Sahsima Drift
These photographs of the Sahsima transformer stone were shot at the same time as yesterday’s photograph (which is facing east from nearly the same location). These images also have the same problem of an incorrect white balance setting which led me to black and white treatments to recover something from the jpegs.
The upper image was processed with tone-mapping of a single image. The lower one is an HDR treatment of five exposures, that were not taken with HDR in mind and thus with uneven EV differences between the brackets.
Does anyone else see a small creature on the driftwood? I think it might be an alien hoping to pass as a bit of the driftwood. Probably an anthropologist from another galaxy, none too quick on its feet to be caught in a photo, that is interested in transformer stones and figuring out how the power works that can turn people to stone.
The picture below shows the reason I went to the beach in the first place, hoping for a good shot of a log boom and attendant tugs close in to Harling Point, and struggling with the current. I did not get the shot I was after – 200mm was not long enough – but it did get me out to take pictures.
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Canon EOS 5Dmkii, top: Nikkor-N 24mm/f2.8 lens, ISO100, aperture not recorded, 1/1000th. bottom: SMC Takumar 200mm/f4.0 lens, ISO100, aperture not recorded, 5 brackets (1/80, 1/100, 1/125, 1/160, 1/250th).
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burnt embers 
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You inspire me. Amazing images. I love the driftwood – and it’s haunted little passenger. You know I’ll see a monster. I really love the layer of atmosphere in the second image.
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Hi Ryan! Thank you. Your predilection for monsters is well known to me. That could indeed be a small monster, or a big powerful one in disguise.
That layer of cloud/fog is a pretty common part of the scene around here. It makes me wonder if Port Angeles ever gets any sun.
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Two superb images. Clever framing in the first. While the composition of the second is not quite so strong the background is immense. Your recent work has rocketed up the scale, Ehpem!
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Why thank you Andy. I notice a difference in the post production, but I am not sure if there has been much at the lens end of things. Though being able to do things in post not previously possible does open up more possibilities when framing a shot.
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Great composition !!!
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Thank you Mathias!
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Very nice!
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Thank you David!
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That first shot is totally mesmerizing! Yep, an alien lifeform indeed lives there, it’s clear as day! The first image is such a great composition, my friend, I love how you used that crazy driftwood to frame the stone. The second shot is absolutely awesome, too, I just had a slight preference towards the first because of the great framing.
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Hi Toad – I am glad you like the composition. I was not sure if it was a bit cliche, but could not resist trying – I experiment with focus quite a bit on this shot – some versions have Sahsima in focus, some the driftwood. In the end, I like this version best.
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Oh yes, I saw the fabulous creature before I even read your prose. But I seem to be always looking for that kind of thing…
Ephem, the detail and tone in the foreground is really quite amazing!
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Thank you Karen, it is pretty satisfying to find a way of bringing that out in this kind of subject which has so many shadows. As to spotting creatures, you are quicker than me because I only noticed this in post processing, not when I was taking the shots. Sneaky little guy to blend in when viewed live. I am sure it is long gone so I can’t go back to inspect. Probably part of an intelligent strategy.
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I think I do see a face in the driftwood. Perhaps driftwood is like carbonite for some alien creatures.
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By carbonite I take it you are referring to the hypothetical di-deprotonated anion of dihydroxymethylidene?
Or, more likely, especially in view of your recent UFO shot, something otherworldly. Maybe this guy got out of your UFO on the way over the continent.
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