travel, usa, pacific northwest "Picnic Point Beach" (Sleeping Log I)

Thanks in advance for your time. Shot from top of log, thought to

give it different angle. Works for you, why, why not?

excellent image!!!!!

Wilson,

 

The log is just too imposing. The sky and colours are nice. If you take the log away you are left with nothing.

 

What do you think about this yourself?

Agree with David. There are a few minor things need some fixing. Love the ocean view and the moon though.

The simplicity of the log within the smooth impressive surrounding does it. RE

...for your feedback. David, Ray, frankly, had the log not been there, I would have not taken this photo. ^_^ Wish the moon is a little lower (perhaps then I can crop off a bit of sky.) I intentionally capture the log in this manner to force depth (no lens attachment, just a naked A80) and contrast between trunk's texture and smooth water & sky. Perhaps I should've taken one without the log, but the park ranger was already shining his flashlight on my face wanting me to leave. I went out last night specifically wanting to prove that equipment doesn't matter after this recent exchange regarding gear with a fellow PNer.

Actually, at first I thought the log was a rock. Yes, the log and the colors of the background make the shot. Technially very good. I could be wrong, but could you lighten the log for more impact?

Thanks, Howard. Your lightened version is nice, too as it shows more detail in shadow area. However, I felt what I posted is what is more representative of last night, which was quite dark and moody. After all, if it's too bright, the log can't go to sleep... ^_^

Although the lightened version is a bit better ... but I still agree with David that the log is too imposing. It seems like there were some other awesome images here at the same time that you took this one (great sky!!) Do you have others to share?

This kind of reminds me of the one you took in Hawaii of your feet while lying in the ocean. It gives me the feeling of lying on the log, watching the sunset. Now just as long as there's no crawly things on this log, I'm feeling very serene! LOL. I love the soft graduated colors and the perspective view, but I'd love to see shoes sitting on that log! LOL or toes a wiggling, LOL.

Wilson, while I admire your good manner in debating about equipment with another PNer, I do think equipment matters, of course not as much as our artistic eyes and creative minds. My point is, desides the digital resolution of a camera, there is dynamic range measured in f-stops or light zones and there is color depth measured in bits. A Canon 1Ds can do a lot better job than a 300D, for instance, and consistantly so. Try to see some images put out by a 22 megapixel

Leaf digital back mounted on a medium format camera, you will see what I mean. :D

 

Personally, I think a good photographer needs to possess three things: artistic vision, knowledge of equipments and wet/digital darkroom skills.

Ansel Adams excelled at all three things, he invented the Zone System and put out two great books -- one about the cameras and one about the prints -- that fact says a lot to me. Simply put, larger format cameras are closer to our human eyes in seeing and recording objects.

 

Internet, as you said, made it possible for people to enjoy small size images, but a piece of great art needs to last, imho. For now, prints still matter, hence larger format cameras.

 

I am here to share, to learn and to have fun. Indeed, I learned a lot from you. Thank you.

Ray, I hear you loud and clear regarding artistic, tools, and post processing. Perhaps I should have said, "equipment doesn't matter, artistically."

 

< 2-OCT-04 Note: Looks like you've edited comment above with an inclusion of 22MP Mamiya equipment in it. Doesn't matter as long as the image is only going to be posted on this site. Maximum image size remains a constraint. >

 

Again Ray, my position is that I will use whatever necessary equiment to produce whatever the requirement is. Period. If I have an assignment for a 16" x 24" color label for a product packaging, I'm going with Toyo View, on a Cambo stand, 4x5" Ektachrome 64, bracket it 1/2 a stop up and down (2 sheets each,) take them to Prolab, and have them deliver the chrome the next day. On the other hand, if I'm travelling with an eight year old, an eleven year old, my wife, my mother-in-law, I frankly prefer taking something really more compact, especially if I know I'll only be uploading it to PN, or making prints no larger than 8"x12".

 

I would be willing to trade off, or more appropriately, selection whatever equipment needed to do the job/requirement. As simple as that. I do hope you see where I'm coming from. Meanwhile, keep on shooting and producing.

 

BTW, how about your take on this image? I know I can always count on you for an honest, constructive feedback. ^_^

Thanks for your feedback, appreciate it. Yes, it's love it or hate it, I suppose. Lou Ann, I was only able to fire off a few frame since it was already 20 minutes to dusk (the time we're suppose to go back to the car,) and it was a good thing the park ranger wasn't there then. Here's a pix of that same log (notice the balancing act I performed in taking this image!)

 

Boy, I surely hope I had not started some sort of a photographic war...sigh.

This sort of dialogue, as been said before, is a boon to the value of this website. A little controversy is stimulating and can be very edifying, as well as entertaining. I'm with Howard on this one. My first impression included some confustion. I thought the log was a mountain or some huge rock. But confusion can make a pic interesting. Wilson, I noticed that you, from time to time, use such a device and have become very good at it. This photo, for me, is a good example of that. Or, perhaps in this one, that was not your intention. Either way, nice one!

Honestly, friends, I really get a kick out of making this log looking like a giant mound of ant hill from using just the A80's standard 35mm focal length instead of a super wide angle and an SLR. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I'm loosing it....^_^

For the artistic value of this photo, well, there is one thing I wanted to say -- although not limited to this photo -- there is no way I can pull off a beautiful sky like this. You can tell that in my landscape shots, I am faking it. :D

 

I really really like this "Same Log, Across the Water" shot, it's divine and it's Wilsonistique.

Ray, thanks for your input, and never underestimate yourself. OTOH, I find that your PP work is quite illuminating with each and every tranformation you've executed. Meanwhile, I'll load up that other, "Sleep Log" pix in a few. ^_^

Based on above discussion, one may want to read this topic.