Gerard Blair  


Sandwich by Gerard Blair

April 2021 - Sandwich

About the Image(s)

Been a - stay at home month - and so I have had to dig into the archives. This is from Sandwich bay Namibia (2014) which can only be reached by racing, driving along a beach between waves at low tide.

I settled on this one because I had never used it before but in looking back I was struck by it. I was a lot younger then, in photographer years, and the f/5.0 seems to me now to be an odd setting for a landscape - but ... I am interested to know what you think of the outcome.

f/5.0 1/1250 ISO400


This round’s discussion is now closed!
5 comments posted




Bev Caine   Bev Caine
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
The composition is very interesting but for my personal taste the overall result is a little bland. So I played with it a bit, first in Topaz Studio 2, which gave me nothing I was happy with; and, then decided to see if a better sky would be an enhancement. So, here is the result. What do you think?   Posted: 04/04/2021 06:50:21
Comment Image



Gerard Blair   Gerard Blair
(Group 79)
Beverly - thanks for coming by and adding to my image. You have created a very different photo which is certainly brighter. However, it is not the place I visited - which was more intense. The bay is isolated and the steep sand dunes which blanket the background are part of its enclosure. One of my concerns with the limited depth of field is that these dunes can only be inferred by the color and are not obvious to the viewer.   Posted: 04/04/2021 09:22:35



Robert Atkins   Robert Atkins
Hi Gerard. I love the colors in the grasses and vegetation, particularly the silvery green grasses which are beautiful for such an intense place. The pyramid shape also is interesting. But I am not sure for me whether that is enough to carry the vegetation as the subject. The shallow DOF which f5 gave you kind of forces you past the birds to the vegetation. I'm not sure I have any suggestions though.

It sounds like it is quite an adventure to get to this location. I assume if you stay photographing too long you are in trouble getting back?   Posted: 04/12/2021 18:56:06



Dale Yates   Dale Yates
(Group 87)
Hi Gerard - nice image. I like the composition, especially the symmetry of the placement of the birds. In my opinion the detail and depth of field turned out well for a f/5 aperture. My only suggestion would be to possibly darken the sky to provide a little more overall contrast. Well done!   Posted: 04/19/2021 16:10:13



 
Gerard, I think the pale/light sky makes for an interesting background and creates a sense of negative space. It's harder for me to get a sense of depth in terms of the elements on the foreground. Is it just my eyes or am I see tiny white flecks/dots in the sky above the dunes? Your image has a very surreal look, almost as if the colors are inverted, even though they aren't. I like how the scene is also quiet calm and peaceful, with the birds eating. Are they flamingos? Great composition and very striking edit!   Posted: 04/21/2021 10:04:43