Sunset in the beach II

Wow just amplified the photo, its straight out photoshoped!!! :( i really thought it was a HDR at least but no , i see to many layers working on this photo, :(

In Buzz Lightyears' defence, he has entered a number of my challenges, and I have NEVER seen any evidence of vote manipulation for his entries. Perhaps many people really liked this very dramatic photo, and voted accordingly! RuthC.

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Hi! First, I need to apologize due to my ungrammatical English language. Take into account I speak Spanish and English is a foreign language to me.
I see the wining picture "Devil's Washboard" of my challenge “Sunset in the beach II” has been questioned in the comments section and in the forum. In consideration of other participants I want to explain my point of view.
I never received a single formal complaint for this submission.
Due to a very asymmetric histogram of the votes, I took action during the voting phase and to my best knowledge possible - given the big limitations the anonymous voting system impose - I understood the votes were legitimate.
In relationship to possessing, the rules says: “Please, feel 100% free”, so in this regard the picture is ok no matter what the process it has, as several dpreview members has already pointed out. I do not know for sure if this picture is a composite or not, but any case is allowed. Please, see the next comment.

Looks like Mordor in the back.

14 5 star votes. Cool. I need some friends like that. lol.

The processing rule says: "Please, feel 100% free"
But 5.0 X 14 ; I have never seen that!... Comparing to many shots that are placed after; this one is at most very average to me!... But whom am I, after all!...

lol, how can somebody cheat like this and win? no one observed this?

John, the rules were observed, try reading them.

This is a photoshop composite. It is easy to see the sky has been superimposed. Even the light on the water shows full daylight from the completely opposite direction. Checking on Sunset times at Big Sur on Dec 31st 2012 reveals that sunset occurred at 17:02. Check the EXIF data on this phot which reveals that the photo was taken at 15:10 a full 2 hours BEFORE sunset. This photo should have been DQ'd . 14 x 5 votes are also very suspect.

I personally find it hard to believe there was no post processing. this picture was taken at 3pm not quite what I would call sunset.

Absolutely fantastic shot. I'm always drawn to photos which have a painting like quality to them. The light and composition just all come together here. Well done.

FYI - Pfeiffer Beach is famous for its "arch" and photographers line up 15-20 in a row daily to get the shot of sun rays pouring throught the arch at sunset, but only during the 2 winter months when the setting sun is just right. The arch is actually part of the rock formation on the right of my image. I had already gotten my "sun beam thru the arch" shot and noticed this amazing channel between the arch rock and the other rocks to the left just off the beach. I don't think anyone was paying attention to the amazing play of water and sun that was also on display there, but I sure did, and took the shot. Coyote: when you are there next, look for this channel. By the way -- I made up to name "Devil's Washboard", as that is what came to me about the scene.

I have been there many times, can't figure the angle of this shot?