Karen Davis  

Lonely Flight by Karen Davis

December 2025 - Lonely Flight

About the Image(s)

Date Taken: 6/23/2025
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: EF24-105
Location: Along the Sonoma Beaches on the Pacific Coast
Exposure: 1/400 sec at f/22
ISO: 320

We were not so lucky weather-wise, for our trip through part of the Pacific Coast Highway along the California Coastline. It was cold, and gray, and rainy that day. I tried to make something of this photo in color and it just didn't work. So, I went with B&W to convey the gloomy feeling of the day. I did score one piece of luck with the lonely seagull soaring across the waves. I did a bit of sharpening and lifted the shadows to try and bring back some of the detail in the foreground. I would love some honest feedback on this one, since I have mixed feeling about it.

Thanks and Happy Holidays to everyone!

5 comments posted

Syed Shakhawat Kamal   Syed Shakhawat Kamal
Hi Karen,
Greetings my friend. I wish you have a wonderful holidays ahead. The BW conversion of your image seems great to me. Eventhough the subject is very small, but the environment wise the subject do draw the attention of the viewers. You may consider to play the crop to be little tight and for the subject to apply the rule of third. Just my opinion.
Kindest regards.
Kamal.   Posted: 12/08/2025 06:43:49
Gregory Waldron   Gregory Waldron
Hi Karen,
Happy Holidays,
I really like the title and the mood of your image. I agree with Kamal regarding a tighter crop. The B&W conversion adds to mood of the image. I cropped in tighter and brighten the bird to make it more dominant in the image.
Best Regards,
Greg   Posted: 12/10/2025 20:58:31
Comment Image
Tom Brassil   Tom Brassil
Hi Karen! This shot has such a very dark moody feel. I'm a big fan of dark mood shots, but I think this one could really pop with a clearer focus. If the bird is the main point I agree with the crop, however, maybe try dropping the bird and putting the spotlight on those lovely white flowers along the shoreline instead. Also, gently bringing up the sea waves towards the background could add some nice depth, especially with that misty backdrop-it really sets the mood! Hope you don't mind, I had a play with your image to show what I meant. Thanks so much for sharing, and wishing you and your loved ones a super Merry Christmas and a joyful festive season!   Posted: 12/12/2025 03:29:43
Comment Image
Ingrid Lockhart   Ingrid Lockhart
Hi Karen. I love the northern California coast when is dark and stormy - it has such a desolate feel to it and your image definitely captures that quality. I think the choice of B/W was a great one. Sometimes, it helps to be the fourth person to comment, because I think the two variations suggested by Tom and Greg brought up some ideas I might not have thought of. I especially like Tom's edit highlighting the flowers picking up the corresponding white in the gull. If it were mine, I would consider cropping more off the right in Tom's panoramic version, so that the bird isn't right in the middle. I'm jealous of your trip - now that I don't live in California, it's likely I won't every be back to the Sonoma Coast.   Posted: 12/14/2025 23:20:06
Darcy Johnson   Darcy Johnson
Hi Karen - I agree with all of the above comments - starting with great choice to go B&W. I like both image adjustments presented by Tom and Greg too! There are several options you can play with, pulling out contrast through the whites in the waves or flowers and by cropping strategically as mentioned by Ingrid and placing the focal point in the rule of thirds as mentioned by Kamal. So I have nothing to add to the suggestions already shared. It's a lovely, albeit moody, image!   Posted: 12/17/2025 15:17:34

 

Please log in to post a comment