Zina Mirsky
May 2021 - Moorea Cook's Bay
Original
About the Image(s)
This was taken on a visit to Cook's Lagoon, Moorea, French Polynesia, in 2019. I visited and sailed the waters for 6 days to see the total solar eclipse. The 'before' shows a cloudy day in the Bay, with (to me) an iconic coconut tree framing the quiet harbor. After editing in LR, using light cropping, saturation and detail sliders, I think the picture is more appealing and some of the cloudy atmosphere is made more inviting.
Taken on a walking tour, no stopping here because of traffic, I crouched and shot quickly with a Nikon D7000, 55mm, f/8 aperture at 1/320.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
8 comments posted
Beautiful!! Like the advertisement for a paradise resort!
Posted: 05/07/2021 10:12:07
Posted: 05/07/2021 10:12:07
Nice, serene photo. I think it it is cropped well. Perhaps slightly lowering the brightness on the trunk of the palm tree? Posted: 05/07/2021 12:56:50
(Group 55)
Yes, thank you for calling that to my eye. Now I'll work on figuring out a good way to do that without lowering brightness everywhere. LR permits this, I know; I am just not sure yet of my skill level at it. Posted: 05/07/2021 13:43:40
I really like your composition, and color. Your crop is good, but I wonder if eliminating some of the right side would add to your tree's impact. I feel some competition between the tree, the mountain rocks and the large sailboat. Tonality is very difficult in a large dynamic range like this. The trunk and water's edge are both in bright light. Dodging and burning help produce a finished look (says the guy who seldom does!) Posted: 05/08/2021 16:55:42
(Group 55)
I find myself always at odds with where/when I want to crop; my mind's eye remembers the mountainous scene and I'm reluctant to rip it away. That said, I like your judgment on cropping and think it and the saturation differences you've completed make the tree texture and presence have more impact. I thank you. Posted: 05/08/2021 17:18:11
I mostly use Gavin Hardcastle's (fototripper) to decide my crops. Simplifies the process and makes sense to me. Posted: 05/08/2021 18:55:14
(Group 55)
Thanks again; you are a great source of educational info. I've signed up with Hardcastle! Posted: 05/08/2021 19:10:21
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
Successful result to a beautiful image. Well done. Posted: 05/28/2021 13:01:33