Boats at El Kantara, a photo from Medenine, South

Photographer's Note

El Kantara means bridge in Arabic and this place is called like that because to the right of this image stands a causeway that connects the island of Djerba with the continent. That causeway exists at least since the times of the Romans, who took possession of the island and what is now Tunisia after defeating Carthage in the 3rd century BC. The water seen on the photo is the Mediterranean Sea, which looks so shallow here that it seems that one can cross to the continent with the water in the waist.

The photo was shot on a rather hazy morning with grey sky (I added the blue on PP by manipulating the colour levels) with no wind at all, as you can see by looking at the surface of the water, that looks like a mirror.

I am aware of it being poor technically and not being specially eye catching, so I am not so confident about its interest, but that is precisely one of the main reasons for posting it, as I am curious about the reactions to it. Well, but after all, that curiosity applies to every post of us, isn't it?

I have posted a WS showing the causeway.

You can find more a more complete note on the island on this early post of mine. Some more info is available at Wikipedia and Times online.

Location (latitude, longitude): 33.6812,10.9171

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16-March update: I posted the original so the more curious of you can see what I did in PP.

feather, parbo, ChrisJ, rakeshgupta, rigoletto, Wanda1, zeca, maloutim has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

UnTrained (0) 2007-03-16 4:19

Ol� Jos�,
the effect on the water and sky is amazing. The addition of blue here is for me too artificial, I tried a view with b&w whichs keeps in my eye the effect. The reflections of the boats in the water is impressing, it looks a bit like a Fata Morgana, the mirror effect on hot air.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

feather (51130) 2007-03-16 10:17

I can see what you mean by the shallowness of the water; those boats seem to be sitting on top of it instead on in it. I'm not too convinced by the PP work as the sea and the sky are rarely the same shade of blue. Did you take the WS photo on the same day, as the sky looks a much more natural colour on that? The positives:- there is a pleasant light, which doesn't look too strong and the contrast is good. The boats although quite far off are pin sharp. What about cropping some of the sky and trying to make the sea a slightly darker blue. Did you consider posting the WS as a main post? I think I like that better.
I hope I haven't been too harsh. You did invite honesty.
Kath

siolaw (38294) 2007-03-16 12:30

Ola Jose,
Avery peaceful atmosphere from this picture, with that flat smooth sea, whose color is similar to that of the sky... compo is fine too with bit of building well balanced by the small boats... soft colors and nice sharpness.
TFS
Laurent

parbo (11092) 2007-03-16 16:37

Ol� Jos�,

Same colored sky and sea is creating wonderful ambiance in your photo. I like the boats on this huge part because seems to be suspended in the air. This is wonderful capture with brown field and plants and also part of white building and its blue door. Congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

ChrisJ (172436) 2007-03-16 22:17

Ol� Jos�

I like the repetition of the boats & the fg green shrubs. Nice lighting, with excellent colour & sharpness. Parabens y obrigado!

rakeshgupta (2672) 2007-03-17 2:46

Hi Jose,
It was good you changed the sky to its blue. On evaluating the WS photo, I have a suggestion to try, keep looking pipeline in front of you where it goes to infinity, the boat is in front of you, the depth generated from the pipleline should be interesting (as I guess).
- Rakesh

rigoletto (34279) 2007-03-17 3:21

Hey, this is a very beautiful image Jos�! It is really calming with no people included and little light behind the haze, the boats and the sea look really enjoying the stillness of the moment. Sharpness is great as usual and you managed to show lots of details in a single frame, as you usually do. Keeping so much sky almost led to a minimal (sea+sky)scape, and the mirroring water is a bonus of the photo. Is that a sunken boat at the BG???
Cheers,
Deniz

Benedict (7076) 2007-03-17 8:09

the sea, the desert and the sky- three gifts of nature clearly depicted here. nice POV and details. i am impressed, jose!
benedict

Wanda1 (15142) 2007-03-18 3:59

Hi Jose,
A nice view of this place with the calm water, the haze does not bother me too much. I like your composition with the building on the one side.
Regards
Wanda

zeca (19762) 2007-03-18 12:32

Ol� Jos�!
Muito bonito o enquadramento! E a cena � um tanto buc髄ica, mostrando os barquinhos � espera dos seus capit鉫s pescadores. Impressionante a calma destas 醙uas!
Abra鏾,
Zeca

MIG13 (0) 2007-03-18 19:05

Jos�, o que h� de m醙ico nessa foto � o quase invis韛el limite entre o c閡 e o mar, t鉶 semelhantes na cor e na textura que se tem a impress鉶 de que os barcos flutuam no ar. Gosto tamb閙 do contraste da cor suave desses elementos com a tom forte da terra, bem demarcado. 觮imo trabalho! Abra鏾! Miguel.

paura (25802) 2008-03-27 2:18

Jos�,
O c閡, em tonalidade quase igual a da 醙ua (problema muito comum em fotos do Rio de Janeiro) mata um pouco a qualidade do bom conjunto. Se voc~e descobrir como resolver esse problema me ensina, ok?

Abra鏾

Paulo