The Jetty, Marina Del Rey, CA

[DrRoebuck]

What y'all think?

[Greg McCary]

Works for me, the colors, composition, detail in the Jetty, placement of the horizon and the small ripples in the water all make for a nice image.

[DrRoebuck]

Works for me, the colors, composition, detail in the Jetty, placement of the horizon and the small ripples in the water all make for a nice image.

Thanks a lot, Greg!

[jgredline]

I like it..I love the pp work done here especially with the sky..I love the way it reflects of the water..I think the only thing I would have done is maybe crop a tick off the bottom to give it that wider landscape look, but that is more nit picking than anything else...Nice photo..

[AgingEyes]

I think there's too much empty water at the bottom. I wonder whether showing more sky and clouds instead would make a better image. I think a bit more details in the sky may also help.

[MB1]

I like it..I love the pp work done here especially with the sky..I love the way it reflects of the water..I think the only thing I would have done is maybe crop a tick off the bottom to give it that wider landscape look, but that is more nit picking than anything else...Nice photo..

I think a crop almost to the bottom of the jetty on the right of the frame would make this pic outstanding.

[DrRoebuck]

I think a crop almost to the bottom of the jetty on the right of the frame would make this pic outstanding.

If you get a minute, maybe you can post an example.

[spiraleyes]

Very good subject and composition on this picture. Like the others, I would crop a touch off the bottom. If the horizon line were set exactly 1/3 from the top, this photograph would be a textbook example. Good work!

[DrRoebuck]

Something like this? MB, you think I should crop more off the bottom?

These aspect ratios FREAK ME OUT!

[MB1]

Something like this? MB, you think I should crop more off the bottom?

These aspect ratios FREAK ME OUT!

Start with your original image;

What is great is the fantastic sunset in the sky and the strong diagonals of the jetty.

What isn't so great is the almost empty foreground. There is just enough detail to have something to look at but that detail is boring.

If there were less detail in foreground (as in almost none) then it would be a space holder and a framing element for the strong sky and diagonals. As it is the foreground IMO is just wasted frame space.

What to do;

You could darken the foreground to remove most of the wavelet detail and have a fairly conventional image of jetties and sunset with the foreground as a framing element. (Better But Boring).

Or you could go for a big impact and crop the foreground even more than you did in your second image. Crop from the bottom right up to the jetty where it meets the right edge of the frame (don't leave any water touching the right edge of the frame). You would end up with a very strong graphic and colorful image of jetties at sunset. (Exciting!!!).

MB1
Mr. Excitement

[gahspidy]

I happen to like the shot as it is, but, I do agree that a stronger visual could be had by cropping from the bottom to the jetty in panoramic fashion as MB1 suggested.
What I like here about the original is the many different layers all offering something to add to the sum of this image. The pastel-like soft colorful texture of the sky, the strong line of the well placed horizon, the soft layer of water reflecting the colors in the sky, then the diagonal jetty reaching out into the horizon, and finally the controversial but pleasing nonetheless large area of water also refecting the colors in the sky as well as offering some subtle texture and mood.This original version allows one to look through the image and feel the mood and appreciate the moment in time.The large amount of water in the fg brings this about, I feel. Now, having said that, I do agree that cropping from the bottom does bring out a stronger initial visual impact. Either way you go, I think you have a fine shot.

[DrRoebuck]

Gary: Thanks a lot for the stellar review and kind words (and for making this a Sticky!).

MB: Here's a version cropped super tight. I could see this working in some instances, but I'm not crazy about it. It seems a bit stifled and less moody. As you know I struggle with extreme crops; I think part of the reason is that when I see images cropped this dramatically the crop becomes my focal point. Among other things, I always wonder what the photographer is trying to hide.

[jgredline]

Dr
I for one love the cropped photo.
The way it is now, it leads us right to that awesome sky and now I am noticing the mountains to the right...I like it.:thumbsup:

[MB1]

...MB: Here's a version cropped super tight. ....

Nice.

Trust me, I know my sunsets (and sunrises) with man made structures in them.

And as jgredline noted, now the Santa Monica Mountains start to stand out too.

I likee!

[AgingEyes]

Exactly what I had in mind as far as the bottom part of the photo goes. The horizon is now close to the middle between the top and the bottom. And I still prefer a shot with more details in the sky and on the left above the horizon though. OK, may be I'm asking too much

[Greg McCary]

Sweet and congrats. Well done with the suggestion on the crop MB. You are very good in that area.

[gahspidy]

Seeing this image on the top of the page as a thumbnail lets me see how it would appear on a wall as I'm viewing it from a distance and I think this original crop is the way to go. It really looks strong.

[DrRoebuck]

Seeing this image on the top of the page as a thumbnail lets me see how it would appear on a wall as I'm viewing it from a distance and I think this original crop is the way to go. It really looks strong.

Thanks. I think you can tell from this thread and other posts of mine that I can be pretty indecisive about cropping. I think the three different crops I've posted of this photo all have their merits. The plus side is I have a lot of flexibility as far as using this picture for different applications.