Thisis one of those scenes you either like at first glance or don't, and even with some editing work, I still think it's one of those images you either accept as is, or put it in the circular file...I didn't lie it plain jane, but I am not sure even with some value toning, I like any more...sorry, to be such a putz, but it is what it is. It's terrible as a B&W..weird.
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i agree with b+w did not work for me either. i just like the simplicity of the over all.
If you really want to have fun with this image, you can take it to a hard core extreme of dark and scary in almost no time...but I didn't want to freak you out...
I'm one of the ones that loves it at first glance. I might be tempted to crop a bit top and bottom and I wish I could see all of the trail off to the left, but generally speaking I really like the scene and the muted colours; in fact I might mute or tone down the oranges and yellows even more, not sure, but to me the muted colours go with the scene. Your original looks a bit orange (but not unaturally so) on my screen and Chris's has a green cast which I don't like at all.
Wendy
Just re-spydered my screen, so not sure where the green cast is coming from..in fact, I took it back into PS and did a color cast removal layer just to see if I had missed something in my calibration, but no could see anything resembling green. I'd be curious to see if anyone else noticed this?
This image is a bit of an enigma to me. At first glance I like much of it. My first thought was the windmill was a bit soft. Secondly, I was trying to determine if I loved the color or if it simply didn't work.
Wendy and Chris, I didn't see the green hue mentioned on my screen.
In the end it seems the image suffers from a lack of contrast combined with the sky not being wildly interesting which is hard to omit given the windmill extends so far into it. In any case, I saved the image, manipulated levels 5 times then re-combined and came up with this. Probably, a shot in the dark but an effort nonetheless...
I love the first one. It looks real and makes me wish I was standing next to you. Other than cropping or straightening I don't think I have seen a picture that has been 'shopped that really looks better, to me that is. But I am just getting crotchety in my old age.
I like the composition of the image but do feel it could have been framed more to the left to show the full path and place the windmill in the right 1/3 of the image. It seems a bit bright and flat. I like the tones and details in Chris' edit in post #2. I didn't see any green tiny to it.
That might be true, Keith - it certainly applies to me! However, your comment is not evidence for this, but rather the opposite - you are being very positive about Jack's image. It also shows, along with other comments and edits here, how we all see things differently. Some like muted colour tones or even B&W. For me the world is full of colours - as I look out into the rain falling on my garden right now, I still see rich greens of the grass and moss and the different rich brown tones of the trees, shrubs and the wooden fence. So for me, the original shot is slightly too dull to be real, but I wouldn't want it as saturated as in post #7.
As always - just my opinion.
Philip
Seconded!!!!
Ummm, I just noticed that Jack didn't ask for C&C or to have his imaged reworked, so apologies Jack, but I hope you know intentions were good.
I love the image as is and would love to see the same image in different weather conditions and seasons. It's the type of scene that lends itself well to many moods.
Wendy
Unless someone specifically requests not to rework their images, I feel everything on here is pretty much fair game. It is a learning and teaching forum and should be treated as such. If no one had ever worked my images, I would have never learned nearly what I know now, nor would I have been pushed to learn more.
I never edit to offend or show off, only to show perhaps another way to approach an image. Just my opinion.
On another forum I belong to, we have an option of putting the phrase, "Please feel free to edit my images," or, "Please do not edit my images." It might help to avoid ruffling feathers if CiC offered the same option..
Last edited by MiniChris; 18th January 2012 at 06:30 PM.
We have considered this, but as you say, given our intent as a learning environment, it almost seems pointless - afterall, if anyone feels that strongly, they can always put such a sentence in their signature, where it'll be seen by most people, or manually add it after their image. I can only remember one person ever doing so and that's fine.
To the photo:
I think I prefer the last offered by Philip.
Chris, I do see the grass looking more alive (than dead) in your post #2 version, so it may have a tad more green in the mid tones, but it doesn't look like a cast or anything so obvious.
Jack, this was shot at 140mm, so there must have been scope for a wider angle view to include what I assume would be the missing bit of the path looping around on the left, perhaps in a landscape format, do you have such an image?
Cheers,
i appreciate all comments and reworking gives me a chance to see what others see, or would change. thanks everyone.
i just posted landscape format for you all to play with.
I love it. I love the simplicity of it ~ the washed-out-winter look of it. The 'white' space (as opposed to saying negative space 'cuz...well... 'negative space' sounds so...negative) works very perfectly with the image. It. Just. Looks. Like. Winter. Thanks for sharing.
P.S. Chris, I see no green cast.