Harbour Blue Hour, a photo from Cornwall, England

Photographer's Note

We rented a cottage for a week in the small fishing town of Mevagissey on the South Cornwall coast. The main activity at Mevagissey has been fishing since the 14th century. At one time it was the centre of Cornwall痴 pilchard industry.

During the day the harbour is very busy, but waiting for the blue hour it was almost deserted except for one or two people curious about what we were doing.

ISO100, FL44mm (Actually the shutter speed was 20seconds, but strangely that option is not available)

maximage, jwmunro, besnard, bema, bema, josepmarin, JCG, Dyerco, Sistercosmo, shevchenko, stego, avene, alvaraalto has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

maximage (15537) 2009-06-30 14:32

Bonsoir Kath,
Tr鑚 belle image nocturne avec une bonne ma羡rise de la lumi鑽e. L'image est de grande qualit� technique.
Excellente ambiance d馮ag馥 par ce petit port bien paisible.
Amiti駸.
max

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2009-06-30 15:05

Hi Kath.

The blue hour is always magical...isn't it?

Excellent light!

Rgs, Oscar

MarianneS (15338) 2009-06-30 15:09

Hi Kath,
I agree with Oscar: blue hour is always magical :-)
The long pause created a great effect on the water, with superb colours.
Nice view!
Regards,
Marianne

jwmunro (286) 2009-06-30 18:27

Hello Kath -

Long exposure, eh? As I mentioned before I like this image for the lights, the reflections, and the details within the village. Personally, I would have preferred a little more detail in the harbor portion of the scene, but then that is an artistic decision that was with the artist. My only comment is that it appears to be slightly over sharpen as there are halos on the tree line. Regardless of the tree line, I think this is a well composed and executed image.

The blue hours offers many challenges, but the rewards are always great. Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

gneufeld (15890) 2009-06-30 18:48

Hi Kath,
Looks like a gorgeous place to spend some time to relax. Wow, stunning light and colors in this fine composition captured in a time exposure. Very well done and TFS. Gerald

besnard (59196) 2009-06-30 21:19

Bonjour Kath
Une tr鑚 belle image nocturne avec de merveilleuses couleurs, une lumi鑽e bien g駻馥. C'est du bon travail.
Merci pour le partage et bonne journ馥.
Nicole

cbrman (21685) 2009-06-30 22:19

Hello Kath,

Une tr鑚 belle ambiance dans cette prise de vue � l'heure bleue. J'aime beaucoup les bateaux de l'avant plan uniquement illumin駸 par la lumi鑽e c駘este.
A+

Dominique

ophelcia (0) 2009-06-30 22:50

Really nice, relaxing photo, blue hour gives it a charm, I love the water:)
Gosia

bema (26591) 2009-06-30 23:03

Hello Kath,

a wonderful blue-hour-picture with great colors, sharpness and mood.. like also your framing.. seems to be a real nice location, worth to be visited..

have a fine day, warmest regards Bernd

danyy (0) 2009-06-30 23:25

Bonjour Kath,
une photo parfaite de l'heure bleue, prise presque au meilleur moment du 'ph駭om鈩e'.
Deux bandes bleut馥s s駱ar馥s par des lumi鑽es orang馥s donnent beaucoup d'esth騁ique.
Un cadrage parfait et une vie tr鑚 calme.
Regards.
Daniel.

sacavem (18620) 2009-07-01 3:02

Ol� Kath,

Beautiful reflection in the blue hour.The result is a wonderful light impression.To create a great perspective and a stunning composition.
Filipe

josepmarin (59385) 2009-07-01 4:34

Hello Kath,
This one is a nice scene of the harbour and the lights in the city, perfectly caught in the magic moment of the blue hour. I like the contrast of the lights in the houses and the silky aspect of the water due to the slow shutter speed.
All the elements of the composition work to a great aesthetic level.
It is a technical excellent work, in a very elegant shot.
Friendly regards,
Josep

JCG (35153) 2009-07-01 6:38

Hi Kath,

I note by looking at your photograph which England and Brittany have many common points !!! Superb blue hour on this small quiet harbour which one could also locate on the Breton coast. I like much your management of the lights and this exposure time which gives an smoothed effect to the water surface that I find extremely pleasant. Well done Kath, thank you.

With all my friendships and a very good end-of-day,

Jean-Charles

Dyerco (10185) 2009-07-01 6:43

Hi Kath
Perfect timing. The blues and oranges compliment each other so well. Just enough light to show some detail in the boats as well. Nicely done.
Phil

coco (30439) 2009-07-01 9:57

Hi Kath.

What nice and impressive photo. I love this one. This photo is elegant and also very very cute with this light and long exposure.
The composition is also great.

Well done.

