This weekend saw a trip to the boardwalk and beach in Santa Monica. There are often sailboats out on weekends, and I was hoping to get some good shots with my new telephoto zoom lens.
Unfortunately, it was very, very hazy. The light was bad, everything was very washed out, and it was hard to get any real color. Luckily, I've gotten better and better (and had some good advice from friends) on doing some digital post-processing. The key, it seems, is to play to the strengths of the photo. Too hazy? Perfect for black and white.
Here is the before shot, as it was taken.
And here is the after shot, following some serious processing. I really like it - I think it evokes a feeling of New England, or of Herman Melville.
See the rest of the photoset on Flickr.
Both photos are looking great. Vignetting for second one is looking nice.