Cover shot of Trunk Bay

[TXDillon]

Ok, ever play the game of finding the differences in two drawings?
I challenge you to take an unretouched photo of Trunk Bay shot from the road at close to the same angle as the CT&L cover from March 2009 and compare the two. Any photo from the last 5 years or so will do. Other than color and contrast tweaks, how many distinct differences do you find?

Photoshop - just because you can, doesn't mean you should!

[adminforum]

Thanks for your post. As I understand it, the image was retouched to accommodate the necessary cover text, but we agree that there's no other need to tweak an image that's already so beautiful. The Caribbean doesn't need our help to look great :)

Reagan
Online Editor

[TXDillon]

Just thought I'd get people to looking at the cover and their old photos.

I figured erasing Trunk Cay had to be done for the cover text to show up, but why clone stamping over the Park Ranger house, the lifeguard stand, and the actual beach itself? The clone over the house was of a particularly distinct group of trees up and to the right on the hill. And of course for the two lovely people running hand in hand into the water, they would have to be about 15 feet tall to have that detail visible from the photographer's position.

At some point a scene becomes an idyllic painting, as opposed to a beautifully composed photograph of an idyllic location! I take CT&L for the photos as much as anything else and use them to improve and learn from the best.

Since I got no responses from other readers, I guess it is all a moot point.

[kirbychristian]

I wanted to respond but I couldn't find my copy of the issue you are talking about. But I agree with your comment about photoshop on images. I feel it is "cheating" in a sense...I want to see what the place really looks like, especially when I'm looking at a magazine like CT&L, which I rely on when planning trips to the Caribbean.

[TXDillon]

You would also be mislead by the photo referenced in my earlier post about Reef Bay Trail and the petroglyphs on St. John. If you expected them to appear as they did in Simonson's photo, you'd be disappointed and confused. He outlined them in chalk for better appearance in the photo. tsk, tsk, tsk....

[Carib Mark]

I noticed immediately the lack of the lifeguard area. I also notice the lack of the 400 people that show up on days cruise ships are there in their rented snorkels and inflatable yellow vests. Or the ones who are adjusting their masks or chatting while standing on the coral. Or how about the people who don't pay any attention and kick your mask off while trying to see what you're looking at? They aren't in the picture. Oh yeah, how about the people who figure, "Someone picks up all my crap on the ship, so I'll just leave my garbage on the beach and head back to the ship" that I end up picking up after? Don't see them.

I also don't see my wife and I sitting under the trees by the path to the snack shack, sipping our wonderful frozen rum punches or Caribs, while reading quietly in the shade between swims or dives.

I'm sorry to sound cynical, but Trunk truly is one of the most beautiful of StJ's many beaches, but visitors really need to realize that it's a park, it needs love and care, and respect to it and to each other. Did you know that US stamps for Intl mail show Trunk Bay?! How cool. And so I ask, treat this, and all the beautiful places you travel to, with the care you know they deserve.