UlfE (14641) 2009-07-01 10:37

Hi Kath,

Great to see a night shot from you again. I remember that you in your note to one of your Prague pictures said that women do not have many opportunities to take night shots without a bodyguard. Spending a whole week in this small fishing town you should perhaps have taken a massive number of night shots to gain experience. Even though this is a really great night shot I think you should have waited a little bit longer. The best blue hour shots are taken when it is almost dark. You feel that it is perhaps a little bit too dark, but your camera does not agree and surprises you with the most wonderful night shots. The reason is that here the sky and water is a little too bright in comparison to the buildings and boats. If I would have been darker the boats and houses would have got a golden tone and would have had much more details. Take two pictures next time one with this lighting and one when it is almost dark and you will realize the difference. I would say that your beneath the bridge picture demonstrates what I mean.

Kind regards,

Ulf

Cricri (176) 2009-07-01 12:36

Hi Kath
Tr鑚 belle image a heure bleu, tr鑚 r騏ssi l'effet de la longue pe, l'ambiance des lumi駻es ou le silence se fait bien resentir
Have a nice evening for you
crici

Sistercosmo (242) 2009-07-01 13:01

Hi Kath,

wonderful blue hour at this harbor!! The water is amazing with this exposure and the colors are intense. Great pov - seems very peaceful. Makes me want to get a nice glass of red wine and let the day wind down. ;-))

Have a wonderful evening!
Linda

aadilj (18102) 2009-07-01 21:51

Nice capture of the classic lights and hues of the evening kath, done with tremendous balance and stability. I like the mood, the composition and the width

shevchenko (20560) 2009-07-01 22:46

Hello Kath,
Attractive the water surface look like frosted, fantastic color and lighting at early night, good idea to rent a cottage here, lovely silent environment and full in peaceful feel, what a beautiful old town, distinct night shoot, well done.
Ally

Graal (103040) 2009-07-02 0:10

Hi Kath,
good shot during the blue hour. I like the 1st lights and reflections. Kind glance on the harbour and well done photo. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

gilou530 (34) 2009-07-02 9:42

salut kath
une photo comme j'aime les regarder, un port avec ses lumi鑽es et ces bateaux en sommeil � l'heure bleue, la longue pose est top et la lumi鑽e 駲uilibr馥,bon boulot
amiti駸
gilbert

stego (24132) 2009-07-02 10:41

Hi Kath,
Wonderful blue (and orange!) hour view. I am surprised with the sharpness achieved with a 22 seconds exposure, which rendered a beautiful effect on the water, but I would expect that the boats would get blurred.
Regards,
Jos�

mesutilgim (0) 2009-07-02 12:39

Hello Kath,
Wonderfull "blue hour" capture. Perfect compo and perfect light management.
Great effect.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

batalay (41261) 2009-07-02 18:54

Hello Kath,

You display surpassing light management in this shot of the harbor. Twenty seconds is a very longtime for a city shot, and I don't see any area of blur revealing any motion. What a placid atmosphere you've captured.

Warm regards,

Bulent

avene (12675) 2009-07-02 21:04

me again, I keep finding fascinating posts in your gallery :)
of course, the colours are the main attraction here, blue and gold always work. but for me the effect of the long exposure is even more fascinating, it looks like the boats are frozen in ice.

best,
Kristine

emka (158128) 2009-07-02 22:38

Hi Kath, Splendid blue hour in this small fishing town. Nice view. It must be wonderful to make a walk there and relax. A bit strange is the water, looks like frozen.

regards

Malgorzata

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2009-07-03 4:21

Beautiful shot with view to the harbour. Like the blue contrasted with the orange light. Well done.

Best wishes,
Achim

darek1978 (13361) 2009-07-04 4:24

Hi Kath,
Superb blue hour shot! The lighting and colours are fine with excellent sharpness and DOF. I like the light reflected on the surface of the water. It is a very nice clear blue hour shot- congratulations!
Best regards,
Darek

Angshu (56760) 2009-07-05 20:50

Hello Kath
The effect of the slow shutter speed is evident in the FG water...has a strange swirling effect. The blue hour sky & the reflection in the water & the contrast with the artificial lights on the harbour front makes this visually appealing! Which side is the harbour, the right or the left?
Best Regards
Angshu

alvaraalto (42804) 2009-07-06 14:57

Dag Kath,

Beautiful, moody evening scene of this small harbour. I知 always fascinated by this deep blue colours of the sky and the water and the yellow lamplight contrasting and reflecting.

Groet Rob

Urs (14082) 2009-09-07 9:28

Fantastic vibrant blue hour photograph of a harbour or marina with romantic houses in the BG. Congrats Kath, that is a master picture. The reflection of the houses and the lights in the water are superb. Perfect selected timing and fine execution of the shot. Well done

Best regards
Urs