Another sunset pic for you all! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

conradtan · 01-08-2008, 12:59 AM

I was hoping to get more clouds but the weather cleared up too much this day. I also did not use my ultrawide lens as many of you have expressed a dislike for the stretching effect it had. Hehe... Hope you all like it! I know about the blurry hillside. I guess I must have bumped the camera or something. Too bad. It could have been a really good shot. Also I don't know what's going on with the shoreline at the base of the hills. I don't remember that much light coming off the shot! I got a lot to learn still. Perhaps I should have used a filter. Hehe... Comments and Critiques are always welcome of course!

Here is one of the same shot from a further back stance. Which one is better?

fatmike · 01-08-2008, 05:56 AM

Nice pic. Keep them coming. This picture captures the "mood" of the sunset.

Was your goal to capture the "lake at sunset" or to capture "the boxster at sunset"? Some small things can change the theme of the picture from "lake at sunset" to "Boxster near lake at Sunset".

Its not necessary to show the whole car (by any means) in the composition, but the way the box is cropped doesn't work to my eye. I'm not sure how to improve it, but keep trying different angles and camera heights. The thing about the Boxster is that it changes so much by moving in/out/wider/lower, etc.

Imagine how the picture changes if you turned the steering wheel slightly to the left which would expose the front driver's side wheel. Doing that would stop your eye on the car and make the picture more about the car (vs. about the mood of the sunset). Perhaps combining that with a small change in perspective would highlight the car more. Also, consider removing the windscreen on the back of the box. Its the first thing I saw. Unfortunately when you photograph cars, these little things count!

That is a really nice shot that captures the mood! Keep 'em coming.

gmboxster · 01-08-2008, 07:24 AM

I'm by no means a professional, I just appreciate the beauty of the shot !! Keep the pictures coming, that is a great hobby you have.. BTW, just for my own selfish reasons i would prefer the car having a bigger part of the photo. Boxsters are such pretty cars. Good job.

unklekraker · 01-08-2008, 07:33 AM

looks like it's inspired by one of the Porsche Ad from Panorama Magazine...awesome pix...keep it coming..i'm waiting for the right one to use as my desktop wallpaper

dcporsche99 · 01-08-2008, 07:41 AM

Hey conrad,
Nice pic! Imagine if you and dj got together! Wow---what an amazing pic duo that would make!!

conradtan · 01-08-2008, 09:00 AM

Thanks guys!

@fatmike - I was trying to capture the feeling we have when we have all sat IN our car and stared out at a sunset, you know, the feeling of how everyone is missing out on how beautiful the view is and how especially sweet it is viewing it from OUR seat. Great advice on showing more wheel. And yes... the windscreen!!! Damn it. I did not even think of that. Honestly, it was so freaking cold and the lighting was changing so quickly at this time, I couldn't really think of anything but getting the shot off so I could put the top back up and fire up that heater! Haha!

@gmboxster - You're reasons are not selfish. Haha! I actually tried different angles with more of the car. The way it looked in this light, there was a large dark area just to the side of where the body took up space in the photograph. Very distracting as IT became the focus, not the car, not the sunset. I'll keep trying! Hehe...

@unklekraker - What?!? Now you are putting pressure on me to come up with something for YOUR wallpaper? Get out your little Nikon and have your son take a picture of you sitting on your hood of your car. Done! Wallpaper for your eyes only! Haha!!! Just kidding pare... I'll keep trying. The trouble is that I want rainclouds, without the rain or the cold. Haha!

@dcporsche99 - I am not in any way near DJ's level in capturing "the car" in various stances and angles. And my Photoshop skills are pedestrian at best. I'm just not quite there yet. I am practicing capturing color levels and how it invokes a mood for now. Hehe...

I hope this semi-counts as Porsche related discussion. If anyone feels like this does not I could stop posting these here. I just thought you'd all like em!

unklekraker · 01-08-2008, 10:42 AM

already have one and definitely for my eyes only...hahahahahahaha!

HammerESQ · 01-08-2008, 10:57 AM

Wow! That's an awesome pic!! Any chance I can get a high-res version for my new laptop background? If it's edevansky(at)gmail.com if you can.

-Eric

unklekraker · 01-08-2008, 11:14 AM

@hammer..you're not asking the picture i posted, right?

j/k

conradtan · 01-08-2008, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HammerESQ

Wow! That's an awesome pic!! Any chance I can get a high-res version for my new laptop background? If it's edevansky(at)gmail.com if you can.

-Eric

@HammerESQ - I'll send you one as soon as I can. And thanks!

djomlas · 01-08-2008, 11:51 AM

sweet pic man, i like it.
but yeah, its like half and half, hard to figure out what you were trying to capture, lake, box, or sky...they are all there, but not fully kinda...i dunno.
but overall, nice capture man

bigb · 01-08-2008, 12:50 PM

I like it very much. Nice job capturing all essentials, and bringing out the colors. That said, I'm no expert, and don't know much about the small "imperfections" that you photography aficionados are able to understand and reveal.

So, good job buddy, and keep at it. (no Gerry, not you

)

conradtan · 01-08-2008, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djomlas

sweet pic man, i like it.
but yeah, its like half and half, hard to figure out what you were trying to capture, lake, box, or sky...they are all there, but not fully kinda...i dunno.
but overall, nice capture man

Thanks dj! Much appreciated! I'm going to try to take some pics like you do. Very good work. Are you involved with any other photography forums? I joined fredmiranda recently. They are a tough crowd man. Everyone is much nicer here!

conradtan · 01-08-2008, 10:52 PM

I added one more beneath the first one. Which one you guys like more?

Brucelee · 01-09-2008, 06:25 AM

Outstanding job.

unklekraker · 01-09-2008, 06:34 AM

I likey likey the added picture

RandallNeighbour · 01-09-2008, 06:40 AM

Conrad, now I have TWO desktop pix from you, running simultaneously. One on my macbook and one on the cinema display I hook up to it when it's at the office.

Nice!

fatmike · 01-09-2008, 06:42 AM

I like the 2nd better -- its subtly more about the car.

Again, keep trying different angles on the car (higher, lower, wider, closer, further, etc.).

Nice pic.

steve00s · 01-09-2008, 07:28 AM

Very cool picture. The lower (second) picture is much better. Feels more like I'm connected with the car looking at the sky. Kind of like holding my wife's hand.

LoveBunny · 01-09-2008, 11:13 PM

I think they both look great and I can't pick a favorite. I like that the first one the car is off to the side. I dunno, just sort of gives the picture a good layout I guess. But I like how the second one shows the curves in the car.