Gloria Grandolini
About the Image(s)
I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. I saw this storm and rushed to get the big camera - although the iPhone pictures were nice too.
I felt the colors were amazing. This image gave me a sense of awe at the force of nature - and how small and fragile the Miami skyline
looked with the sheet of water and the clouds over it. Looking forward to comments on how to improve it when a new storm comes by.
CANON EOS 80D
2.5 Seconds at f/20, ISO 100
35 mm (EF 20-7- m f/2.8 II USM)
I used a tripod and did very little editing. Only adjusted the whites and the blacks and dehazed it a bit.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
14 comments posted
Dan Mottaz
Wow, nice sunset! Don't be shy to work with LR or PS to bring out the dynamic elements that could make this shot pop.
I'm disappointed that you didn't include more of the skyline - just a little more. Then make a slightly blurred reflection of the buildings. This can be done artificially in PS.
Definitely go back and re-take the shot. It's worth it.
  Posted: 08/03/2022 08:27:30
I'm disappointed that you didn't include more of the skyline - just a little more. Then make a slightly blurred reflection of the buildings. This can be done artificially in PS.
Definitely go back and re-take the shot. It's worth it.
  Posted: 08/03/2022 08:27:30
Gloria Grandolini
Cheryl LaLonde
I like this much better with the foreground. I would even include more the next time. You can always crop it out if it doesn't look the way you like.   Posted: 08/21/2022 17:02:48
Haru Nagasaki
Hi Gloria,
Great sunset with interesting colors.
I have never encounter such colors in sunset. Amazing!
I like the tone of colors, subtle and light pastel.
Regarding composition, I agree with Dan on the foreground.
I prefer to see more skyscrapers in the foreground.
For the editing, my eyes are pulled to the brightest part in right side. It might be balanced with the bright part in bottom left. But for me, it still distract my eyes. So this is what I would do.
Crop out the bright portion on the right. Increase the contrast without loosing the subtle colors as much as possible. I would focus on presenting "storm", so I would edit to make the bottom left corner be the brightest part and direct your eye to the skyscrapers, where just about to rain.
Here is my attempt.
I also did BW conversion. I did not mind to abandon the color but just to focus on presenting textures.   Posted: 08/03/2022 21:36:31
Great sunset with interesting colors.
I have never encounter such colors in sunset. Amazing!
I like the tone of colors, subtle and light pastel.
Regarding composition, I agree with Dan on the foreground.
I prefer to see more skyscrapers in the foreground.
For the editing, my eyes are pulled to the brightest part in right side. It might be balanced with the bright part in bottom left. But for me, it still distract my eyes. So this is what I would do.
Crop out the bright portion on the right. Increase the contrast without loosing the subtle colors as much as possible. I would focus on presenting "storm", so I would edit to make the bottom left corner be the brightest part and direct your eye to the skyscrapers, where just about to rain.
Here is my attempt.
I also did BW conversion. I did not mind to abandon the color but just to focus on presenting textures.   Posted: 08/03/2022 21:36:31
Gloria Grandolini
Thank you Haru - wow nice advice on bringing out the contrast and making the image more forceful. I really like your color version. The B&W is interesting and I see your point - although I would want to keep the colors.   Posted: 08/04/2022 12:56:05
Robert Atkins
Hi Gloria. This is an amazing image! I don't know if this sort of weather happens all the time in Miami, but capturing it seems pretty special. Add incredible light and colors and this is truly the sort of image that would be selling from a gallery.
My suggestion would be along the lines of the others, namely regarding the crop. I like the original where you have not cropped in as it provides more breathing room around the storm cloud. I'd keep everything on the bottom as others have suggested, but I'd keep the sides and top too.
Then there are a few subtle things you could consider. I took a cut below of what I'd do. I burned the top darker; also darkened the whole thing a bit. Enhanced the pink color a bit, and tried to bring out the light on the right leading edge (toward the light) of the storm cloud. I darkened the lower left and right corners and painted in a little color in the lower right, picked from the pink highlights. On the bottom I cloned out the foreground poking in on the left, and then tried to bring out the lights in the city. A lot of this is artistic choice, so just some thoughts to consider. It is an amazing image in any case.
  Posted: 08/20/2022 06:57:35
My suggestion would be along the lines of the others, namely regarding the crop. I like the original where you have not cropped in as it provides more breathing room around the storm cloud. I'd keep everything on the bottom as others have suggested, but I'd keep the sides and top too.
Then there are a few subtle things you could consider. I took a cut below of what I'd do. I burned the top darker; also darkened the whole thing a bit. Enhanced the pink color a bit, and tried to bring out the light on the right leading edge (toward the light) of the storm cloud. I darkened the lower left and right corners and painted in a little color in the lower right, picked from the pink highlights. On the bottom I cloned out the foreground poking in on the left, and then tried to bring out the lights in the city. A lot of this is artistic choice, so just some thoughts to consider. It is an amazing image in any case.
  Posted: 08/20/2022 06:57:35
Gloria Grandolini
Thank you Robert - yes I am lucky to have such view point. Thank you for your suggestions to improve the image. I will pull together all the comments and see if I can come up with an image to hang on the wall!   Posted: 08/22/2022 18:41:35
Cheryl LaLonde
Hi Gloria
I agree with what the others have said. However I did not crop the right side off. Instead I used the clone stamp to try and clone in the bright area with the muted color below it. It is only a rough version so not done perfectly and is just to give you the idea. I have discovered that the beautiful skies always need a base or foreground to "ground" them. I added some contrast using Lightroom settings attached then I dodged and burned the sky to try and create more depth in the clouds.
I've got to tell you I am really envious of the gorgeous skies you have been capturing! They are just beautiful. I would definitely add this to my sky collection if I were you.   Posted: 08/21/2022 16:46:51
I agree with what the others have said. However I did not crop the right side off. Instead I used the clone stamp to try and clone in the bright area with the muted color below it. It is only a rough version so not done perfectly and is just to give you the idea. I have discovered that the beautiful skies always need a base or foreground to "ground" them. I added some contrast using Lightroom settings attached then I dodged and burned the sky to try and create more depth in the clouds.
I've got to tell you I am really envious of the gorgeous skies you have been capturing! They are just beautiful. I would definitely add this to my sky collection if I were you.   Posted: 08/21/2022 16:46:51
Gloria Grandolini
Thank you Cheryl, I really really appreciate your detailed comments and the explanations on the changes! And also I now understand more clearly the need for a foreground.   Posted: 08/22/2022 18:39:00
Cheryl LaLonde
Gloria Grandolini
Yes- I get it. Thank you again   Posted: 08/22/2022 18:39:26
Bob Wills
Another beautiful scene, and I think Cheryl's foreground addition, changed most of my thoughts. Something was missing, and Cheryl nailed the missing piece for me.   Posted: 08/29/2022 14:14:05