USA Cannon beach riders at sunset

I would like your views on this shot and any views on my portfolio. As a

newcomer to this site I have found the comments very useful.

the only advice i have is to give it a crop along the lines of this photo i've attached. this puts the girl an the dog at optical center. of course yous should play with crops more than i have this was just done on the fly, but your 5d has enough resolution that you can pull off a crop like this and still get a nice large print size. with just a little tweak this could be a great photo!

ryan

Lovely, artistic and poetic image!

It is a very nice sunset image: fantastic colors and beautiful composition.

You were fortunate to have great clouds and a wonderful reflection on the very wet sand.  I have to disagree (quite strongly) with Ryan's recommended crop.  Even before I looked at his version, I was thinking you captured all of the figures at just the right moment.  They are moving from right to left, and you have enough space in the frame on the left for them to move into.  That's perfect.  My eye just naturally follows them along as they ride.  But if you crop to put the middle person in the optical center, then we're about to lose the person on the left -- that person is now too close to the edge of the frame.

As a general rule, a de-centered image usually works better than a centered image (I know there are many exceptions, but this is a good general guideline, just like the "rule" of thirds).  You nearly always want to give a moving object space within the frame to move into, and you nearly always want to avoid having a moving object just about to exit the frame.  IMO, you've framed this perfectly.

You've also chosen to lower the angle of the camera somewhat so that there is more sand than clouds in the photo.  That's another good choice:  there's a lot of interest in the reflections on the sand, and it puts more emphasis on the bike riders than would a shot with the camera angled upward.  Very nice all around.

PDE

Thanks for all the comments really helpful. Can any one help, how do I get my photos rated?

William, the composition works very well with the positions of the cyclists. The color and light are really beautiful and the reflections in the foreground are wonderful. 

Beautiful picture! Wonderful colors and light! I like your placement of the bike riders at the upper part of the frame leaving the abstract reflections on the foreground, which creates an illusion on them riding in the middle of the sky, and the magical mood of the moment. I'd try a version without the third rider who distract a little bit from this mood by taking some attention. The silhouettes of the first two cyclists and the dog are so clean, perfect and beautiful - joy to see... Warm regards.

Nice moment. i like the semi-silhouette, colors and reflectios.

Absolutely beautiful scene with lovely colors, light and reflections. I like the composition just as it is and do not think this needs to be cropped in any way; if you crop this' the girl on the left loses space to go forward and that is especially important in an image like this with perceived motion. Wonderful capture; thank you for sharing. :)

Esthetically the photo is excellent, in addition, a story is being told.  To crop or not is dependent, in this case, with what is to be emphasize, works both ways.

Excellent composition and observation. I don't feel the need for any cropping and I would be particularly cautious of cropping the foreground as a great deal of the warm reflections would be lost. The composition as it is, seems perfectly natural, with a right to left movement and enough space on the left to carry it off. You might consider converting the cyclists to complete silhouettes, this might give a more mysterious and just an alternative image. Though I have to say, theres nothing at all wrong with the original. Very well done William.

Best Regards

Alf

The tones, light and reflection are gorgeous.

Magnificent, lush colors and amazing detail in the tidal water help to make this image a winner.  I also think the crop is spot on.

My best,

michael

A little late this party, but all the same...great shot, William. Well done.  Regards, -h.

What an awsome shot!!!! Love the colors and the reflection :) Been looking at your serie, all great pictures!!!

WoW!!! it's a wonderful place and the picture is wonderful too!! Regards Elena