Shari Garnsey
October 2026 - Sunset reflections
Original
About the Image(s)
Subject: Boats and Marina at Sunset on Ocracoke Island, NC
There is the rule to remember to turn around and look behind you. I was shooting a very vivid sunset with a silhouette of a sail boat against a very orange sky, and when I turned around, this was the view. I wanted to capture the color and light of the sky, as well as the reflections in the water. There was a lot of visual chaos with the boats, dock, pilings, buildings, etc., so I cropped to try and simplify the composition. It was getting a little dark so I lightened the exposure in the foreground. I also touched up the luminance a tad. I didn't have a tripod with me, so this was handheld, I tried to get the angle closer to the water surface, but was limited in movement because I had to stay on the dock. My settings were capturing the very bright sunset and when I turned around, it was a darker. I was worried about losing the light and accidently adjusted the shutter speed instead of the aperture, but I didn't lose too much of the sharpness.
Camera: Nikon D5600
Lens: NIKKOR 16??“80mm f/6-4E
Settings: 26mm, 1/30 sec at f/10, ISO 320
Question for the group: Any thoughts on how to adjust this composition to lessen the visual distractions and/or get more out of the reflections? Suggestions for next time also appreciated.
12 comments posted
As silly as it sounds, I would play with making the darker areas of the image lighter. This may make the boats stand out from the background a little bit more. This could be done by playing with the shadow slider or the tonal adjustments. I would also try a different crop. The reflection of the rigging is very strong. Try playing with a vertical p0anorama just including the two sail boats. I know three is supposed to be better than two in an image, but the third boat is a different style of boat, so I think you could get away with it. Use the word "twins" or "two" somewhere in your title to emphasise the fact that there are two boats. I'd be interested to see what you come up with. Posted: 10/21/2026 01:04:01
I am amazed at 1/30 you can still take a very sharp image. It's a beautiful photo. I like your crop better than the original. I probably would lighten the boats a bit and dehaze to have more colors reflected in the water.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful serene scene. Posted: 10/22/2026 19:06:36