Beachy Sunset

Taken on Jan. 8. Sandy Hook, NJ.
For the last couple of evenings I have been seeing the city lit up in this way against the sun and have been wanting to capture it.
What do you think?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...inglightup.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...sandyhook5.jpg

I really like the first one X! It makes me think NYC might want to change it's name to Atlantis because it looks like it's about to sink into the ocean! That is a great illustration of how reflective a city can be too - if only all those windows were solar collectors. I don't think I've ever seen the skyline of NYC framed like this before. It's an interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing.

Close, but the colors just seem to miss to me. But others may feel different.

Is it my imagination, or do both of the pix seem overprocessed..? Did you sharpen them? If so may have been a bit too much.

The problem I have is that the city is too small a part of the photo. Right and left areas with weaker verticals are not necessary as well as some of the sky and the result could have been a closer shot with more impact.

On the other hand, composition-wise, the waves are unusual in this type of shot and give it some visual impact. Colour is good, effective, and natural looking despite the fact that the waves may look a little too blue to some.

Overall, a good shot and still effective.

Ronnoco

GB1 I did sharpen them with a 100 amount and 2.5 radius usm in photoshop. I have been trying to cut back on the sharpening lately. Any less sharpening and I can't really tell that I even did em. btw thats exactly how those clouds usually look at that time of day.

Ronnoco next time i can just go out further up the beach to get closer which would solve i think most of what you are saying.

Thanks guys.

I think the problem for me is the oversharpening the pixel radius shouldn't really go above 1 because that increases the grain and halos that you get in the picture. Try reducing the radius to 0.5-1 and it should improve things.

Look at the bird and the edge of the clouds for a hint on how they get too sharp.

Roger

Should I then bring up the amount to compensate for the decrease in radius or just keep it down. It just seemed like there was not and improvement on previous trys when I went down that low on the radius.

That depends on the original - one thing might be that its okay as is. Did the camera do some sharpening? Was it converted from RAW with sharpening?

Put up the original and then I might be able to answer the question.

Roger

another failed sunset i think..

trog

i personally like the color of the first one and the waves, buildings, and bird add to each other well, but the second is too lackluster.