Grand Cayman Tranquility

[Andy Ilachinski]

Captured in front of our hotel in Grand Cayman during a trip my wife and I took there in 2009.

[wolfnowl]

Simple. Clean.  I like it!

Mike.

[shaunw]

The negative space top of frame isn't working for me, negative space has to fulfil a active role in the sense that it has to further enhance the main focal aspect of frame, it just misses here....however, you have a superb mono square if that's your thing? Personally I think it would work as a lot better.

Shaun

[francois]

I like it too but like Shaun, I'm a bit bothered by the upper part of the image. After a while, I seem to see two images, the lower part (rocks and sands) is very smooth and the upper part too light.

[Tony Jay]

The negative space top of frame isn't working for me, negative space has to fulfil a active role in the sense that it has to further enhance the main focal aspect of frame, it just misses here....however, you have a superb mono square if that's your thing? Personally I think it would work as a lot better.

Shaun may have a point.

Tony Jay

[Andy Ilachinski]

The negative space top of frame isn't working for me, negative space has to fulfil a active role in the sense that it has to further enhance the main focal aspect of frame, it just misses here....however, you have a superb mono square if that's your thing? Personally I think it would work as a lot better.

Shaun

I take your point, and - in fact - have two versions, though this one has always kept my eye longer. For me, the presence of the "empty" upper part
serves to continually draw the attention away from the rocks, which you simultaneously want to get back to as the main part of the image. The slow oscillation from top to bottom to top again mimics the gentle rhythm of the quiet surf, which was really the point of the capture (a long exposure at dusk, with the boundary between "water" and sand essentially invisible.

[churly]

I've looked at this a couple of times and have to agree with Andy.  The negatve space produces the dynamics.  IMO a square would be static.

[davidh202]

Actually both Andy and Shaun bring very good points to the table.

I propose a compromise between the two with a 4/3 crop,  taking off  a smidge from the bottom, dropping the rocks down,  and the rest off the top to eliminate what I also see as somewhat superfluous surf at the top.  Could also use a touch more contrast . ;-)

David