USS New Jersey

[Viridian]

Hi Zach,

I prefer the colour version and I like the composition.

I think this is a good image that could be great.

My personal views (on the original, part colour version) are that I feel;

a) it is a shame the clouds between the barrels are not treated the same as those 'outside'
b) the overall effect is just a bit too much for me
c) the line of overhead flags going to the bow are a distraction from the composition of barrels

Is a) just down to a lack of time/effort in applying hand corrected exposure, or the effect of radius setting in some automatically applied 'HDR' treatment?
b) could the effect have been reigned in a bit? particularly, as some have mentioned, the sky at the top is just a bit too dark - it is 'competing' with the underside of the barrels
c) I appreciate you couldn't take the flags down, but they could perhaps be cloned out (not everyone will agree).
If not, I wonder what they would look like if not treated as one with the 'sky', but given their correct foreground exposure (as used on turret front)? I appreciate this may entail some fiddly masking though - and I/you might not like the result - it may actually increase the 'distraction factor'.

Just my thoughts, for what they're worth.

I took most of what you said into consideration. I removed the flags, and adjusted the exposures of the clouds and the inside and outside of the barrels to match with eachother. Thanks for your criticism I really appreciate it

[bnnrcn]

I like the edit, although I had no objection to the flags, it works fine without flags as well and the sky with adjusted exposure looks better

[Dave Humphries]

That really works for me Zach,

Great image.

[Viridian]

Thanks everyone!!

[Loose Canon]

Hi Zach!

Hey man, I really, really like this image. I have been watching this thread since you posted. I already hate myself for what I am about to say to you because I’m really going to nitpick this image. I wouldn’t ordinarily but I’m going to say it anyway and just deal with hating myself later because I think this image deserves it!

I suspect you saw this and shot it at this angle because you saw the remarkable symmetry from this PoV. That is what struck me the first time I saw it. Darn good eye.

The final edit you have made is great and I think Dave made a good call with his suggestions.

But the symmetry of the frame is off. Slight, to be sure, but off just the same.

So rather than bury myself any deeper I’ll just put a couple of screen grabs up to illustrate and you can decide for yourself if I’m full of crap (I already know I am)!

Anyway, maybe it doesn’t make any difference one way or the other and I have no idea how you could have shot it any better. I know I couldn't have. Its just about dead bang on! But I think it would be noticeable in a large print. Just a theory!

Either way, darn good eye Zach!

[Viridian]

Hi Zach!

Hey man, I really, really like this image. I have been watching this thread since you posted. I already hate myself for what I am about to say to you because I’m really going to nitpick this image. I wouldn’t ordinarily but I’m going to say it anyway and just deal with hating myself later because I think this image deserves it!

I suspect you saw this and shot it at this angle because you saw the remarkable symmetry from this PoV. That is what struck me the first time I saw it. Darn good eye.

The final edit you have made is great and I think Dave made a good call with his suggestions.

But the symmetry of the frame is off. Slight, to be sure, but off just the same.

So rather than bury myself any deeper I’ll just put a couple of screen grabs up to illustrate and you can decide for yourself if I’m full of crap (I already know I am)!

Anyway, maybe it doesn’t make any difference one way or the other and I have no idea how you could have shot it any better. I know I couldn't have. Its just about dead bang on! But I think it would be noticeable in a large print. Just a theory!

Either way, darn good eye Zach!

Hmm very good point here and I actually agree with you 100%. Now the question is, did you just straighten it with a straighten tool in PS or something?
Either way thank you alot for your suggestions, criticism just makes me better!

[Loose Canon]

Zach I used the Warp tool and cropped just a tad in Photoshop.

[NorthernFocus]

The edited version is much improved. The lighting looks much better. The flags were bothering me in the original but I didn't have a suggestion what to do about them. Never occurred to me to simply remove them. That was a good call IMO.

We all get to learn a bit from threads like this one. Hearing others' POV, seeing multiple edits of the image, etc. is very beneficial to us all. Nice job with the photo.

[Viridian]

The edited version is much improved. The lighting looks much better. The flags were bothering me in the original but I didn't have a suggestion what to do about them. Never occurred to me to simply remove them. That was a good call IMO.

We all get to learn a bit from threads like this one. Hearing others' POV, seeing multiple edits of the image, etc. is very beneficial to us all. Nice job with the photo.

Thank you, Dan!

[Viridian]

There it is! All straightened out!

[Loose Canon]

Nice piece of work Zach.

[Viridian]

Thank you!