Redhead Beach Panorama

[radar]

Hi,

here is a pano that I have been sitting on for a while.


Click on the image for a larger version

When I initially took it, I was never happy with the stitching I was getting from PTGui or Photomerge in PS. PTGui gave me a nice panorama but the stitching in the waves wasn't great. Photomerge in Photoshop gave me a good one with the waves but the sky wasn't quite right. In the end, I ended up using PTGui for the stitching and then taking the blended and layered file to Photoshop to adjust the waves and some cropping. Nik Software's Vivenza was then used to lighten up the cliff on the left and get the colours back in the sky. In the end I was happy with the result and got it printed big on canvas. That way the stitching problems in the waves show less.

Image details:

Nikon D700
Nikkor 28mm PC-E
f/11 or f/16, can't remember and being a manual lens, it does show in the original exif
10 sec exposures
ISO 100 (on D700 that is more an approximation)
Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter, set to mid-strength from memory, in attempt to blur water.
10 vertical images
cropped to 3:1 for a "classic" pano look.

Comments welcome,

cheers,

André

[craig.rohse]

Very nice pano, looks like a very nice location.
Only thing I would change is to crop just a litlle more off the sky (just a touch to much blue for my taste).

[norwest]

Nice composition. Maybe a touch of sharpening and the lower left sand and water front highlights toned down a little?

[radar]

Craig, maybe a bit too much sky, point taken.

norwest, the lower left is actually quite sharp when looking at the full res photo. There is some sea spay in front of the rocks and cliff, so that probably would affect the perceived sharpness. As for the highlights, went back to the original and there really is just a very tiny bit that is blown. I think the web conversion makes it look a bit brighter then what the original is. My web presentation is something I do need to work on. BTW, something I forgot to mention originally, the stitched file works out to be about 10000 x 3400.

thanks for the comments, much appreciated,

André

[biggerry]

crop just a litlle more off the sky

I agree here, maybe a bit on the right side too, mainly just to prevent the eye from wandering off up that little beach (it has a nice leading line there)

I agree with the highlights, however as mentioned web presentation can often lose some detail in this area..the left side looks a bit saturated also, maybe toen that down a fraction?

It does look like a very nice location, where is it? hey, it looks alot like your avatar..

All that said, it is one very nice image

[radar]

here is take two. I've cropped some off the top, a bit on the bottom and a bit of the cliff and the beach at far right. I've also taken some of the saturation down. See what you think. Click on the image for a larger version.



Gerry, very similar to my avatar , as to where it is, see here.

thanks for the comments,

André

[ozimax]

Very nice Andre, very nice, I like highly saturated images and this is a good one. Are you going to print it wide and hang it?

[biggerry]

André, that second crop is more appealing to me now! in terms of the saturation, I would go about half way between the the first and second versions!

[radar]

Thanks ozimax,

Very nice Andre, very nice, I like highly saturated images and this is a good one. Are you going to print it wide and hang it?

To be printed 1500mm x 500mm on canvas I'll just have to clear one of our walls for it.

Gerry, yep, I agree now too, pulled the saturation back a bit too much.

cheers,

André

[Willy wombat]

Beautiful pastel colours

[aim54x]

Andre, it looks beautiful, I do prefer the 2nd crop but as Gerry has said, the saturation is a bit low now.

Would love to see this printed!

[biggerry]

To be printed 1500mm x 500mm on canvas

Would love to see this printed!

well I hear there is this Exhibition soon...

[surenj]

I prefer the super saturated version but I am sucker for colors.

This location looks close to where I am....perhaps a visit at sometime.....

[radar]

I prefer the super saturated version but I am sucker for colors.

This location looks close to where I am....perhaps a visit at sometime.....

Didn't realise you had moved up in this beautiful part of the world. Let me know when you are coming this way.

[zafra52]

I quite like the simplicity and the pastel colours so vivid in it.
I find panos are not that easy to make for often the colour of
the sky does not match up evenly. But I like yours. Beware of
oversharpmening though.

[radar]

I quite like the simplicity and the pastel colours so vivid in it.
I find panos are not that easy to make for often the colour of
the sky does not match up evenly. But I like yours. Beware of
oversharpmening though.

Actually, hardly any sharpening applied. Just a bit on the raw processing and after that, I didn't apply any sharpening. However, the downsize for web could have introduced some artefacts.

thanks for your comments,

cheers,
André

[zafra52]

Sorry Andre. I should have been more clear.
My comment on sharpening was directed to
a suggestion above I did not mean to say
you have overdone the sharpening tool.

[stubbsy]

André

Regardless of the crop this is a wonderful, subtle panorama. My leaning is towards the first take for it's better colour, but either way it's a great image.

[Matt. K]

NITPICKING! NITPICKING! NITPICKING!
First posted image is perfect! The sense of space....of serenity....tranquillity...sky and sand in perfect balance, (visual balance)....and the fantasy, otherworld colours......masterful! Don't fiddle with it and always trust your gut feeling. It's your vision.