A Well Earned Rest (Click to View Larger)

The last image was a HDR from the bottom of the steps, I'd thought I'd

try and balance thiings with this one, a normally processed image from

about half way the steps. Whilst I fiddled about with my tripod, trying to

get it level on the steps, the old gentleman climbed the steps, I watched

him labour over the steep ascent, and patiently waited for him to pass in

order to take my next shot. To my surprise and slight annoyance he

stopped right in front of me......it quickly dawned on me he had

presented me with this opportunity. Your thoughts and comments are

always appreciated. Thank You.

Hello Alf.  Harmonic. No aspect dominates. Beautiful muted colors gives a feel of peace, with a good composition with the steps that break the pure peace.  I like the delicate flowers and see the street lamp like one of your trademark mini lighthouses.  And now I see in the distance a real lighthouse, something I associate with your photographs.  I love this

Hello Alf,

When I was browsing through the thumbnails of the critique forum, my first thought seeing this one, was "this must be one of Alf's".  And I was right, it shows that you have a very distinct style, which is very good. 

The man in the picture makes it a much stronger picture. 

Well Done,

Ben

Thank you for your generosity of uploading a descent size Alf, some people here upload copies smaller than a thumbnail in order to protect their copyrights, ha!

I think I've seen the same place on a better picture(s), hope it has been yours!

Best regards!

PDE

One of your best.  Love your photos, including this one.  Alway looks nature and well balance.  Best Regards,

Your a lucky man Alf...he adds balance to the right. Lovely scene, I was only a few miles away the other week but never quite made it to Whitby...nevermind:-((.....Regards

Alf,

  Beautiful creative image with wonderful processing.  Thanks for sharing this wonderful image.  Take care, Patsy

Hi Alf,

Outstanding work.

Excellent photography is part lens, part composition and part operator.

You have excelled in every aspect noted here.

Best Regards,  Mike

Hi Alf, A beautiful place, well captured and presented. Agree with you and all that the man has increased the already beautiful composition by '2 stops' more.

Thanks Alf for sharing,

Harsha.

An excellent image with plenty of English charm. The resting man really adds a human twist to this fine shot. Well done Alf!

All the best,
Neil

I like your rendition of this place, Alf. So natural and very inviting to walk down the steps and join the man to enjoy the rest of the view. Beautiful perspective and well exposed and processed. Regards! - Lester

lovely landscape, perfect white balance

very good composition and tones. best regards!

DONNA

Many thanks for your thougtful and detailed feedback, much appreciated. One of the reason I posted this was because it was the opposite view of the previous post, and the other reason is it gives a flavour of the town itself. The lighthouse you can see was one of the reasons I visited Whitby, there was a particular shot I wanted, alas when I go there, the lighthouse was under repair and covered in scaffolding (you can just see it in the large view), so it looks like another trip will have to be arranged. I'm really pleased you liked it Donna.

Best Regards

Alf  

BEN

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback. I'm always aware of other peoples "styles" but never really considered I had one myself.........but its encouraging to know that I have, and even more that its recognisable. Yeah I think the Man in the image adds interest and scale to the perspective.

Best Regards

Alf

PIERRE

Many Thanks for your kind words and thoughts, much appreciated. I've seen better shots of this location too, unfortunately they were not mine. But I can aspire to be as good I hope one day. As for the large size, I think on some images its really necessary. I thought it was on this one because of the distant detail in the town etc.

Cheers

Alf

WANGHAN

Sincere thanks for your kind words and positive feedback, much appreciated.  I'm really pleased you liked it.

Kind Regards

Alf

KEITH

Shame you didn't make it to Whitby, its got some fascinating views and I'm sure you would enjoy the narrow cobbled streets etc. And we could have had a pint and discussed photography at length.....ahh well maybe next time eh!  Yes your right I was very fortunate that the old gentleman stopped where he did. Many thanks

Regards

Alf

PATSY

Many thanks for your kind words and enthusiastic feedback, I'm really pleased you liked it.

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

Sincere Thanks for your most encouraging and positive feedback. I am haunted by your recent photo of the fishing float and the story that accompanied it.........its one I will remember for a long time.

Cheers Mike

Alf

HARSHA

Many Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, very much appreciated. I was very fortunate that the man arrived when he did. I was even more fortunate that realisation hit me that the opportunity was staring me right in the face. I think it was a valuable lesson for me that a different occurance than the one I expected can be an opportunity if I open my mind to it.

Best Regards

Alf

NEIL

Many thanks for your views and positive feedback, much appreciated. "English Charm" .....not that much of it left I'm afraid ...consecutive town planners seem intent in reproducing towns that represent clones of each other with no character and the same shops repeated over and over. Whitby thus far has escaped such a fate.

Cheers Neil

Alf

LESTER

Many thanks for your thoughtful words and positive feedback. I'm really pleased you connected with it in this way, its exactly what I had hoped for.  

Best Regards

Alf

NIKI

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

Kind Regards

Alf

ZSOLT

Sincere thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, much appreciated.

