Little Moreton Hall - C&C please

[davidedric]

Taken on a trip out last week. I found this surprisingly difficult to pp, I think because of the different shades of light and dark. Any views on what you would do? (Yes, I know it's a bit "chocolate box" and not an award winner!)

Dave

[JohnRostron]

I would agree that it is a bit chocolate box, but so what? It is an attractive picture of an attractive building. I do remember being taken to visit some of these old Cheshire half-timbered buildings when I were nobbut a lad.

John

[Shadowman]

The directly lit surfaces look natural but lack any warmth,consider adding a bit of warmth to the shadows or darken them. You could also try increasing the blue in the patterns only, leave the sky as it is.

[Texas Dave]

I'm not so sure about the owner's choice of trim work but how could you not photograph that? Thanks for the interesting subject!

[bnnrcn]

Nice and interesting building

[John 2]

...................... (Yes, I know it's a bit "chocolate box" and not an award winner!)

Dave

Given the bright conditions Dave, I think this is a nice record. You might (I say might) take the whites down a bit but that's about all.

[Geoff F]

Yes there are a few spots which are approaching the over bright level. But it was obviously a difficult exposure to get perfect in bright sunshine so I'm not complaining.

I'm not sure about those branches. You have managed to get them in focus but they seem to create a false idea of scale now. The house is starting to resemble a miniature replica instead of being a substantial building.

Maybe a bit of a crop to reduce the amount of branches?

[IzzieK]

You've got some good advice here already especially from the two Johns. I would reduce the branches that were hitting the top of the house itself. It is a pretty house. Is this a residence? If you did not take this, I would say it is made of cardboard box beautified to contain...what? Chocolates!

[JBW]

Taken on a trip out last week. I found this surprisingly difficult to pp, I think because of the different shades of light and dark. Any views on what you would do? (Yes, I know it's a bit "chocolate box" and not an award winner!)

Dave

words usually fail me. First I flipped it, then a slightly tighter crop. A little work in levels and curves and a colour balance emphasizing blue to enhance the white. Finally a layer that embossed and then added a massive 150 gaussian blur to bring out some detail.

[Rob Ekins]

Taken on a trip out last week. I found this surprisingly difficult to pp, I think because of the different shades of light and dark. Any views on what you would do? (Yes, I know it's a bit "chocolate box" and not an award winner!)

Dave,
I would de-saturate the blues on the building, lose a little foreground and shift the building a touch off centre and a sky replacement.

Quick five minute edit below, sky could be better but it was a quickie as an example, high lights on building could come back some more as well.

[davidedric]

Thanks for your suggestions.

I've changed the crop, and also "de-cluttered" some of the branches close to the hall (I used Perfect Photo Suite's "perfect eraser" which seems to have done a reasonable job, I didn't spend forever on it).

Then warmed it a bit and adjusted the exposure, but didn't try a sky replacement (I'd really only do that for some dramatic effect - just my preference)

Not sure how much it's improved, but your ideas are much appreciated,

Dave

[bnnrcn]

I like the idea of flipping the image in Brian's edit, IMO it effects the composition in a positive way