Seashell
Sep, 2015Views
9627
Likes
Awards
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Creative Winter Award
Curator's Selection
Contest Finalist in Subjects On The Ground Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Rule Of Thirds Extravaganza Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol2
Featured
Contest Finalist in Pastel Tones Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Tiny Landscapes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 26
Contest Finalist in Covers Photo Contest Vol 25
Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 2
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Superior Skill
Magnificent Capture
Genius
Love it
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Categories
nandicmb
November 05, 2015
Congratulations on your Contest Finalist win in Image of the Month Vol. 2!
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paoloagati
January 21, 2017
very nice shot! If you like seashell maybe you can join my challenge https:// viewbug.com/challenge/seashells-madness-photo-challenge-by-paoloagati
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken at our local beach in Hervey Bay with a passing storm crossing the bay out to sea. When shooting images outdoors nature can put on a wonderful display of light and magic! As a photographer you have to be there at the right time and the right place with the right creative mind. To get all three (plus the other finer details you need to master the shot) can prove to be quite tricky - and then kinda special if you have a win and nail the shot!Time
The afternoon light filtering through the stormy clouds helped to set the mood. The shell I placed in the foreground was washed up on the beach nearby and it wasn't until I got home and looked at my photos on the screen that I realized it had a white streak across it. I thought of cloning it out, but if you think outside the box, I think it looks like a lightning bolt. You get these little surprises now and then :)Lighting
I love to wander down to the beach either early morning or late afternoon to catch the low angle of the light and I always keep my eye on the sky for interesting cloud formations, storms or just that clear perfect sky! My images are quite creative and well thought out, so I always have an image in my mind that I'd like to create with a certain sky or light available. I jot down composition ideas on paper so when I plan to go out, I look at the sky and I look at my composition ideas and that determines what image I'm going to create. I have purpose and a goal of what I'm going to achieve instead of getting to my destination and wasting time and getting frustrated cause nothing is working! I have all these ideas in my head, It's just a matter of being patient with nature to get the shot you're waiting for.Equipment
When I go down the beach I always wrap my camera in plastic wrap or a clip seal bag (the seal creatively wraps around the lens). This protects it from the salt, water and sand. To get nice and low to the shell's level, I propped my camera on a little beanbag and switched the Live View on my Nikon SLR camera so I don't have to lay down and get all wet and sandy. I store everything in a little 6 pack esky, spare battery, shells, lens cleaner, car keys - this keeps everything safe and waterproof. This image what taken at f/9, 1/500 sec, 60mm Macro Lens.Inspiration
The beach holds alot of inspiration for me since I was a child, I have a connection to nature, especially the beach. I like simplicity and images that show negative space around the subject so the viewer knows what has captured my eye. I don't like clutter or distracting backgrounds, so I had to do a bit of 'sweeping' around the shell to get rid of other washed up debris.Editing
I processed the image by boosting the contrast, cloning out a bit of the landscape on the left side of the image so I got a nice straight horizon-line. Our sand in Hervey Bay is quite golden, so I unsaturated the colour and applied a filtre over it to compliment the stormy background. The shell had a similar application to bring it into the same tonal range.In my camera bag
My trusty 18-105mm lens is a must plus my little beanbag to prop my camera on - I don't leave the house without these! I find the 18mm is wide enough for a great landscape shot and with the 105mm lens I can be far away from a wave coming up onto the beach that I don't get splashed (much). I don't want to be changing lenses down the beach so I find this set up is just perfect for me. I also have a few interesting shells in my pocket that I can pull out if the high tide hasn't washed up anything that catches my eye. I always carry an extra battery, just in case!Feedback
I find a simple composition works for me, I usually only have a minimal number of things for the viewer to look at and 'digest'. When I'm composing a shot, I try to take my time, keep it simple, provide space around my subject and look for leading lines. Always be ready for what nature may throw at you and no photo shoot ever goes wasted. Not even those afternoons when I come home wet, cold and without the photo I was after. This just means I know what approach NOT to do next time - LOL!! I am continually learning my craft and stretching my imagination to create something new. PS - wear lycra leggings down the beach, it dries quickly as there's nothing worse than soggy pants!
