The Hallmark of success

[tbob]

I had someone say they liked this because it looked like a greeting card. I accepted the praise as well intended and thanked them. Meanwhile my hair was standing straight up as I was afraid I had inadvertently strayed into the cutesy wootsy area. Next; velvet painting.

[Wavelength]

Very nice shot!!!

[Artshot]

I think you would need an inflatable Santa or maybe some elves to get into cutesy territory.
Too me it has a cold, uninviting feeling that makes it a great winter image.

[NorthernFocus]

I like it. Looks like it was so cold the people just abandoned the place.

Even after all the years I've been shooting my wife still thinks it is a compliment to tell me that one of my photos looks like a painting. She means well...

[tbob]

I think you would need an inflatable Santa or maybe some elves to get into cutesy territory.
Too me it has a cold, uninviting feeling that makes it a great winter image.

Darn I just put my reindeer silhouette and lights away

It was minus 24C when I shot this. I think that qualifies as cold. Although it then went to minus 35 for a week, so now minus 24 would be warm by comparison.

[tbob]

I like it. Looks like it was so cold the people just abandoned the place.

Even after all the years I've been shooting my wife still thinks it is a compliment to tell me that one of my photos looks like a painting. She means well...

I wonder how a painter feels if they are told their work looks like a photograph? I am on the community arts council, if I ever decide to retire my position on the board that may be quick exit strategy.

[Shadowman]

Nice.

[JBW]

M'Lady agrees it is a postcard sort of shot. But she likes it

[DanK]

I don't think you have ventured over to the dark side, at least not yet. It does look a little blue. Was that the time of day, or a WB issue?

But if you are determined to go down the path of no return, digital offers a cheap and very tidy way to ease into painting on velvet. Just do some extreme HDR tone mapping. You'll be halfway there and won't even have to clean up afterwards.

[tbob]

I don't think you have ventured over to the dark side, at least not yet. It does look a little blue. Was that the time of day, or a WB issue?

But if you are determined to go down the path of no return, digital offers a cheap and very tidy way to ease into painting on velvet. Just do some extreme HDR tone mapping. You'll be halfway there and won't even have to clean up afterwards.

Time of day. It was predawn, I did warm it up a bit however it still retains quite a blue cast.

I tend to agree with you about HDR. I bought an HDR program, I never seem to use it. Some of the presets freak me out to think someone thought the resulting image was so fantastic it warrants being emulated.