On the beach

[Kevin F]

Here's a new one for comment.
Turned out nice I think, but I'm going to do a few alternatives with different lighting, POV and composition.
Suggestions welcome.

Eucalyptus Collina - Divinity digital
Birds and Boat from artist-3d.com/free_3d_models
All the rest mine!

[RArcher]

My suggestion would be to remove the two big rocks and crop the image to be just the top third and have it be a panoramic format render. 

[dandelO]

Nice one, Kevin F, I like it. I think that's a good idea as well, RArcher, except, I've never known a rock to sail!

[RArcher]

   That's funny, I really thought it was just a weird shaped rock!

[airflamesred]

Two big rocks? I think the rock adds to the composition though doesn't right (too big?) At first glance I thought it was an anoexic kangaroo on the right!

[Kadri]

Very nice image , Kevin  

You could do what Ryan says and it would look maybe much better .
The lower part has kind of a strange shadow problem .
The stones are  like floating on the air. They have shadows but very dull ones .
In the upper part it isn't so obvious.

[Kevin F]

 That's funny, I really thought it was just a weird shaped rock!

What? Did you just look at the thumbnail?  - That's so weird!
The rock was there cos I like it, but it might well go and the boat was to give a sense of proportion. The top third is nice but... I like the sand in the lower third. So...hmm.

[RArcher]

I was looking at it with my monitor at work which is old, failing, and way too dark.  At home now and the boat looks like a boat! But I still stand by the composition adjustment! 

[schmeerlap]

I really like this render. I too like the sand texture. Suggestions for improvement . . . I'd replace that one melon-shaped rock with two or three large boulder-sized fake stones, they would pose less of an obstruction looking into the scene. Also, perhaps concentrate the wet black pebbles in and on the edge of the water. Without that large rock, this is a nice render as is.

John

[Kevin F]

Thanks for the comments guys,
A couple of updates on this image, with some of your kind advice used, some not
I really like the wet sand look of the first of these updates but the black pebbles look wrong, in the second the large pebbles look better but the wet beach is not as good. The foam in both has good and bad points.
After a while though you tend to get bored with endless renders of the same scene. I might carry on though a get the best aspects into one final. What do you think? any ideas for improvement?

[Kevin F]

here's the first one . wouldn't load first time?

[inkydigit]

as you say kevin, there are aspects of these two updates that are excellent, get them happening together and you are on a winner....really nice beach work!
some sand castles next perhaps?

[Zairyn Arsyn]

very nice render! excellent work on the water & shore 

that rock looks a bit brown, no wait...

fooled me too, could have swore i saw a rock
its a good thing its not a brown rock, i could have mistaken it for a boat, brown rocks don't float

[dandelO]

It's the attack of the giant sand-eating sea leeches!

[Kevin F]

It's the attack of the giant sand-eating sea leeches!

Ha! Ha! Nice one dandelO, don't want one of those suckers on me!