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My first pics from the Stockton Sand dunes trip attended by birddog & family, hlop & family, pippin88, radar, ben and myself. A few abstract shots to start with. Click a pic for larger versions. More to come.

50/1.4 @ f16, 1/400 sec


50/1.4 @ f6.3, 1/400 sec


24-120VR @ 120mm, f22, 1/100 sec - experimenting with DOF


24-120VR @ 120mm, f16, 1/160 sec - experimenting with DOF


50/1.4 @ f13, 1/125 sec -alternate take on #2 - couldn't decide which was better

Some great pics there Stubbsy... I particularly like #1 & #3 the best...

Hope you all had a great time up there again... It looks like a very special place...

Next time - I promise...

Dammit I wish I'd been there.

Peter, really like #1. If there was slightly more contrast I think it would be even better. Perhaps have a little play with some curves on it?

#2 is the pick of the two corrugated iron? shots.

The depth of field on #3 is great too.

Nice shots, looks like you had another great time.

Peter were you using the SB800 on some of the closeups, i can identify some shinny sparkles even though it looks like a overcast day

I like the 1st image because you have sucessfully shown distance with the use of the footprints, making the viewer feel like they are right in the scene.

2nd image is nice because of the juxtaposition of the yellow sand cut off by the blue corrugated metal sheet, producing nice and sweet contrast. Less is more in this case.

I like the DOF experimentation too

Really like #3 and #1 Peter. Good eye, nice captures.
marco

2 and 5 are my picks. Both of them are good and there is no need to cut any of them. Well done

Regards,

K.Polak

Thanks all for your comments. The footprints in the first shot are pippin88's (thanks Nick) who decided to walk waaaaay up into the dunes to take some pics.

John
Prising you Sydneysiders out of Sydney is a challenge. I might hold you to your promise!

Matt
You are right about #1 (which is my favourite out of the 567 shots I took) - I went back, changed the profile from adobe to sRGB and adjusted curves. Revised version is below

Wendell
No flash was harmed in the making of these images - just used that big ol' SB800 in the sky

Revised version of first pic:


Cheers

My counting skills are crazy. I meant #5 and #1 are my picks. Bright sand must have blinded me!
marco

Yeah, i like the adjusted one more Peter. Sam likes it too. Nice work mate.

rokkstar wrote:Yeah, i like the adjusted one more Peter. Sam likes it too. Nice work mate.

Sorry! Sam & you missed out the funs! Try to tag along the third one at the October Long WE.

True #1 contrast adjustment is better.
marco

Great pics, Peter. Alex

Peter really like the touched up #1 but for me #2 is the favourite great work.
Doug

Stubbsy,

Great shot there with the sand, I tried cropping the sky out completly and a curve to lower the light, have a try and see what you think.
I didn't want to do it, I hate it when I do it and post someone's creation.

Have you got the sand out of your cracks yet
Wherever your cracks may well be ?

Mic.

Very nice, Peter. Your revision of the 1st shot is my fav. Very cool.

Peter,
It is beautiful.
Is it a beach near Anna Bay?
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Regards
Poon

Very nice Peter. I like the revised #1 shot. Have you tried cropping to portrait?

Stubbsy,

Number 5 is special for me. Great shot with a wonderful gentle tonality - geometrically it could possibly benefit from a slightly more panoramic crop, taking some of the blue painted iron out.

I'll fly in the face of general belief and say that I prefer the original version of #1. The glow of the computer screen can be a wily seductress it seems and all too often shots are made too contrasty in order to apease the siren call of the medium leading to the context of the shot itself being compromised, if not sacrificed.

Cheers,

Great photos, Peter. I want to go back and settle down in Tin City I'm already tired of Sydney

Hlop wrote:Great photos, Peter. I want to go back and settle down in Tin City I'm already tired of Sydney

You still have many chances there Hilop!
I knew the guy, who I talked on Saturday at the Tin City and he's happy to host us in this coming summer for early morning shoot or late of the day shooting, but again prior to do this you have to make sure your car is capable in doing full 4WD mode.

Great shots Peter,

#5 is the one I like and #1 next. Great to catch up again,

Cheers,

Radar

Thank you all for the comments.

Poon - the sand dunes run from Anna Bay along the coast south for a few kilometres.

Darryl - I actually took some portrait shots of the same spot, but liked the fact there was a second set of footprints in the top right of the landscape version, I'll dig up the portrait version & post it when I get home tonight.

Sheetshooter - You are correct. I printed out both versions of the sand shot & my first take looks better printed. So far as #5 it is already a slight crop for reasons you touched on. I couldn't decide how panoramically to crop so erred on the side of caution I'll revisit it.