# Serenity



## beanart (Jul 30, 2012)

Just uploaded this shot to 1x.com in hopes to finally get published with them! Love the calmness to this photo, which is what I was going for. Shot this in Thousand Islands, NY on Alexandria Bay. The horizon is Canadian border. I got out at 5am to enjoy the peaceful waters and just appreciate the peace. I wanted a photo which reflected those feelings and this is what I came up with! 

Let me know what you think






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## sapper6fd (Jul 30, 2012)

Great photo but to me the sky is blown out and distracts from the subject of the image.


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## LaFoto (Jul 31, 2012)

To my mind, there's too much sky there, a sky that only holds interest up to the top of the pink cloud (pink at the bottom, grey at the top). That part should go and the photo gets much stronger. Other than that, I do like the pastell colours and feel of utter calm.


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## Forkie (Jul 31, 2012)

I disagree with both the other opinions and think this image is superb.  

Any more detail in the sky would distract from geometric triangular shapes created by the boat and the horizon.  The graduation from almost white through purple/pink to blue is mesmerising.

The whole image has a excellent balance of negative space and interest.

Well done!


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## beanart (Jul 31, 2012)

LaFoto said:


> To my mind, there's too much sky there, a sky that only holds interest up to the top of the pink cloud (pink at the bottom, grey at the top). That part should go and the photo gets much stronger. Other than that, I do like the pastell colours and feel of utter calm.



I appreciate your opinion and critique, but I have to say I disagree! This photo was intended to convey absolute simplicity and serenity. To me, there shouldn't be too much details and "clutter" in order to capture intrest. It's the minimalism that I was shooting for and adding more detail to the negative space I feel would take away from the whole goal of the image I had in mind. 

Let me know what you think!

Thanks again though!!


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## Jaemie (Jul 31, 2012)

I don't understand. This has nothing at all to do with Firefly.




I like the surreal quality in this photo. The colours are just a bit overpowering, that is, they are just a bit too far beyond natural and that bothers me for some reason. But it's a stunning image!


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## Majeed Badizadegan (Jul 31, 2012)

It's a nice, minimal, simple image. I'd probably bring in the crop at original aspect ratio to give just about 1/3 of the frame to the sky. It may be ever so slightly tilted as well.


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## beanart (Jul 31, 2012)

Rotanimod said:


> It's a nice, minimal, simple image. I'd probably bring in the crop at original aspect ratio to give just about 1/3 of the frame to the sky. It may be ever so slightly tilted as well.


I definitely see that cropping out a portion of the sky could benifit the image as a whole. Thank you! However the tilt is bothering me as well... the canoe is slightly tilted but if i correct that then the horizon is skewed and looks even worse than it does now. The horizon is perfectly level though.


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## Forkie (Aug 1, 2012)

Just noticed; is that a bolt of lightning on the right in the pinkish cloud?


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## beanart (Aug 1, 2012)

Forkie said:


> Just noticed; is that a bolt of lightning on the right in the pinkish cloud?



Ha not too sure what that was. I'm pretty sure it was a passing motorboat with a mast light on the top. Or possibly a cell tower of some sort on the horizon. I saw it too and was wondering the same thing. Sounds cooler if I said it was lighting though... lets go with that!!!


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## Forkie (Aug 1, 2012)

Photo nominated for Photo of the Month:  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...hoto-month-nomination-thread.html#post2667705


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## beanart (Aug 1, 2012)

Forkie said:


> Photo nominated for Photo of the Month:  http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...hoto-month-nomination-thread.html#post2667705



Awesomesauce


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## ScubaDude (Aug 1, 2012)

I like it.


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## jaguaraz (Aug 1, 2012)

I think you nailed a very powerful picture.  Pastel look and saturation seem right on to me.


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## beanart (Aug 4, 2012)

1x.com - In Pursuit of the Sublime

Just got published to 1x.com!


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## Designer (Aug 4, 2012)

Not a serene scene, IMO. FYI: many people do not experience a sense of calm when on the water in a small boat. Then we see lightning, no land in sight, nothing at all to do with restfulness. Even the composition is unbalanced, with the prow of the boat piercing the center of the image, it is inherently off balance. Furthermore, it is not just me, because we see other comments on here such as: "overpowering", "stunning", "very powerful picture". You need to rethink this concept and try again.

Serenity fail.  :thumbdown:


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## manaheim (Aug 4, 2012)

Designer said:
			
		

> Not a serene scene, IMO. FYI: many people do not experience a sense of calm when on the water in a small boat. Then we see lightning, no land in sight, nothing at all to do with restfulness. Even the composition is unbalanced, with the prow of the boat piercing the center of the image, it is inherently off balance. Furthermore, it is not just me, because we see other comments on here such as: "overpowering", "stunning", "very powerful picture". You need to rethink this concept and try again.
> 
> Serenity fail.  :thumbdown:



Some of the best images often get very different reactions from different people.

Your claiming a failure on a particular interpretation is pretty narrow minded.

Share your interpretation and wonder at how you vary from others, yes... Declare it a failure because you don't happen to agree? No.


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## Designer (Aug 4, 2012)

manaheim said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yes, I marvel at how I vary from others, especially since I know my analysis is more detailed and more correct.  Guess that means the others are wrong.


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## manaheim (Aug 4, 2012)

Designer said:
			
		

> Yes, I marvel at how I vary from others, especially since I know my analysis is more detailed and more correct.  Guess that means the others are wrong.



Haha... You've got balls of solid rock, dude.

I'm never one to say art is completely subjective but your polar opposite stance on "correct art" is hysterical.


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## beanart (Aug 4, 2012)

Designer said:


> Not a serene scene, IMO. FYI: many people do not experience a sense of calm when on the water in a small boat. Then we see lightning, no land in sight, nothing at all to do with restfulness. Even the composition is unbalanced, with the prow of the boat piercing the center of the image, it is inherently off balance. Furthermore, it is not just me, because we see other comments on here such as: "overpowering", "stunning", "very powerful picture". You need to rethink this concept and try again.
> 
> Serenity fail.  :thumbdown:



Think what you'd like sir! I am open to hearing criticisms. That's how I improve on myself. Do I declare this photo as a "perfect piece of art"? No... of course not. Art is to each his own. I think it's perfect in my own line of sight because it's something I set out to do and I love the result. I'd also like to point out that some people may find this atmosphere calming.. Some may not. I named it serenity because it made ME feel serene. You assuming I'm trying to make you calm from this image is straight up presumptuous, and then to declare my work a failure based on your own ill-informed assumptions is a disrespect to all artists, not just me.


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## Tee (Aug 15, 2012)

Designer said:


> Yes, I marvel at how I vary from others, especially since I know my analysis is more detailed and more correct.  Guess that means the others are wrong.



I'm all for people's independant critique but to call this image a fail is simply amazing.  I look forward to someone nominating an image of yours so we can see what a "win" looks like.  Can you direct me to your work?


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## Tee (Aug 15, 2012)

beanart said:


> Just uploaded this shot to 1x.com in hopes to finally get published with them! Love the calmness to this photo, which is what I was going for. Shot this in Thousand Islands, NY on Alexandria Bay. The horizon is Canadian border. I got out at 5am to enjoy the peaceful waters and just appreciate the peace. I wanted a photo which reflected those feelings and this is what I came up with!
> 
> Let me know what you think



The photo nomination thread led me here.  I think it's brilliant and I get where you're going.


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