Old Salton Marina

[GB1]

Was out at the Salton Sea again last Tuesday. What a mess, but that's another story.

Here's a shot of what I think they called the Red Hill Marina, which is humorous to me..

C&C welcome. Taken with Kodak Ektachrome VS 100 with a Mamiya 645. That Mamiya still takes a super sharp photo....

G

[MB1]

Nicely ugly!

I like the composition, your placement of the dock and horizon in the frame and the reflection of the dock is a nice inclusion.

Looks like you had a tough lighting situation. I suspect the color is a bit off (too yellow/green). The sky too closely matches the color of the sea. The highlights of the dock seem blown out (but the reflection is perfectly exposed).

Could you get back there and capture this exact scene nearer to sunrise/sunset?

[DrRoebuck]

Wow. I've been wanting to go back out to the SS for a while now to take pictures.

The only negative thing that stands out is the blown highlights in the dock. I see what MB is saying about the color, but I also know from my one trip out there that the place is as drab as any place I've been.

[GB1]

MB, DrRoebuck - Hey this is actually exactly how the color was on the water. The Ektachrome came out bluer (as usual) but I was able to adjust the color to as I remember it. I totally agree about the sky though - it's just 'there', doesn't do much and is probably even a detriment. I also noticed the blown out top of the dock,.. Yeah the sun was beating down there, as usual (the sun's like a spotlight out in the western deserts).

Dr, that's an interesting idea on the sunrise/sunset. But I'm worried that it won't work. This is I think facing west, so sunset would probably silhouette the area, losing the foreground detail. But it could also be interesting in itself. Sunrise, I don't know... maybe the colors would be decent, maybe not. I plan on camping out over along the shore this spring before it starts cooking, maybe I'll return to this spot and try it!

G

[AgingEyes]

It looks tilted. Don't like the blown highlights of the dock. Instead of being truthful to the actual colors, I wonder if it would make this pic look real good if you'd be a bit creative with them. Overall, I like the image.

[jkriminger]

I think I would have walked past this scene..so nice capture. Looks like it could have levels reduced somewhat. ..the tilt might be the background curving around.

[GB1]

AgingEyes - You're right, it does look tilted. I was wondering if anyone would notice that besides me actually, for it is only a very small amt, and could escape detection. Rod might be right in that it could be the lay of the land, but in the end it probably doesn't matter - if it looks tilted, viewers will consider it so, and a mistake.

I just checked the original and oops, looks like the dock blew out somewhere during the PP stage. See the image below for its original look. I guess I'd have to mask it out and redo the PP w/o affecting it.

And yes, I guess I could be creative with the colors. I choose not to here: I think it's one of those situations where 'Fact is stranger than Fiction', meaning the original colors tell how nasty that water really is, and that is something to behold (you would not believe what that place smelled like ... raw sewage comes to mind .. Jez!).

Rod - Thanks for the comments. To me it stood out a football field away, screaming "Photograph me".. this is the type scenes I like to shoot though. I guess my radar is set to detect them.

Gb

[Len J]

I love this image.......it conveys mood amazingly well.

Well done!

Len

[GB1]

Len - Thanks. I guess it's OK in a grungy sort of way.

See the slightly adjusted version below. I tweaked the color of the sky a bit, plus darkened the dock, so that it is somewhat less washed out. AgingEyes, I also rotated it a bit.

G

[Greg McCary]

Nice shot GB. Very good composition.

[readingr]

GB,

My only criticsm of the pic is the blown out planking. I noticed in one of the shots you had detail in it. Can you get it back?

Personally I would prefer the picture to have half the distance to the dock cropped to give it more balance.

Nice location.

Roger

[AgingEyes]

...plus darkened the dock, so that it is somewhat less washed out. AgingEyes, I also rotated it a bit.

Yes, you did

To me. the dock still looks a bit too washed though. I think it would be better if the dock looks just like the one in the little photo of it you posted on Mar 29.

[Addies Granddaddy]

GB......aside from the technical standpoint, which others have pointed out, I think it points out the somewhat 'desolate' condition that a once thriving area has come to. Nice statement there.
John

[GB1]

Thanks everyone. swmdrayfan, I mean Addies Granddaddy, this place is very desolate, and with good reason.. I have yet to go there and find a 'nice' area that doesn't stink or look worse than a spotted hyena. Excellent photography source material

Aging and Roger - It's weird because I didn't even realize that the second full posting's dock was different than the snippet I posted. I don't know how that happened, for I masked off the dock before I did any PPing... I must have changed the snippet before posting (I'm scatterbrained lately.. ). I will try again soon.

Thks too, Greg

gb