Best Regards

Alf

Alf...  Your usual excellent composition with exquisite detail.  I see that everyone shares in the opinion that the man adds to the shot as an interesting subject and I don't disagree, even though initially I admit his relative size and nearness to the bottom margin did catch my attention.  After some study I think the entire image is presented very well as is...  Good stuff... Mike

Alf, I clearly prefer this photo of Whitby over the other one you posted. I don't know if it has to do with the HDR effect, or the scenery depicted, but I like the overall ambiance and mood better in this one....It is a beautifully  presented perspective of Whitby (which, btw, I have never visited - so far). The wide angle enabled you to get so many details in the picture: stretching from the church tower on the left, to the far end of  the pier on the right, and you even managed to get  the lighthouse in the photo as well :-) Your composition is really very attractive. However, and I know that I'm maybe the odd one out here, I personally would have preferred the photo without  the gentleman on the right... Maybe if he had been somewhat further away ( and/or possibly sitting on one of the lower steps), I possibly would not have had the same reaction.... I feel that he adds too much weight to the photo as is... (although I can also see him adding balance to the photo too, as some people are saying above)  I find that he is a somewhat overbearing presence, and dominates the photo too much, imo.... The photo seems too 'overloaded with elements'... Maybe it is his slightly slouching demeanor and/or the way he is standing so close to the edge of the photo, that makes me  feel this way -- I don't know... I just think that he should't be as much the protagonist here as he appears now.....In a very different photo of yours -- this one -- I feel that the subject really adds (scale) to the surroundings, while at the same time I get to really appreciate the scenery as well. Looking at the Whitby photo above,  I get a good sense of the scenery of this town and port,  but I don't get a " wow feeling" as I have had with some of your other photos....   Really hope that you don't mind me expressing my feeling, Alf -- I like the photo, and technically it is very well done, but I don't feel as enthusiastic about it for some reason...

Kind regards to you, Marjolein

MIKE

Many Thanks for your thoughts and encouraging feedback, much appreciated.  I actually shared that concern about the gentleman being a bit too close tothe edge of the frame at the bottom. He wasn't when I composed the shot, but after some perspective alteration the final crop left him a bit tight to the edge.

Cheers Mike

Alf

MARJOLEIN

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and feedback. I don't mind at all that you point out the shortcomings of the image, in fact your honest opinions are invaluable to me.  Personally I too think the that the gentlemean adds balance to the image, though I concur with your comment about him leaning back, that does seem to throw things out slightly and looks a bit awkward. I think you also have a point when you mention his "overbearing presence" though this seems much more apparent when just viewing the thumbnail or normal size, when viewed large I think the other elements of the image become more the focus of attention. I suppose the image was never going to have the "wow" factor and I accept that, it was more of an attempt to show the character and charm of the town. I just hope the image hasn't put you off visiting, it was intended to have the opposite effect, and it really is a lovely place.

: - )

Cheers Marjolein

Alf

The quality of this image is impressive (not surprising, it is as usual from you, but still I have to mention it). Very lovely atmosphere, silent and peaceful. Beautiful picture.

A very nicely composed beautiful shot, Alf!

With best regards,

Ruud.

I would stop right there too. the view is breathtaking. there is so much character to these places. enlarging the image makes it so much more impressive and real. amazing sharpness.

Yes,the larger view reveals the definition of the image.Corner to corner..every subtle details are very much prominant with faithful colours.Well choosen POV too.What a lovely place to be there!A real treat for eyes.Thanks for sharing.

My best regards.

Kallol

BOBBY

Many Thanks, you are very kind. It was a very peaceful time of day.

Best Regards

Alf

GUNNAR

Sincere thanks, at 5.30 am it was indeed quiet and peaceful, but a very different scene was to be witnessed in the evening, with tourists still climbing the steps in large numbers up until 10.00pm when I gave up and headed back to my hotel. I started out the next morning half expecting to find them still there, but to my relief all was quiet.

Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

Many Thanks for your input and encouragement.

Kind regards

Alf

DROR

Ahhh yes I knew the sharpness would be to your taste : -)  I am still employing the High Pass filter method you kindly showed me along with a few tweaks in Unsharp Mask. But in all honesty not too much needed as the 14 - 24mm lens is superb. Thanks for stopping by Dror and don't forget the open invite for Tea at the Abbey Cafe when next you and your good lady visit these shores.

Best Regards

Alf

KALLOL

Many thanks for sharing your observations and thoughts, much appreciated! Every step of the 199 reveal a slightly different viewpoint I'm not sure this is the best, but it was one that I managed to get between the showers of rain.

Best Regards

Alf

Certainly a better view, but it truly is good to see both. They for me, both have their merits. This is a great view, so full  of detail. Everyone has pretty well used most of the adjectives! I'm glad you were able to get this shot before returning home.  It was a bit of a drive, and fortunately the weather stayed quite dry!

Sorry I'm a bit late, kind regards always, Gail

This is a really impressive photograph with marvelous color tonality and amazing dof. The blue backdrop and its charming cloud-patterns are simply poetic. The steps, the lamppost and the lonely man have definitely enriched the mood of the composition. The mid-ground is a bit heavy, considering the embedded feeling-tone of the image. To me, the brightness of the left corner of the foreground is a bit loud. Thanks a lot for sharing this visual pleasure. Best regards.