Eve of Eclipse: I went to Naples, FL to photograph the last partial eclipse ofl the sun. It was a good exercise. The photos were technically good, but less than artistically inspiring.

photoninja1 Loc: Tampa Florida

I went to Naples, FL to photograph the last partial eclipse ofl the sun. It was a good exercise. The photos were technically good, but less than artistically inspiring. Leaving the pier, on the way to the car, I glanced back toward the beach and saw this opportunity. Your comments welcome.

Sillouettes in the Sunset

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lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

photoninja1 wrote:

I went to Naples, FL to photograph the last partial eclipse ofl the sun. It was a good exercise. The photos were technically good, but less than artistically inspiring. Leaving the pier, on the way to the car, I glanced back toward the beach and saw this opportunity. Your comments welcome.

I like this.
Beautiful use of colour. It just oozes tranquility and peacefulness. I can almost hear the sounds and feel the warmth.
Love the almost silhouettes of the people, especially the girl on the left.
But I think the blurred seagull detracts.
For a more balanced composition I'd prefer the top trimmed a bit to get the horizon away from the middle of the photo, placing it the same distance from the top that the sand line is from the bottom, and a fraction off the left so that both girls are the same distance from their respective edges of the photo.

photoninja1 Loc: Tampa Florida

Thanks for your input. l'm usually more anal about rule of thirds, but sometimes I feel it isn't obligatory.

lighthouse Loc: No Fixed Abode

photoninja1 wrote:

Thanks for your input. l'm usually more anal about rule of thirds, but sometimes I feel it isn't obligatory.

You are absolutely right.
For me, "thirds" is a very "rubbery" rule.
Its more about the "feeling" of thirds than it is about the exact mathematical precision.
The crop I suggest hints of thirds.
But in reality the top/bottom proportion is more "fifths", and the side measurements is more "eighths".

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

Beautiful colour and well exposed. I agree with lighthouse on the crop. What bothers me the most is your selection of foreground subjects. I think the image would have more impact if there were only one, or perhaps a couple standing side by side gazing into the sunset, rather than the rather random collection you have here. Perhaps waiting a while or changing your location could have fixed it.

photoninja1 Loc: Tampa Florida

mcveed wrote:

Beautiful colour and well exposed. I agree with lighthouse on the crop. What bothers me the most is your selection of foreground subjects. I think the image would have more impact if there were only one, or perhaps a couple standing side by side gazing into the sunset, rather than the rather random collection you have here. Perhaps waiting a while or changing your location could have fixed it.

Actually, I did shoot a single and a couple, but the triangle formed by these figures seemed to be the stronger composition. Many thanks for your comments

mcveed Loc: Kelowna, British Columbia (between trips)

photoninja1 wrote:

Actually, I did shoot a single and a couple, but the triangle formed by these figures seemed to be the stronger composition. Many thanks for your comments

Sorry, I didn't see a triangle. I saw two separate women wading in the water and a guy taking a picture.

wilikioti Loc: Deep South, USA

photoninja1 wrote:

I went to Naples, FL to photograph the last partial eclipse ofl the sun. It was a good exercise. The photos were technically good, but less than artistically inspiring. Leaving the pier, on the way to the car, I glanced back toward the beach and saw this opportunity. Your comments welcome.

Looking back you were able to include a human element enjoying the "golden hour." I think it's great with the man sitting in the sand and the two younger figures in the surf. Beautiful colors!

skylane5sp Loc: Puyallup, WA

Interesting the way the brain works with the thirds thing. When I first looked at this something seemed a little "off". After reading Lighthouse's comment, I noticed that the wave cuts the image below the horizon almost in half. Then if you scroll the image up so the sky is the same size as those two pieces - now a third, it seems completely different.