Moon over Marsh

[gahspidy]

This is a marsh at the Marine Park Nature Preserve that I like to come to for a bit of santuary from the hectic boro. Nina and I usually come here for some quiet time and good photo ops.
This was taken with Kodak UC 400 and double exposure.
What do you think?

[jar_e]

Gary,

Amazing. Just stunned. The refelection is amazing and everything just works.

Great shot,

Jared

[Dzerzhinski46]

Dear Gary,

What do I think?!? I love the mist in this one. The whole fog and mist in the picture, plus the moon(?). Really, the mist makes this one. The rest is just a backdrop, the silhouette effect is well done. You said multiple exposure, and it would be nice to know what you did. I think it would add to the enjoyment. As with all your pictures, there is a wonderfully high degree of technical excellence present. Great capture. Reminds me of the fog back home...

Drew

[mdmc]

Gary,
Critique s##t! That's way ott! It looks more like a painting than a photo!
Ok, I've calmed down. I love the play of light and shadow in the sky and on the water. The well lit shrub adds something to it.
This works just great as it is, but I would like to see just a little more light on the fg plants.
Something in the water, even a very small boat would be cool, And it would be nice to see something like this in landscape format.
Still, its a jaw dropper!
Gary, You got "IT" whatever "IT" is!
Keep working and keep 'em coming,
Mark

[Knight]

Superb Capture well done Cant wait to get my new monitor back to realy enjoy the color of this one . Again good capture.

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Gary,
The shot has a very peaceful feeling. The warm colour is very soothing. Well done.
yoyo

[Chunk]

Terrific composite, Gary. As mentioned, the colors of the city lights in the clouds really make this a wonderful picture. I think the lighting of the shrubs is just about right. Once I start looking I'm bothered by something though and finally realize that the moon's not in the right place in the reflection. For it to work all the way I think you'd have to tone down the moon's natural reflection at the shoreline and put one in the right place in the reflected cloudscape. Do you have a non-double of the scene? With those great clouds and the bright reflection at the shoreline, I'm not sure you need the moon in the frame.
Beautiful work.

[PlantedTao]

Nicely done and great composite.
You have created a very surreal enviroment that is very pleasing to the eye. I did't notice what Chunk was talking about, only after reading his post did something seem a bit off, but it does not bother me.
You did a great job on this photo and I really like how this is not a typical "gasphidy" photo, but still has that surreal quality that most of your photos are infused with.
The only thing that bothers me a tad bit is the green leaves in the lower left corner...occasionaly my attention is grabbed by them.
Great photo.
Cheers.

[Chunk]

I just noticed that if you try to ignore the moon and kinda squint to blur everything there is an ephemeral glowing woman's face in the cloudscape. Is that an intentional addition? It reminds me of Nat's selfportrait in a way. I may have gotten my breakfast juice out of the wrong bottle of V-8 this morning and it's the bloody mary helping me see things.

[gahspidy]

Jared . . . Thanks for looking, as always, and for your thoughts. I'm glad you feel this is working as it is.

Drew . . . the clouds in the sky and their reflection in the water are soft focused due to the long exposures and mostly adding to the misty feel of this. Also, by "double exposure" I mean that I shot two scenes on one frame of the film. First, I captured the moon with a 70mm and placed it up in the frame where I wanted it to be, and then I shot the landcsape portion without the moon at about 28 mm. This will also add to the misty feel as some ghosting of the clouds in the first frame are present in the second exposure, looking like mist. Aside from some minor editing, this is how the negative looks. Thanks for your time to look and comment.

Mark . . .lol thanks, I appreciate your enthusiasm! Glad you feel it looks like a painting. I always wished I had the natural ability to paint, as mom did, but I'll settle for this. I do have another scene from this night of a man in a boat fishing on the marsh in a landscape format and will post it for feedback. Thanks for looking and commenting

Knight . . .that monitor should be coming soon huh, as I remember you had sent it out a few weeks ago? The viewsonic. Thanks for the response

Yoyo. . . I appreciate the time to look. thanks

Chunk . . .As always, you never fail to find the "flaw" Yes, the moon is a bit low in the sky for it's reflection to be there, but I was hoping it would not matter as it does not appear to be a "real" place anyway. . more of a fantasy surreal environment. I guess technically this would be considered a composite as it was a double exposure, but this is exactly how the original negative looks. Thanks for your input, always appreciated.

PlantedTao. . . thanks for that feedback. "not a typical gahspidy photo, but still has the surreal feel infused". Thas very pleasing to hear. I agree with you about the green leaves in the foreground and will most likely desaturate them. thanks again

[gahspidy]

I just noticed that if you try to ignore the moon and kinda squint to blur everything there is an ephemeral glowing woman's face in the cloudscape. Is that an intentional addition? It reminds me of Nat's selfportrait in a way. I may have gotten my breakfast juice out of the wrong bottle of V-8 this morning and it's the bloody mary helping me see things.

No intent there Chunk. But I too see it now that you brought it up This image may work better with a few more Bloody Marys :

[mdmc]

The only thing that bothers me a tad bit is the green leaves in the lower left corner...occasionaly my attention is grabbed by them.


Gary,
I was thinking the opposite of P.T. and think a little light and color on the fg reeds/shrubs on the right and in the centre might be good. Oh well prbably not possible on this one.
You're work seems to get better with every post,
Mark.

[Chunk]

Chunk . . .As always, you never fail to find the "flaw" Yes, the moon is a bit low in the sky for it's reflection to be there, but I was hoping it would not matter as it does not appear to be a "real" place anyway. . more of a fantasy surreal environment. I guess technically this would be considered a composite as it was a double exposure, but this is exactly how the original negative looks. Thanks for your input, always appreciated.

Again my communication skills fall short. I understood that you had composed the shot in camera and didn't mean to imply otherwise. I, who shoots mostly from the hip, am again in awe of your previsualization skills and ability to record the shot you've created first in your mind.

The imp in me wants to find a marble carving of a Greek goddess to capture a portrait of it lit like that imaginary face in the clouds (must be Selene herself) and then flip it vertically and put it on a nearly transparent layer over the reflection, trying to get it to be just a little more real than the imagined face.

[OldSchool]

Gary,
That is some very nice work!

Just curious, did you use a double exposure -- one for the sky and the other for land -- blend in PS?

Cheers,
Tim

[Knight]

Gary i did get my monitor back from repairs but it was all pink on the right side so they told me to send it back in exchange for a new one that i have not received yet (gonna have to call them tomorrow)

[Nina]

Gary, this does look like a painting. I love it !

[Seb]

This is a marsh at the Marine Park Nature Preserve that I like to come to for a bit of santuary from the hectic boro. Nina and I usually come here for some quiet time and good photo ops.
This was taken with Kodak UC 400 and double exposure.
What do you think?

Gary, these are spooky, intriguing and (relatively) strange in a totally good way. I love the mood that you created here. I must agree with people comments on the leaf but that is the only flaw as I see it.

Seb

[gahspidy]

Thanks again Mark. Chunk, I see this in a new way now that you have revealed the face to me. If I'm correct, she is in the white glow around the moon with the moon being near or on her forehead? I think I can make out her reflection in the water as well. . which would put the moon pretty much near the correct spot ;)
Nina, Seb. . .thanks for your comments. Seb, that was the full moon I had mentioned to you on Saturday Nina, since I can't paint as well as i would like, thios will have to do

Tim . . .The double exposure was on the same frame of the film, no blending in PS. This is the way the negative looks. Thanks for your time