Soft water on hard rock Photo

Photographer’s Note

Hi hope you are not fed up with Ursa’s beach photos…it’s one of my favourite subjects. Wandering in files left behind a couple of months ago, I noticed this shot, questioning myself why it was forgotten…still don’t know why, because I like it a lot.
This beach has unique light qualities, as the sun is sinking in the sea and saturates it’s red cliff’s…wonderful postcard shots can be made here (and I have some). But this is not intended to be a postcard shot. It’s about the secret whispers told by the ever flowing tides to the imperial cliffs, to sculpt them at their own pleasure, and to witness and be part of this beautiful spectacle offered by nature.

The shadows are deeper than some of you might like, but on the other hand you know me, I like to underexpose a bit for drama. In this case helped with the sky and giving personality to the foreground, to avoid burning the wave and giving detailed shadows to the sand patterns.

I just regret not being a bit closer to the rocks, making them leaning over me, for more dramatic composition…but the tide should have been lower…never mind, “I’ll be back”…

jwmunro, picardo, SchwebagMike, chicken, parbo, SamB, luisafonso, peter1892, Henryk_Bilor, GG_Poland, Signal-Womb, mortijo, kunitsa, kunitsa trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

jwmunro (6373) 2006-12-28 11:17

Hello Joao -

This is a lovely image! I like the composition with the remnants of the wave leading to the rock outcrop. The warm evening light really enhances the image. I notice there is no exposure details so I am assuming a relatively fast shutter speed to stop action of the waves. Did you try a slower shutter to get the misty look of the wave action. If not think about it, the technique adds to the image. Well done, excellent image and one to proud off.

Thanks for sharing

P.S. The shadows look fine to me

robsz (741) 2006-12-28 11:20

Great use of the incoming water to create forground interest. I love the frothy water, the exposure time is perfect. Beautiful composition of a magical place. The contrast between the opposite colors of blue and orange is also very nice. Wish I was there :-)

picardo (2298) 2006-12-28 11:22

Hola Joao, la foto se ve excelente!.. me encantan los colores y el contraste que hay en general. Los colores son intensos y variados. La foto esta bien enfocada. Buena composicion.
TFS
Picardo

poulinp (4464) 2006-12-28 11:24

Hi Joao.

Superb light, very sharp, contrast and saturation are perfect (excellent use of the polarizer, not exagerated as we often see on TE). The only small bad point in my opinion is the wave wich is cut a bit on the right. Congratulations for this very nice picture.

GLEM (2998) 2006-12-28 11:26

Bonjour Joao,
magnifique image, la composition est parfaite et les couleurs denses. J'aime beaucoup le rocher qui se dresse face à la mer.

tfs

westernisles (736) 2006-12-28 11:27

Hi,
very nice shot.
Compo and Pov are really good.
Well done.
Christian

SchwebagMike (1490) 2006-12-28 11:47

Hello Joao,
This is a lovely shot. I like your composition, especially also how the water seems to outbalance the nice rocks ... well done! Mike

AthaPan (0) 2006-12-28 11:48

Hi Joao!

Wow, all respects work fine here,
the colours, the portrait format, the sharpness, the mood, the pov!!

Great job
Well done

Sakis

ben-on-net (106) 2006-12-28 11:51

Hi, Fantastic, well done, Ben

chicken (1781) 2006-12-28 12:06

Wonderful image. I like the water moving on the sand and the clouds taking up the movements of the rock formation.

Cormac (26451) 2006-12-28 12:32

Great shot! I like the way the surf cuts across the frame in a diagonal and leads us to the rocks, which themselves are pretty dramatic. Nice light too, and the sky gives some interest there too. All round this is a very impressive shot!

ben4321 (9807) 2006-12-28 12:40

This is superb, Joao.
The evening light has a wonderful warmth and clarity to it, and it's brought out some great colours in the rocks.
I also like how you used the breaking wave to fill the foreground. I'm sure it was diificult to time to perfection, but nontheless I think this would have been even better if that tiny portion of the line of the breaking wave hadn't been cropped by the edge of the frame on the right. A very minor point, but sometimes the smallest thing can have a huge impact on the success or otherwise of an image.
In this case though, I don't think it really matters that much, and if the truth be told it's the one (tiny) fault that I can find with this wonderful image.
I think your choice of shutter speed worked well; just enough movement captured to lend a bit of movment and dynamism to the scene, without the water deteriorating into a blurred mess.
Excellent work Joao, one to be proud of.

Cheers,
Ben

janink (1038) 2006-12-28 13:41

Great picture Rodrigues. Surrealistic rockformation beautiful captured withe the sunsine on the rock and the clouds. Ingrid

dkeus31 (26320) 2006-12-28 13:45

Hello Joao,
Nice composition woth the wave starting in the corner.
Nice light and colors.
Regards
Didier

danos (33016) 2006-12-28 13:53

Hi Joao,
This is the meaning of a superb shot.The contrast between sky,rocks and see water are marvellous.The sharpness fantastic.Excellent work Joao,Greetings from Greece.I wish you a happy new year,Danos

drago (4826) 2006-12-28 14:08

Wow this is a fantastic composition with amazing colours and perfect light!Really great shot Joao!
Happy New Year
Panagiotis

mesutilgim (37148) 2006-12-28 14:47

Hi Joao
Very nice capture.
Pow, light and colors brillant.
Thanks for sharing and
Happy new Year
MESUT ILGIM

parbo (11004) 2006-12-28 17:40

Hello Joao,

Your scene is splendid with incoming wave and leaving water on sands. Of course spectacular rocks and cliffs at background are wonderful with cloudy sky. Congratulations.

