreground to counter balance the sun almost perfectly. Really nice work...

 

Dave

Dave, better late than never in my book! Thanks for the comment. I think this one is printable, so I'm going to work it up and send it off to West Coast for a Chromira print. I think 16x20 should do the trick.

Sam, thank you very much for the visit. I think one could call this a "baby" large format. In the original TIF (350MB), one can see telephone poles on the distant shore and sleeping gulls sitting on the small boulders protruding from the water's surface in the bay. An 8x10 would have been supernatural!

Barry, thank you for the kindness. Unlike Dave, I like 6x7, 6x6, why hell...just about anything, I guess. But I am favoring the original 6x7 aspect ratio on this one. Perhaps it is because this was the way I saw the scene as it was actually developing in time.

I have always believed that, as photogs, we are unusually blessed because we have the capability, more so, the power of freezing our ephermal instant of experience virtually forever. I hope that I will never take that blessing for granted. Regards.

Wow where is this??

Walter..what a place...I love this version!!! And the sun is much better in this one!! 7/7

Dee, thanks, it's in Michigan. Thank you Rajeev! Regards.

For what it's worth, I prefer the original crop, not the square. I like the bit of space on the left - it seems more balanced and pleasing to me. The square crop seems to place all elements right there and my eyes just stay put, so too static, as you mention.

Thanks Kim! Your insite is always worth a bunch to me. Regards.

June 20,2005: I just got the print back from West Coast Imaging; a 22x26 Chromira on Fuji Crystal Archive, glossy surface. I have to admit that they do a marvelous job. It looks great! Color and luminance are similar to the original image file as viewed on my monitor. I can even see the sleeping gulls sitting on the rocks that are in the bay. Highly recommended place to have prints made.

Walter, this is your best landscape so far. I have nothing to say but fantastic.

Absolutely stunning. Great colors.

I am proud to say that yesterday this won a First Place for Color Pictorial in the 2007 Erie Shore Photography contest. Regards.

Congratulations on your victory, Walter. Well-deserved.

Thanks Barry! It's odd, I submitted two additional photographs to the contest, River of Gold and Falling, which I personally felt was a stronger photograph. In comparision to the above photograph, the latter received an Honorable Mention award while the former did not even place. Not that I'm complaining, not at all; I feel that I am fortunate to have been honored as I was. But it is just interesting how one's own view can be so different than someone else's.

 

Thanks for the visit! Regards.

May 25th, I just found out that this photograph has also been honored at the contest with the People's Choice award. Now, if somebody would just buy the darn thing ;0)

Walter, I spotted this one in the 'No Words' forum, title 'Daybreak'. Of all the ones posted there at this time yours jumps out for sharpness, clarity, and colour. To be fair, that forum wasn't necessarily about these attributes. Centered horizons are usually a no-no but it works here, I believe, because of the symmetry between the shape of the clouds and of the foreground land mass. Speaking of foreground, those two lighter boulders break up that area nicely. I doubt anyone would deny you've done a masterful job of capturing a moment of beauty, and of balancing the foreground and background light levels. Always a pleasure to view your offerings. Best, LM.

Thanks Len...good to hear your views. Regards.

What amazes me is that you captured the very essence of a "Manistique Morning." I own a lakefront property in Manistique and this photo captures everything I love to see with the morning sunrise. You have the "eye" of a great photographer and your photos are fantastic. Thank you.

Very kind of you to say so, Judy! You are fortunate to have your own place on the U.P.; it is one of my most favorite locations to visit. Welcome to PhotoNet! Regards.

So beautiful! You must have felt a magical tingle as you saw this sun rise. Cropping seems to be the main issue of critique here...yet this version is still my preferred. Empty space on the left? Poor little daisies trying so hard to mimic the glow of the sun! Just like this is how I would want this on my wall!

Thanks Lucy...this is just the way it is hanging on my wall! Regards.

Way too overblown, far too much darkness.  Lucky we can't see much of the foreground because it looks ugly.  I prefer the original to the square-cut versions.