Against the sun, a photo from Shan, North

Photographer's Note

I am posting something a bit different today - mainly to invite critiques or suggestions on what could be done with this photograph. This was taken on Lake Inle where there are a number of small Buddhist shrines in the water for fishermen to make offerings. The shrines are placed on top of concrete posts that are just above the highest water level (about 14 ft). On the day I took this, the water level was about 11 ft (there are markings on the concrete post that indicate the water level) and as I circled around the shrine in a small boat, I took shots in all directions. The ones that I took with the sun behind me were nicely exposed but really not all that interesting, but this one which was shot directly into the sun looked quite dramatic – but I am not sure what post processing, if any, I ought to do with it. Any ideas? Workshops welcomed!

This was scanned from a 35mm negative, filtered with Neat Image to remove noise (the negative is five years old and has deteriorated a bit), cropped and USM applied. Apart from that I have done no PP on this.

The photograph may look crooked, but in fact is not. The concrete column on which the shrine is sitting is perfectly vertical, but the position of the shoreline and the converging diagonals in the lake and the sky create an optical illusion that the photograph is crooked.

Albrecht, ballyna, oochappan, capthaddock, cpolus, quillo heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

milosz (194) 2005-09-01 9:50

just great

Matiash (128) 2005-09-01 9:52

Wouaw !

Extra shot, absolutely breathtaking ! The colours are superb, the perspective is good, well done !

dojac (95) 2005-09-01 10:03

Superbe PDV.
Le placement du soleil est très bon, les nuages sont superbes.
Les couleurs sont magnifiques.
Bravo David, merci de partager cette photo.
A+, Dominic

shayes (499) 2005-09-01 10:05

This picture is absolutely stunning David! The sky seems just as fluid as the water!

I've seen that several photographers have used Neat Image on their pictures. Is this an element of photoshop? Could you please send me a message to tell me how to use it? Thanks! :)

Cormac (26565) 2005-09-01 11:26

This is great David! You're right that it is dramatic, shooting towards the sun usually is because of the extreme contrast of light and dark. Works great in this case. As for suggestions - in processing you usually have to just go with the contrasty look, and maybe try to increase the colour saturation as it can get washed out in this type of shot. Other suggestions for shooting this - maybe a view with the sun at the side, it still gives dramatic shadows, but it also shows some detail in the main subject instead of a silhoette. Also, you could have tried including more of the reflection off the water, which looks pretty interesting. On the other hand, it's so beautiful as shot, why change it?

Albrecht (11283) 2005-09-01 13:35

Hi David
Wonderful compo with great colours and silhouet. Marvellous sky. Well captured.
Take care, -Albrecht-

kensimage (8563) 2005-09-01 13:40

David, I think it's quite dramatic as it is, thanks to the perfect exposure. Nice framing, too, with the shrine central enough to command attention, yet not overly symmetric.

You certainly do get around! Is most of your travel work-related?

Regards, Ken.

gaby (19819) 2005-09-01 16:20

Hi David - great - splendid saturated colors and wonderful light - Fantastic (only the horizon is not very straight) -
well done -
Thanks
Gaby

klyee75 (778) 2005-09-01 23:05

Hi David,
I really like this one. The sky is wonderful it's extremely outstanding after you have apply the PL. It's captured my attention at first sight. Very good shot.

danielswalsh (13597) 2005-09-06 11:09

Wow!

What a great shot David! The sky is nothing short of magnificent. The sharpness is great and the colors rich...
I was going to comment that the horizon was not correct, but looking at the shrine (and reading your note) I have to wonder if the structure is not some-what crooked? hahah...
Regardless David, a wonderfull capture! This one is going into my fav's!

- Dan

santhosh_ermal (122) 2005-09-18 19:07

hooooooo..I'm getting mad by seeying this amazing photography...how did you took that?
(Of course it is a question as, I'm today born child to the photographic world :)) ..)

superb...no other word...

great work.....
guide me..

santhosh

thebig_d81 (777) 2005-10-07 9:23

Great use of the back light. Works well as a silhoette. Great POV in the with the water covering the foreground.
Well done
Darren

ballyna (1689) 2005-10-11 8:53

hi david,
this is very eyecatching one,indeed I learned somethings new from your notes.this is just the post for TE,congrats.the colors are very nice,clouds hand in hand,and the silhouette works much for me.u should be on another boat and it should have been hard for you to achieve this sharpness.
regards

oochappan (4880) 2005-10-11 18:07

Hi David
when I saw this one, I couldn't resist, what an impressive sky you got there, very deep blue with the contrasting clouds well textured in a special formation, and perfect this counterlighted nice architectural shrine in the waving sea, an outstanding shot indeed.

capthaddock (28790) 2005-10-18 20:22

HI David - this is one part of Burma I never visited, but I must say this is one of the best , if not the best shot from Inle lake I've ever seen.

TomteTim (434) 2005-11-15 11:44

Hi David,
a perfect shot against the sun ! I like the details of the shrine and the lovely sky. Very well done !
Cheers,
Bernd

shal (944) 2005-11-17 7:28

Hey David,
awesome shot great silhouette,
lovely POV and colour saturation,
good work,
TFS,
Shal

cpolus (187) 2006-01-21 5:44

Brave shot against the sun. Nevertheless the blue sky and water have strong colors. The silhouette makes it interesting. A good shot overall.

elmec (12210) 2006-02-16 13:25

Hello David!
Wonderful composition!
I like the sky and the composition!
You good hide the sun after the roof!
Nice work!
Greetings!

quillo (11858) 2006-10-16 18:49

Precious image, with a good control of the light and the color.

Congratulations David friend.

A greeting.

sergio1 (12152) 2006-10-25 7:53

Hi David

Lovely shot and great compo. I like the silhouettes effect and contrast with a beautiful sky. The textures to the water is perfecto too. Magnific pov and compo.
Well done
Sergio

placombe (7715) 2008-04-28 11:35

Hi David
Superbly composed image having the shrine hiding the sun creating superb silhouette and contrast against the dark blue sky.
Regards from Canada
Pierre