Tom Carnahan
January 2021 - Winter Sunrise 2020
About the Image(s)
Our weather provides many different sunrise pics and this one is from this December. Sunrise is at 7:15 with period some vibrant scenes before and after shots as the sun break over the horizon. The photo is taken from an elevation of about 6 feet above the surf line which usually has a flock of birds at the shore line and frequently move. The elevation allowed me to include the low tide shore line , birds resting and sometimes the entire flock would rise up as if on command and move down the shore line. This photo was shot at 1/2000 sec., f11, and ISO at 800. Minor adjustments were made to focus , darkness, shadows, saturation, and vibrancy. These alterations helped bring out some of the subtle colors like the gold rays above the sun and clouds.
Look forward to your observations, suggestions and critiques.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
15 comments posted
(Group 78)
I very much like the oranges in the sky and clouds. For me, the multiple birds right at the top edge is a negative. I'd also like it more if the sun and its reflection on the water could be toned down a bit. Posted: 01/02/2021 15:36:22
great picture, I would only remove birds in the sea area and reduce noise a little. Posted: 01/02/2021 17:08:46
Thanks for the critiques. Was fairly sure the birds were boing to be a problem but left them in as this time of the day, birds are active as it is prime feeding time and they move a lot. Good nature pic but it detracts from the beauty of the sunrise. Lucky, there are more than a few photos in the camera and will see if I can provide a better photo next month. Thanks again. The noise was a problem due to an older camera and aged lens. I did try to reduce the noise with Define 2 software. Again will give it another try next month. Posted: 01/03/2021 13:57:09
(Group 78)
I like the birds in general. It is just the eight that touch the top edge that I'd prefer not to be present. Posted: 01/03/2021 16:20:03
Beautiful sunrise photo. I think I would consider cropping off the left to just include the bird over the water (the one that Leonid cropped out). Then I would remove a few of the birds that intersect with the top of the frame. Over all I think they remaining birds add interest.
Posted: 01/03/2021 17:29:57
Posted: 01/03/2021 17:29:57
Good comments but in my behalf, the off center was intentional as the clouds on the left point the eye to the sun, the reflection keeps the eye moving to the sun and I used the rule of thirds to position the main part of the photo. I have used the dealers choice in the past and think you all have good reasons to recommend changes. On my technique for removing the birds from the boarder which is what should have happened, my technique for removing them left splotches of off color and was worse than the original birds. Agreed , the photo is sub standard and will try to correct next month. Thanks again. Posted: 01/04/2021 07:47:39
What technique did you use to remove the birds? Perhaps someone would have a solution for you? Anyone?? Posted: 01/04/2021 13:57:00
(Group 78)
I clone from part of the image immediately adjacent to what I'm removing. In this case, since there is horizontal detail in the background, for each bird I would clone from right beside that bird. When it is sky like this, I clean up minor imperfections by slightly blurring. In this case, it would be in a stripe across the top. Posted: 01/04/2021 14:24:11
Thanks for the quick turn around. Adobe Lightroom Classic has a nice way to remove items in the Develop section under the heading of Basic in the top of the Basic section. Healing or Cloning are the two options and neither would give a clean removal without noticeable highlights. I usually use your techniques but did not look good this time. Blurring is a good suggestion and will use it in the future. Maybe Photoshopp would work but have been off that software for a whole and will have to re-educate my self. (Goal for 20210)
Happy New Year! Posted: 01/04/2021 16:13:41
Happy New Year! Posted: 01/04/2021 16:13:41
At the moment, my favorite way is to use the PS patch tool. I just circle the item I need to remove, then move the duplicate patch it creates to what I want to copy. Pretty simple. As with any cloning, I always watch for inadvertent duplicates it may pick up. Posted: 01/04/2021 17:39:48
Sunrise and flying bird silhouettes are a great combination for a fine image and yours has the added great colors to go with it. I agree with Robert and Leonid that the birds at the very top and the blurred ones at the bottom are good candidates for removal. But, I can see that cloning or otherwise removing some of the birds at the top edge present problems. Is it possible that other of the shots you mentioned that you took provide a means of combining to substitute a better top strip for the one here? Just a thought. Posted: 01/08/2021 10:27:31
Thanks for the suggestions and will see what I can sshare next month.
Posted: 01/08/2021 12:27:24
Posted: 01/08/2021 12:27:24
Nice composition Nice and sharp However, I think the sun and especially its reflection are too hot. I like the sun beams coming from the sun. I think you need to bracket the exposure next time you do a sunrise or sunset and then blend exposures. Also the number of birds seems overpowering I agree with removing several of them especially those at the edges and in the water Posted: 01/08/2021 22:43:31
Thanks Judy, the bracketing suggestion is going to be put to use on my next venture to the shore. Posted: 01/09/2021 07:07:24
(Group 57)
This is a beautiful shot, but agree that the birds on the water should go. They seem a little unnaturally grainy and I don't think they add anything to the image. Overall the image is a little "noisy". I am not sure there is much you can do about that and not compromise the amazing colors you have achieved with it. I can almost feel the sun. Posted: 01/12/2021 11:21:13