Dark sands Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Kaikoura is famous for Whale Watch (highly recommended), but there's also some wonderful scenery in the area too. This shot is of South Bay and its dark grey sands, which I feel contrast nicely with the light on the breakers...

The name Kaikoura literally translated means Meal of Crayfish - from the Maori Kai "food" and Koura "crayfish".

The marine ecosystem in the area is nutrient rich, and very deep water runs just offshore - the edge of the famous Kaikoura Canyon lies just a mile from the coast. Kaikoura Canyon is rumoured to be a home of the elusive Giant Squid

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Critiques | Translate

gringofil (0) 2003-06-07 10:22

This is a wonderful scene, Adrian, and well photographed as well. I like the perspective of looking down the beach and up higher into the mountains. Colors are soft yet wonderful. The waves close a stunning image. Very well done!

fredleal (54) 2003-06-07 10:27

Nice landscape.

evilren (1395) 2003-06-07 10:27

great landscape shot,I agree with fil about the prespective it works good here.
I like the soft green tones of the hills affected by the polarizer.

Porteplume (3257) 2003-06-07 10:58

Attractive work!
May I say it didn't really look like an "AdrianW" shot to me? Something in the darkness of the shot, expecting brighter images from you...

thien (2102) 2003-06-07 11:13

Atmospheric photo. I love the closely mirrored color of the water and the sky.

Luko (13896) 2003-06-07 15:30

yes, I was to say the same thing as Viviane : it's not characteristic of AdrianW's shots. But yet not for the same reasons : I'm really comfortable with darker images.

Here you're using a wider contrast range than usual, but for me, you went off the limits of the provia in the highlights. It appears that the waves are slightly blown out, which displays a totally white patch just in the center of the pic.
I think a half neutral grey filter would have come handy in this case, since there is too much contrast into the whole scenery.
Despite the use of a polarizer, the sea seems quite shiny to me, though the reflects should have been tamed, may be the angle with light direction was not wide enough.

[3]

CedarBough (74) 2003-06-07 20:20

Somehow my eyes are sort of having trouble with the bright and dark extremes in the shot. And I really wish the green in the hillside came through stronger... the shot is interesting to me as it is, but i think the location deserves another try but with more light on the hills, so that the shiny ocean doesn't dominate the shot so completely.

touristdidi (8561) 2003-07-15 4:44

Nice, but too grey all over........lookslike a nice place to relax...

numahr (346) 2003-11-25 5:32

Well I definitely like it this way, with this sharp contrast: gives a feeling of the beginning of Earth... when all life was in the seas, where we all come from...

Thus my idea would be to edit the pic a bit in order to emphasize the "pioneer" trees on the right! enlighten them if possible, saturation, ... plus would it balance the composition. Would remind us that these trees actually come out of the sea!

Just a subjective impression... ;)

hojper (2830) 2004-02-19 10:03

What a superb light, and a very exciting sky in the background. Somehow it feels like two or three shots blended into one, but it works to create a lovely atmosphere. And I like dark sand. I think some kind of living thing in the front would have made it look less "lonely". That's where I set the timer and run into the edge of the shot to get someone in.

Roswell_Alien (110) 2005-11-18 13:20

Nice shot... The reflection on the sea it's great...

Good job...

Photo Information

Copyright: Adrian Warren (AdrianW) (2243)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2002-03-09
Categories: Nature
Camera: Canon EOS30/Elan7E, EF 28-135 IS USM, Fuji Provia 100F, Circular Polarizer
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2003-06-07 10:12
Favorites: 3 [view]