San Clemente – Surf-side; take two

Another take on the San Clemente surfing photograph that I just posted. I had provided myself with an interesting idea about placing more focus on the surfer by eliminating the other surfers in the background. Actually it was pretty easy with the cloning tool on a Duplicate adjustment layer. Done. Since I was cloning out the background surfers, while I was at it I also downplayed some of the white water highlights in the bottom left corner to reduce the distraction from my subject. Done.

Cleaning up the photograph by eliminating the other surfers really does shift the focus to the lone surfer shooting the small tube. I think the surf turbulence in the upper right provides some insight as to the power of these ocean waves as these break, and effectively leads the viewers eye down to my subject who is heading right at the reader. The other details that I also notice with the revised version is the spray and water kick created by the surfer’s board as he sliced this wave that was not as evident in my first version. Nice.

And it has a Henri Cartier-Bresson compositional look, as I just reviewed the HC-B photobook ‘Revisiting Paris‘ and I had taken note of his photographic compositions in where he was placing his subject matter, which is usually at the bottom of his compositions. As a photographer and my another review of a huge HC-B book, now having looked at a lot of HC-B photographs, I can start to spot a stylistic trend that he had effectively developed.

I think that this results in a wonderful summer surfing photograph.

Cheers,

Doug

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Book workshop:

I will be leading a Creative Photo Book workshop with the Southeast Center of Photography (SEC4P) later in the Fall of this year. This will be a virtual event on Zoom; November 6 & 7th and 13 & 14th, 2021, 10 AM – 1 PM, EDT (3 hour session each day, with a week between the weekend sessions to work your book-dummy). Registration is now open, and there is a SEC4P membership discount. Just advised that it is half-way sold out. Let me know if you have any questions!

Developing a Creative Photo Book, a virtual (Zoom) workshop I will be leading again in conjunction with Medium Photo, September 11th, 12th, 18th, & 19th, New dates: March 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 2022 More details and sign-up available now at Medium Photo. New Dates!