Point Reyes Light Photo

Photographer’s Note

There are also many of Point Reyes Lighthouse images on this site already, but here is my version anyway. I decided to show you more of the ocean and sky than the lighthouse itself, since I was lucky enough that the fog was moving in and out through the afternoon, but just as the sunset it clear up just enough for me to get this wide open view of the Pacific Ocean and beautiful sunset. Check workshop, I will post a close up of the lighthouse later.

Point Reyes Lighthouse is located in the foggiest area known in California, making it necessary to build it at the bottom of a cliff near the water to be visible to seamen navigating through the fog and along the coast in a rough storm.

ISO 200
F 5/6
1/60s
very slight saturation and sharpening after reduced to TE size. I know if I just apply more saturation, I will get more points but no need, I like it just fine like this please don't do a workshop to give it more colors, any other suggestions are most welcome. Thanks in advance.

fulvio52, baba_flies, phwall, Sistercosmo, Colombiana, patdeph, gracious, Kielia, paololg, litiancai, feather, bakes888, jhm, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

mphotographies (1976) 2008-12-10 1:05

Given the high pov, you divide the scenery very well. The horizon line just keeps the viewer's eye level precisely where it should be. There is a harmonious division that makes the entire composition work. The eye just freely travels around from the bottom of the cliff to the lighthouse then way across the Pacific and end up in the open sky...quite exploring photograph!

Al the best Way :)

Jom

baba_flies (8091) 2008-12-10 1:19

Hello Way, good morning! I love your wide open view over the pacific ocean, and I find it well chosen and a smart idea to have just a little bit of land left in your picture with the light house showing. It makes a great connection to the forces of the sea, how lost we might be on our little ships in a storm and how glad we are to see some light on the shore line. Something like that :))) Beautiful soft evening light above, how wonderful it must have been to stand there making this shot. Warm regards, it is nice to be inside, it SNOWS !!!!! Barbara.

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-12-10 3:04

Hi, Way.
A masterful exercise in simplicity, absolutely effective and... simply beautiful as it is! A striking high perspective to provide endless depth of field and truly subtle, amazing colors and hues : that's all you need here. Superb job, TFS! You have a good day, my friend. I'll be seeing you.
Fulvio.

phwall (5701) 2008-12-10 12:23

Hello Way,
Yes, a very pretty shot. The wide vista works very well, I like the huge sky and the way you have positioned the lighthouse at the bottom of the frame. Very much in line with your note re the fog and the necessity to have the light low to the water. I'm with you on the colours of the sunset, they are fine just the way they are.
Wonderful simple shot, from an excellent POV, it shows the area and the lighthouse perfectly.
Regards
Peter

emka (22257) 2008-12-10 13:30

Hi Way, Wonderful shot, showing the Ocean in sunset, in splendid colours. Nice view of the lighthouse and the road leading to it. Great photo. Regards

Malgorzata

Sistercosmo (2653) 2008-12-10 13:45

Hi Way,
beautiful sunset with rich colors and nice details on the water. I agree that it is perfectly saturated as it is. It gives a very pleasant feeling!
Thanks and take care,
Linda

Colombiana (2546) 2008-12-10 15:44

HI Way,
The endless view is delightful Way. The lighthouse was positioned perfectly to give us an open perspective. Love the soft pastel color pallete.
Kind regards,
Maryori :)

patdeph (18286) 2008-12-11 9:15

hello Way
the colors are marvellous and the high point of view and the way you have framed with the lighthouse at the bottom puts the accent on the vastness of the ocean!This is really superb!
Regards
Pascale

gracious (20017) 2008-12-11 10:39

Sabaidi Way,
Thank you for this beautiful sunset scenery down the Point Reyes, so beautiful with the best pov!
well included the lighthouse down below and a great view of the vastness of the ocean!
the colour is real nice with good sharpness and details!
you take care and sincere regards
from NZ, Tony

Kielia (8727) 2008-12-11 11:12

Hello Way,
impressions of lighthouses easily catch my attention and your composition is very attractive due to the wonderful light and the gentle colors, they are really a pleasure for the eyes. But most of all I like the color of the sun! TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

paololg (14205) 2008-12-11 14:15

Ciao dear Way,
the light and the colors of this image, and also of the WS, are perfect for this suggestive sunset. The excellent POV gives a beautiful feeling of great spaces and uncontaminated nature. I agree with your way of composing this photo, privileging the sky and the sea. A really marvelous photo, another testimony of your cleverness. Compliments!
Ciao
Paolo

litiancai (1040) 2008-12-11 20:01

Hi Way,
I have to say, thanks for adding me as a favourite, it's a great honour given the excellent quality of all the images you post!
As for this photo, my eyes are instantly drawn to the splash of rich yellow from the sun and what makes this shot quite special is the soft gradation of colours, making it unclear where the sea ends and the sky begins. The foreground building provides just enough detail to make the composition complete too.
A fine shot, thanks for sharing with us!
all the best
Lee

John_F_Kennedy (31994) 2008-12-12 3:17

What a majestic place. Wonderful view to the ocean, good clarity and great capture.
Best wishes,
Achim

npecanhuk (14600) 2008-12-12 5:24

Hello Way!
The vastness of the ocean matching so perfectly with the wide open sky full of wonderful lights and colors! The composition is simple but the inclusion of the tip of land in the left bottom part of the photograph was a very good idea and it really worked fantasticly in this view!
I really like it!
TFS - Congratulations!
Best regards,
Neyvan

feather (50122) 2008-12-12 8:07

Your high POV was perfect for this minimal composition. The small amount allocated to teh lighthouse works very well. The setting sun trying to emerge through the in-coming fog is casting some subtle hues on the scene, that you have captured so well.
The WS is good too with the close view of the lighthouse, but I think you made the right choice when you posted this one.
Kath

MarianneS (14402) 2008-12-12 14:57

Hello Way,
Very nice view, full of serenity!
The colours are sweet and natural and I like your decison not to oversaturate them. It is nice like this.
Have a good week-end!
Regards,
Marianne

bakes888 (18327) 2008-12-12 17:52

Hello Way. Great photo. I love the pastel colours and tonalities you have captured in the sky. Well composed with excellent depth also. Nice work and thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul.

jhm (83276) 2008-12-14 3:40

Hello Way,

Thank you very much for your intersting note.
Lovely seascape picture, I love your wide open view over the pacific ocean.
Sharpness and clarity are very well.
I find your picture excellent as composition, also the colours are superb.
Nice done, TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

angela926 (1882) 2008-12-14 16:47

Hello way,
very pretty scene, nice composition and pov, lovely colors and nice warm light.
Angela

jmcl (14135) 2008-12-15 19:37

Hi Way,

I love the combination of these gentle and beautiful colors with the vast infinity of the ocean. I love the idea of the lighthouse as a small point in a infinite world. I wish it had a touch more light .. but the way the sunbeam flows to it is tremendous. very nice. take care, John

plimrn (19694) 2008-12-15 19:54

Hi Way,
Very nice gradients of pink to blu sky and sea, the framing of the point of land is very effective. I must say, a light houses is romantic but give me a good GPS any day!!
HLJ, Pat

Ptitcaid (632) 2008-12-28 1:10

Bonjour Way,

Cet avant-plan est superbe tout comme l'encadrement et encore la photo....

Je te félicite ! ! ! ! ! !

Salut ! P'tit Caïd

foozi (4735) 2009-01-02 17:24

Hi Way,
I really like the sky here. such a pleasant view with excellent colours. Crimson light and blu makes a good combination to render beauty of thisgood vantage point.
A very lovely landscape.

Regards,
Foozi