This past Friday I took a 10-mile kayak trip down the Combahee River in South Carolina, which is a tidal blackwater river with lots of alligators and birds and cypress trees and spanish moss. Here are some of the photos I ended up with; as always, criticism is welcome. The water was very, very dark, which resulted in really amazing reflections, especially in the early morning before the breeze started to ripple it.

I wish the sky wasn't so washed out in the first one, because I really like the photo otherwise.








This is an old church on one of SC's coastal islands, which burned in 1886. I wish I had gotten more contrast, especially with the arches.



Chris

 

I really like #3.


Earl

 

:smile: Thanks for sharing the pix, Chris! I like them....you caught the atmosphere of the Spanish moss-dripping cypresses so well...and got some great reflections!


Clover

 

yes, look at that third pic! lovely!

 

That third picture is cool! It's like something out of a horror/thriller movie. I'm expecting Swamp Thing to come charging out of there or something...

 

Thanks, I think that third one is my favorite, too! :smile:

 

I like the last one. The way the moss on the trees almost blends into the streaks on the wall has a very interestingt visual effect.

 

Chris,
I like your first pic also, so that's the one my comments are directed to.

The most likely reason the sky is washed out is due to camera metering. Most digicams nowadays tend to read the light hitting the sensor from something like 256 areas in the frame and then try to find an average light reading. That is, when you pointed your camera to take the pic, most likely it took a light reading of an area towards the center of what you saw- the trees- and ignored the sky, because it's a solid area that probably only counted as one out of those 256. (compare it to all the variations in the trees and their reflections.) Thus, the sky gets washed out 'cause the camera wants to make sure the details in the trees are there.

Try this little experiment tomorrow . . .
Go outside with digital (yeah, I noticed you're using a Lumix with that awesome Leica glass). Set your ISO to 80.
You're gonna take pics of whatever is out your yard. (bear with me.)
Through your viewfinder, or screen, point your camera so that the brightest area is in the middle of the frame. Press your shutter halfway as though you're getting ready to take a pic. Hold the button when camera is ready but don't snap the pic yet. Now frame the pic so that what you really wanted to take a picture of is in sight. Snap.
Look at your pic. Did that bright area get all washed out? It shouldn't.

This is a quickie on exposure. Whatever you wanted to take a pic of in that experiment is probably out of focus but you can see the effects of metering.
Now you need to experiment further. Go Manual mode. (you know, that dial with all those letters, including the all-important "M" next to your right hand. Use the same principle above. If you meter for the highlights, you'll at least have the info on the file. Using your image editor you can then adjust the shadows, etc.
If you find that your losing too much details in the darker areas, then adjust. (point camera to a semi-bright area)

Back to your first pic . . . I would've exposed for the sky. You'll lose details in the foilage but hey, you indicated it was early morning. Not much is clearly visible "early in the morning." Let that morning sky show its colors.

Additionally, I would've moved myself to a place where those kayaks are angled towards the northeast horizon- where the river seems to be flowing. (kinda telling the story of where they're headed.) I think those kayaks are important to the pic. They add color. (You might even have considered picking up the yellow one and placing it between the blue ones. )

In my opinion, your first pic best illustrates your adventure 'cause of those kayaks. It tells the story that y'all were there. (that "human touch" we all seem to attract to)

I hope I made sense and that this helps.

-j

 

blacknblue -

Thanks so much! I really appreciate your lengthy and thoughtful insight. I have been unforgiveably lazy thus far in learning to use my new camera (I'd love to know how you knew it was a Lumix!), and your pointers have given me a great place to start. I took photography classes back in high school (and loved it), but it's been a long time since I've actually composed a shot beyond pointing and clicking. I'll try what you suggested tomorrow.

As far as that first photo goes, that was taken as I desperately tried to stand still while being bitten by about 25 mosquitoes simultaneously, so I was lucky to get that one shot before succumbing to them and putting the camera away. I definitely wish I'd taken a few shots from different perspectives.

I spent Sunday in Savannah and took about 100 photos, the majority of which turned out unsatisfactorily, so I definitely need to get my act together with this, since I am planning the trip of a lifetime for January (Kilimanjaro!) and will never forgive myself if I end up with subpar photos.

Thanks again for the help. I'll report back once I try what you suggested!

Chris

 

I just got some great news - photo #3 above (with the reflected cypresses and moss) is going to be featured in the annual Beaufort County, South Carolina tourism calendar! My mother submitted it without telling me, and I just got the news this morning. The woman who called said that they had hundreds to pick from, so this is very flattering. I can't wait to get my copy!

blacknblue - I had completely forgotten about the advice that you offered until I dug up this thread. This time I'll definitely try that out. :smile:

 

congrats Chris!

 

Hey Chris,
Congratulations.
I bet your mom must be proud, as are you!

-Juan

 

Chris - fantastic photos - wow! And congrats on getting one in print - awesome!!!

Donna