GINGHAM

The wind was blowing so hard I could barely stand up, but it made some

interesting cloud patterns. I used a 6 stop filter to take advantage of the

clouds and warmed the colours in processing. Your thoughts and

comments are always appreciated. Thank You.

Yet it looks so calm and peaceful -- muted clouds, smooth water surface.  I do like the colors throughout -- the water is a bit different, but I presume that's due to it being relatively shallow and perhaps picking up some color from the substrate.  The clouds are great -- I really like the fact that there is some movement that greatly softens their appearance.  I think this would be a fine photograph without the wooden structure, but I also think the structure adds to the composition:  it keeps my eye from wandering all over the place by adding a point of interest that is not contrary to the overall lake/marine scene.  Nicely done.

I completely agree with the previous comment, about the unusual color palette and the composition.  Technically if must have been difficult to get a sharp image (particularly the wood structure) with the wind blowing so hard, even on a tripod I would imagine the camera would be shaken a little.  The movement in the clouds are very well captured, there is an undulation pattern in them which is quite unique.  The warm band of light at the horizon really tie the sky and water together.  Nicely done.  Regards always - michel 

Beautiful image! I love the reflection of the wooden structure and the pattern made by the wind on the water. Did you name it after a place or because of the cross pattern in the sky resembling a blue and peach gingham? Very well done. Thank you for sharing. :)

It is a very beautiful long exposure. I like the simple composition and tranquil atmosphere. It is mind soothing. 

foto molto particolare e non facile da leggere per il palo dominante e i colori inconsueti,però, guardandola a lungo, ho visto delle interessanti vibrazioni,come in 3D. Quindi l'importante è comunicare!

                                                                      Saluti Paul

Perfectly composed, lines from the bottom and from the "ceiling" lead to the strange object in the distance! Rather pastel colors support the aesthetics of the whole scene, nice!

Warm regards Alf!

PDE

Hello Alf,

I never used filters, but after seen your picture, I see that they can be very usefull. 

Lovely picture, with great clouds and a minimalistic topic.

best regards,
Ben  

A very nicely composed shot with beautiful colours and lighting, Alf!

Fantastic!! Beautiful and original.

Cheers.

Well it's amazing considering the circumstances you described. All around the subject looks like blur but it works. I especially like the wide angle use, it gives the sky that never ending look. Composition as always is right on. Take care Alf.

Sincerely,

Holger

alf!

this 'pool" machine just keeps on scoring! well done. how 'bout my boys? "finally", i say.

if i am not mistaken you partially took my suggestions. the yellow-ish/green water is fantastic and the "burning" sunset is tremendous.  however, there is something "uneasy" about the sky. may be because it is neither clear nor "streaking".

well, you don't have to take me too seriously, it's a wonderful image, as usual.

p.s. how did you secure your tripod when the wind was blowing so hard?

Alf...  I took me a minute to catch the title, but hey, it's getting late here.   A Gingham sky is a singularly unique event and with the glass like surface of the sea, both pull the eye to the subject structure.  All presented beautifully... Mike

The colour palette is beatiful as well sky and water pattern. The wooden structure is well composed and nicely reflected. Amazing work!

beautiful light and colors, you've chosen the moment very well. i would like the subject more off-center but this may be subjective, in fact the composition is working ok as it is. great photo.

Beautiful softness to this image. Great blend of colours and lovely light. Well done work, Alf! Warm regards.

Gorgeous work Alf! Wonderful colors, and interesting composition! Love the feeling of depth in this one! This would make an interesting minimalist image without the tower as well. Just a thought. Great stuff Alf!

All the best,
Neil

hi Alf,

Yep... those clouds are running !!! lovely long exposure... beautiful colours.

well done,

Warm regards,

Isabelle

Love your work and your style, but I particular love your Landscapes Alf...just amazing work mate! keep them coming.

Wow, almost surreal.  Wonderful composition, light and color.  A pleasure to view and must have been a visual experience in itself just to be there. Congrats on a captivating image and thank you for your recent comment. Regards, rek.