I would like to wish you and your family a healthy, happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.

Best Regards,

Ertugrul

SamB (1948) 2006-12-29 0:00

Hello, Joao--
Very nice work on this one, what really caught my eye was the strong diagonal composition, it is incredibly harmonic, with the waves and the clouds and the cliff all agreeing strongly, while the rocks contrast nicely in the middle of it all. The lighting is terrific as well.
Thanks!
sam

DarkoG (2284) 2006-12-29 2:43

Fine, well composed with beautiful colors.
Regards Darko

golden (791) 2006-12-29 3:50

Wonderful photo Joao.
Beautiful composition and colors.
Great POV and sharpness.

Chrysoula.

carod (364) 2006-12-29 15:37

Hello Joao,

J'adore les bords de mer... et votre photo me fait vraiment rêver...:-)

Belle composition et belles couleurs..c'est magnifique.
Bravo !
Caroline !

luisafonso (858) 2006-12-31 7:24

Ah eu conheço este sítio de algum lado! :) Muito bonita João. Que sorte que tiveste em apanhas nuvens na Ursa. Das vezes que lá fui ou estava totalmente encoberto ou azul limpo. Gosto muito da diagonal causada pela agua branca. Feliz ano novo!
PS. Devias catalogar isto em Sintra/Colares e não ter inventado uma nova localidade... É que tu falas que as pessoas já estarão fartas de fotos da Ursa mas depois clicam na tua localidade e só lá têm a tua... Além disso é mais um contributo para o lixo que a BD do TE vai tempo. Sintra-Praia da Ursa não é nenhuma localidade, pois não? :)

jdomingues (583) 2007-01-05 11:14

Pela parte que me toca não me sinto nada 'enfadado' das fotos desta praia, especialmente das boas! Eu adoro a Ursa mas ainda não consegui nada que realente me 'encha as medidas'. Acho que a subexposição não existe, desde que seja assim que era pretendido que a foto ficasse, essa é que é a medida para uma exposição correcta, na minha opinião. Quanto ao enquadramento, realmente um pouco mais de proximidade talvez ajudasse à diagonal causada pelo penhasco e não cortasse a ponta da espuma lá mais ao fundo, ainda assim acho que está muito bem. Parabéns!

João
http://luzesombras.planetaclix.pt

lonelywolf (3635) 2007-01-26 16:58

really nice picture

my friend tries to convince me to visit portugal, maybe one day...

good compo and POV

peter1892 (3201) 2007-01-26 17:02

It's an excellent image - sea, sky & rocks with great light. the colours look good, I like the composition too, well done.

Henryk_Bilor (20367) 2007-01-30 14:05

Hi Joao
Lovely beach. Beautiful composition with these rocks with very nice colours and lighting.
Regards

sebcz (2345) 2007-01-30 14:31

Hi Joao!
Strong lines, well saturated colours, perfect composition, definition and details - superb. Well, a success!
Seb

derek3755 (2341) 2007-02-23 7:33

Hi Joao

I like this image very much, theres a lovely quality of light and a nice composition.

Derek

GG_Poland (722) 2007-02-27 12:01

hi Joao

I have never enough photos of portuguese coast. I like the perspective and depth you achieved here. Colours and light great as ever. This place has infinited potential and hope I will see a lot more from here on your photographs.

greetings
Grzegorz

PS I want to ask a question about Canon 10-22. I'm considering changing a system for canon because this lens is the best superwide for not full frame in my opinion based on hundreds of tests and reviews but I also like to ask some users. How about vigneting with cpl? have you ever use some other filters like cokin on lee system? I'm used to nd grad filters and will need lee system for wide angles I suppose. I will be glad for your every opinion on that lens.

capthaddock (28640) 2007-03-11 21:53

What an awesome landscape, nature's work is impressive enough, this light maks it even more attractive, this is fantastic.

patriik (1853) 2007-03-12 15:53 [Comment]

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Signal-Womb (11753) 2007-03-26 15:32

Hi Joao, I appreciate this composition with this foreground which gives a good depth to the landscape. Good speed on the surf. Very nice work..

euryan (8351) 2007-05-15 11:27

Wonderful composition Joao,
Luis just took me to this beach a few days ago. Remarkable place. I really like this angle of yours with the water leading us towards the cliffs. The clouds are perfect. Lucky ;) I like the size of the rocks. Any closer and you probably wouldn't have fit the clouds in the photo so nicely. Exposure is perfect. Great photo.
Regards,
Ryan

elBud (2211) 2008-01-02 21:33 [Comment]

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Bruno40 (6442) 2008-01-02 23:00

Beautiful picture Joao, very well composed and with great colours and clarity.
well done
TFS
Jorge

kunitsa (187) 2009-10-24 11:16

Joao, wow! I love how you showed the softness of the waves vs. the edgy rocks! Amazing light and superb compo!