'‘The curved white seat’

Conceptualisation

This is where sometimes I start my process. I have an idea or I've been influenced by something I've seen someone else visit.
I have found 'inspiration for an idea can come from absolutely anywhere.. watching a film or TV program for instance.

I can be quite annoying sometimes to my family as I'm invariably looking at programs from the cinemaphotographer's perspective! How the light has been used.. how an unusual perspective has been used etc.

I once watched a 'noir' drama based in the North of England and drove 300 miles to capture some similar images.

This process of conceptualisation will, in this instance, involve planning a trip to ensure all the portents fall into place.

When is the best time to visit for the best tides, sunrise/ sunset etc.

Another process is one that is purely intuitive. I visit a new location and take it as I find it at that moment in time.

I enjoy this process far more as I'm reacting to what I'm feeling about the place. It's not about capturing an image like others who have stood in front of this landscape before me.

This image of 'The Curved White Seat' is a case in point.

I had been influenced greatly by another landscape photographer who lives close to the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland on the French side.

I just loved the minimalistic compositions that were available to take. The thing is, the conditions need to be cold, mist and ethereal for me to create my interpretation of the Lake shoreline.

Luckily my visit on the 12th December for my 4 day trip meant all these conditions were available! 


My process

This composition is one of 5 different ones I saw as I arrived at this small quaint Port of Rolle. The first historical reference to the town is in 1294.

My photo trip along the Swiss side of Lake Geneva had no real plan. I flew into Geneva and basically all I did was drive along the coastal road dropping down to towns and ports as they came along.

Rolle was a great find!

As I arrived at the harbour I couldn't really see any great compositional opportunities until I reached the harbour wall.

I'm very fortunate as all of a sudden I could see great possibilities to make some interesting imagery.

At the end of the harbour wall I could see 'The curved white seat'. As I got closer I took a couple of images of the jetty before getting to the end of the harbour wall.

In a way I was delaying taking this composition as I really wanted to 'get it right'.

I was faced with a few technical questions as to 'how' I wanted my final image to look and feel.

The conditions were great. The rain added to my technical issues but on a positive note, it helped create an ethereal feel.

See my technical issues below.

My technical issues


Port of Rolle
Lake Geneva
Switzerland

Photo trip 12th December for 4 days

This image is called ‘The curved white seat’
Shot on Fuji XT3 with 15mm lens at f11 for 13 secs at ISO 80

What made me stop to take this image? The white curved seat is the reason as pulls the viewer into the composition in a very powerful way. The far end of the seat then takes your eye directly to the marker at the end of the pier.
I had to shoot this composition sitting on the curved wall whilst ensuring I had sufficient separation between the top of the seat and the sea and jetty behind. Not an easy thing to do as it was raining and I was holding an umbrella to shield the lens from the drizzle!
How did I use post production to balance the tones in the composition? My first consideration was to ‘balance’, as best I could, the white of the bottom right chair with the sky. #1
Next, I wanted to balance the exposures of the sea in positions #2. I deliberately left detail where the sea and sky meet to the left of the pier marker in order to create a smoother transition.
Finally, I wanted to balance the contrast levels of the floor at the bottom left hand side and the Jetty structure. It was important for me to retain as much detail in the underneath of the pier, so I balanced the bottom left #3 with the pier tonality #3.
You can see I used some curve adjustments to try and achieve these effects.
Finally, I used Nik Viveza to adjust the overall tonality and converted to B&W using Silver Efex pro3

What do you think?? 

 Let me know… roy@fraserportraits.com