With or without the structure, it's a fine shot Alf, great idea to use the filter...Regards

Alf,

  Breathtaking scene with beautiful colors & composition.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

Alf,

Yet another incredible landscape, Alf.  You ARE the master at this.  I read the comments and agree with all.  Hard to add anything that has not already been commented on.  IMO the wooden structure makes this a more compelling shot.  As mentioned, it tends to focus my eye to keep it from wandering.  On the other hand, the image is so interesting that I want to explore it all anyway.  I don't think anyone mentioned the postion of the horizon.  Ordinarily positioning the horizon in the center is considered a "no no".  Obviously that is not the case here.  Works perfectly for me.  I also noticed many nice leading lines to the tower formed by the clouds, the horizon, the reflection of the tower and even the other reflections on the water.   How did you keep the camera from moving ?  How long was the exposure ?  I have nothing to add that might improve this image.  It's a solid 7 IMO.

Cheers...

Jerry

Hi Alf,at last i got motivated to rate photos and write some comments.This is excellent,the composition and colours are superb,you always have a go to new experiments,you got it right here,beautiful running clouds.I am off to the lakes on Friday and the forecast is rain,not very good for walking but excellent for photography,best regards,Harry

Humble Apologies for my late response, I did type out most responses late last night, clicked the "proceed" button and ............all I got was a message about spammers, PN had gobbled up my text and refused to give it back : - (

So I shall start again, but this time I will copy my responses as I proceed : - )

STEPHEN

Many thanks for your thoughts, observations and positive feedback, very much appreciated! It does indeed look peaceful, but you know first hand just how deceptive looks can be. The water is very shallow as you correctly presumed, I was following the tide out and although the wind was howling there was very few waves. The location is the mouth of the River Mersey Estuary just a few miles from the Irish Sea. I noticed the clouds first and the wet sand, then looked for something, anything to use as an anchor point in the composition. Ideally it would have been one of the Anthong Gormley statues that I had come to photograph, but they were situated in totally the wrong position to the clouds, and so the wooden stucture was employed, it was all a bit hurried, but I'm very pleased you liked it.

Best Regards

Alf

MICHEL

Sincere Thanks for your visit and much valued contributions. It wasn't too difficult to get a sharp image, quite often on the windswept coastlines of the UK I have come up against similar conditions and learned to adapt. I simply dig the legs of the tripod into the sand by applying pressure, then if necessary hang my rucksack from the hook underneath the tripod for further stability. The only other thing to remember is to secure the camera strap as this actls like a sail, and also it wacks you in the face when your trying to concentrate on focusing : - ) I'm really pleased you enjoyed this one.

Best Regards

Alf

TRISHA

Many thanks for your visit and positive feedback, much appreciated! You guessed correctly I named it after the pattern in the sky : - ) The original was more of a blue and white affair, but I warmed up the colours as it looked rather clinical before.

Best Wishes

Alf

BOBBY

Sincere thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated. I actually used two filters to get the exposure a bit longer, I must invest in a 10 stop filter.

Best Regards

Alf

PAUL

Molte grazie per le vostre osservazioni e feedback positivo, hai ragione corso di comuncazione e la strada per l'illuminazione, Saluti

Alf

PIERRE

Many thanks for your positive feedback and interest, much appreciated. It is a strange object isn't it! I have seen it on numerous ocassions and still don't know to this day what it is exactly. I kind of assumed it was some sort of depth marker, but now I have to find out for certain : - )

Cheers Pierre!

Alf

BEN

Sincere thanks for your interest and kind words, much appreciated. You are definately missing out on some photo opportunities Ben, filters can do so much more than just long exposures as seen here. they can balance light in very contrasty scenes, they can add effects like mist, and they can add colour, though I don't use any colour ones myself at present. But It's a topic well worthy of investigation and an initial small investment.

Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

Thank you so much for your interest and kind words, much appreciated.

Best Wishes

Alf

ALBERTO

Many Thanks for your most enthusiastic response, it is most kind and positively contagious!

