Seascape from Alesund

[berbig]

[attachment=5027:attachment]I have struggled with this picture in Photoshop. I think it is getting better, but is it good? Suggestions?

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I'm too emotionally involved with the Ålesund area to be objective. This brings back vivid memories of riding along on my Uncle Jon's fishing boat when I was a kid, in 1952. The seas were a bit calmer that day.

On my (calibrated) monitor, I could wish to see a bit better into the shadow areas. Perhaps you can lighten it up just a little in the shadows (maybe with the Highlight/Shadow tool), but not enough to destroy the mood.

Eric

[Provokot]

I think you've done well! I love the yellow steel bollard and wish it were more of a feature - it works beautifully with the sky and that steely sea.

Regards

Paul

[wolfnowl]

Well, since everyone gets to have an opinion... for me the dock and the ship seem like two different photographs and my eye goes back and forth from each trying to decide which to focus on.  If it were me I'd crop off the dock at the bottom and make it into more of a panorama. YMMV.

Mike.

[Peter McLennan]

It's perfect.  Step away from the monitor.  

I love the way the ship's lights pop.
The water's lovely.  Great contrast.

The only thing I'm unsure of is the open sky patch in the upper left.  I might try darkening it a little.

Otherwise, very, very nice.

[berbig]

I will consider the suggestions carefully. Thank you for helping  

[MikeMike]

Well, since everyone gets to have an opinion... for me the dock and the ship seem like two different photographs and my eye goes back and forth from each trying to decide which to focus on.  If it were me I'd crop off the dock at the bottom and make it into more of a panorama. YMMV.

Mike.
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[attachment=5136:attachment]
I have to agree. Not better or worse, but with the crop I find it more.. airy?  

Michael

[MikeMike]

Then again the steel makes it a very unique photo, opposed to the common sea scape

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

My preference is to leave the foreground in and not crop. The edge of the pier frames the pimage on the bottom nicely.

As for what else to do, while in Ålesund, you should climb to the top of Sukkertoppen (the big hill over on Skarbøvik), where you get spectacular views in all directions (especially looking toward Aksla in the town).  

[Staples]

I suggest that you forget 'tweaking problems in PhotoShop' and concentrate on the composition and its merits - or lack of same.  It's a very pleasant and dramatic photograph as is.  Cropping off the pier would create half sky and half water with the horizon in the centre - not really a better composition in my view.  However the sky is a more dramatic element than the water and thus a photograph taken with more sky (2/3 of the photo say) and perhaps a bit less water (1/3) (and no pier) would probably have been a more effective seascape.
Len Staples

[hs0zfe]

Could you please post the raw original photo as well, please?

It looks a bit too dark - some more light might enhance the contrast and mood without making it less dramatic. Keep playing around!