Yoga on the Water -- Side Angle Pose, a photo from テキサス, South

Photographer's Note

I keep trying to get the classic image of the yoga session on the stand-up paddle boards, but my location on the dock is pretty limited, and the currents in Lady Bird Lake, the instructor's choice of location, and the rising sun seem to work against me. The only answer? Take lemons and make lemonade -- expose for the mid-shadows, let the highlights blow out and hope there is enough backlight to look artful!

I invite your comments especially about the color balance of this image. I produced two versions. This one is, I think, more true to the actual scene. The other was less blue and more green and conveyed a nice "on the lake" feel. So what do you think? Okay here, or more green?

Thanks, friends!

Royaldevon, cjmm has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

SnapRJW (31631) 2013-08-13 10:15

Hello Russ - You've done well here, I love the warm rim-lighting around the ladies; the areas around their hair and raised hands is really lovely, it separates them perfectly from the background. You have captured them in a well constructed composition, each figure nicely occupying its own space and forming a diagonal across the frame. I have to say, I admire their sense of balance and agility. Super! warm regards rosemary

PS Colours look fine to me

serp2000 (47063) 2013-08-13 11:44

Hi, Russ,
is this your 50th post from the US? Amazing scene, I have never seen Yoga on the water. Yes, I see you had got difficult light, but it is not so bad result for that conditions. I think one pose is wrong or they make this exercise not in sync...
Best wishes from warm Ural!
Serghei

limielski (0) 2013-08-13 12:57

Hi Russ!

Excellent moment you caught. Unusual situation to train yoga on the wather.
Maybe a little too dark(?) but it's a cool composition!

Warm regards, Leszek

rbassin (27472) 2013-08-13 13:27

hello Russ
Bonne photo de sport, la lumi鑽e effleure les gestes et les coprs de tr鑚 belle mani鑽e.C'est bien vu!
Bonne soir馥
Roland

nikkitta (17070) 2013-08-13 14:49

Hola Russ

In my opinion you did well with the light and contrast, like the dark blurred background so the people or the gymnasts are the protagonist of the capture
Better the green one
Congrats for an interesting idea
Maria

psamaddar (1089) 2013-08-13 21:15

Hi Russ..Nice moment capture..liked the shot and the composition with timing.

Regards
Prasenjit

eldancer1 (36343) 2013-08-14 9:47

Awesome capture of this new (for me anyway) form of yoga. I think the backlighting is much better, it also separate the people from the background. Very well done, tfs.

(The meteors were coming fast and all over the sky going in all directions, so I thought the 30 sec. will allow me to move to the camera to other areas. And you're right about the movement of the earth.)

Royaldevon (85932) 2013-08-14 12:06

Hello Russ,

Well this is a new activity for me!
The balance is amazing!

It was quite a difficult shot but has worked well.
The light creates a most interesting, monochrome f/g, with just a hint of reflections, whilst it illuminates the girls' heads with a golden outline.
The parallel boards create a nice left to right movement across the frame, whilst the girls, with outstretched arms, give the sense of depth between f/g and b/g.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

Waylim (25436) 2013-08-14 18:44

Hello Russ,

I do yoga, it is great excercise, especially good for core muscle. I don't think I will go that far to do it on the board, it is hard enough on solide surface :) I don't want to get wet, I fall too often.

Excellent photo good enought for advertisement for the yoga studio that provide such services.

Way

marabu61 (11587) 2013-08-15 1:24

Hello Russ
As I can't find your other version, I can't comment on the color balance of that, but I think this one has a nice and naturel tone to it.
Exposing on the midtones was certainly the right choice here, you got nice details in the shadows and the highlights dont seemt to be overblown to me.
Do you shoot in RAW or JPEG? In RAW you would have much more control over the colorbalance or exposure than in JPEG. With the right software (such as Adobe Lightroom or Apple Apperture)you can easily correct highlights and shadows as well as you have full control over the color balance.
Funny way for a Yoga session by the way, never seen it on water before. The composition and the framing of the shot is very good with the two boards paralell to each other.
have a great day
Daniel

cjmm (4479) 2013-08-15 7:28

Hola Russ,

I agree with your choice of exposing to the right, sacrificing the highlights. I can't find the other version, but I think that this where you kept the water as it was, helps focusing more on the subjects. (A 'nicer' water could be distracting).

I also agree with Daniel's comment about RAW vs. JPG.

I like the symmetry in the composition and the light halo on the heads.

Finally, it is very true what you say... have lemmons, make lemmonade!!!... It is better to that the risk -and the photo- and then figure out how one can improve the result, than doing nothing at all.

Saludos desde Buenos Aires,
Carlos

No_One (4) 2013-08-15 8:46

hi Russ
Water yoga is a new one of me, but it does look like the perfect place for such a relaxing exercise! The light you captured here on the scene is brilliant, and really compliments the fluid movements of both the water, and the people. Cool!
Cheers
Noel

annjackman (23019) 2013-08-15 10:36

Hello Russ,
Well this is a new one for me - yoga on paddle boards! You coped with the lighting very well. The rim lighting on the two women is very good. Good close framing lets us concentrate onthe activity. Well done.
Kind Regards, Ann

Miguel82 (47110) 2013-08-15 13:03

Another picture showing that what I'll call the yoga on board
You show here some special position Russ, very interesting
Have a nice evening

abmdsudi (95869) 2013-08-16 11:25

Hi Russ
I love this shot as it is.. what I like more actually is the feeling of movement that we are so close just above the water and seeing them pass by amidst the gleaming ripply flowing water. The rim golden lights on the heads are truly sensational and tough on exposure when I see between the lightest and darkest but competently handled Blue and green further add the visual impact. Lovely shot, has a nice calming quality to it, Enjoy.
Best regards

danos (110407) 2013-08-29 14:26

Hello Russ,
very nice the snapshot with the two yoga on the paddle boards to make the image unique.I like the decisive moment of the scene.

Regards,Danos