Best Wishes

Alf

HOLGER

Many thanks for your observations and positive feedback, much appreciated. The long exposure would make all the moving items, clouds and water blurry, whilst the solid items in this case the wooden structure remains sharp, allowing a fixed point of focus. The sky was the key element, and I agree the wide angle took full advantage of it, if I had an even wider lens I would have used it.  

Cheers Holger!

Alf

DROR

It was a fairytale weekend all round. The Prince married the beautiful Princess, both our teams won, Man Utd lost.........and as for the bad guys well enough said : - )  

I did indeed take on board your suggestions for the colouration of the sunset, I agree it looks so much better with the burning look.  Hmm the image was subject to a 30 second exposure, which should have made the clouds more streaky, but I think quite wind speed on the ground does not equal the same at altitude. I take everything you say seriously and I appreciate your honesty and critical eye, it all helps when I make editorial decisions.  The tripod stabilisation is a relatively simple matter. On soft ground like sand, simply apply pressure untill the legs have sunken to the required depth, then in really high winds you can hang your rucksack on the hook beneath the tripod, if your like me and carry 3 - 4 big lenses the weight is quite substantial. This works great when the ground is soft but firm, what about when the ground is too soft and the tripod starts to sink? Ok then you have to go with plan B and find 3 flat stones, or 3 pieces of timber, the larger the surface area of the stones or timber the more firm the platform will be. There is a mathematical calculation for gound pressure that I use in planning Crane Lifting Operations, but thats taking tripod stabilisation to the extreme : - )

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

Many Thanks for your interest and positive feedback, much appreciated. I have never witnessed a "gingham sky" before and I now feel quite privileged to have done so. : - )

Cheers Mike

Alf

GUNNAR

Sincere thanks for your visit and kind comments, much appreciated

Best Regards

Alf

ZSOLT

Thank you for your interest and thoughtful observations. I agree with you about the wooden structure being more off centre, and I normally would hav cropped the image accordingly, just in this case I didn't want to lose any of the sand reflections.

Best Regards

Alf

ANABELA

Many thanks for sharing your thoughts and positive observations, much appreciated! The original colours were a bit to cold so I changed the WB to create a warmer look.

Warm Regards

Alf

NEIL

Sincere thanks for your well considered thoughts and observations, much appreciated! It's an interesting suggestion Neil and worthy of some merit too, in fact Dror Baldinger did suggest a similar crop when he had a sneak preview of the original, yeah definately a worthy alternative.

Cheers Neil!

Alf

GRANT

Many thanks for your interest and encouraging comments. I do love landscapes, I have diversified slightly lately and enjoyed the experiences with  street photography, but nothing gives me a greater kick than when I find myself looking into a wonderful view with the prospect of capturing it.

Cheers Mate!

Alf

RICHARD

Thank you so much, for your interest and kind words. You re right there is a surreal element to the colours, I did change the WB to warm them up as the original looked a bit cold. Yeah it was quite an experience to be there.....a cold one : - )

Cheers Richard!

Alf

KEITH

Many thanks for your kind words, much appreciated. I did in fact use two filters as the 6 stop didn't give quite long enough exposure I added a cokin ND 4 grad

Cheers Keith!

PATSY

Many thanks for looking in and sharing your thoughts, I'm really pleased you liked it.

Best Regards

Alf

JERRY

Wow! Thank you most sincerely! The clouds and the sky was my first observation, then I noticed the colours reflected in the wet sand, I just needed something to tie it all together and give a solid focal point. The wooden structure was the only thing in the right position and as it reached into the sky and reflected in the sand it seemed to work quite well. If I had been really lucky the Anthony Gormley figures  would have been in the right place and that would have been even more compelling I think. As for the tripod stabilisation, quite easy really. Apply some downward pressure ( works on sand , mud and gravel) untill the legs sink to the required depth and in this case I also hung my rucksack on the small hook under the tripod to add extra stability.  The exposure was 30 seconds, but I did use an added cokin ND 4 grad as well as the 6 stop ND circular filter.

Cheers Jerry!

Alf