Smokestack

[Sunray]

I like the lighting of that scene, but something that I can not grap disturbs me. I think it is a little bit to dark, but if I make it a little bit brighter it just looks boring. What do you think about that picture. If you like, play a little bit with it. ThereforeI attached the second one.

Thanks.
Robert

[Shadowman]

I think having the entire structure would help, especially if a bit of sky or another transition color was shown in the background. The current background sort of overwhelms the profile of the structure.

[carregwen]

I sort of saw the image before I registered the title, and do you know what it reminded me of? An Apollo space rocket on the launch pad. I knew I had a weird imagination.

[Geoff F]

Yes I frequently get into a similar dilemma.

It is a high contrast scene and you cannot increase the highlights so you lighten the shadows which produces a flat and uninteresting image.

Usually, I end up by leaving the image as it was; which is my advice here. It looks good and dramatic as it is.

[rick55]

Hi, Robert;

It's awfully orange. I opened as camera raw in CS5, and used the upper part to get a white balance. I ended up with -25 temp and -30 tint, and I used a recovery 5 to bring the highlights in a little. Then I added a levels layer, and set white point at 207 and mid at 1.26.

This looks more rusty/industrial, and less painty/orange, to me: see if it strikes you as better.



Since there's so much of one color, I also tried it as monochrome. I converted to B&W, and adjusted levels again.



Cheers,
Rick

[Ashwin]

I like the lighting of that scene, but something that I can not grap disturbs me. I think it is a little bit to dark, but if I make it a little bit brighter it just looks boring. What do you think about that picture. If you like, play a little bit with it. ThereforeI attached the second one.

Thanks.
Robert

Hi Robert,

This is my humble attempt, your comments please

[David]

Hi Robert - There has been some recent discussion of abstract images from photographs. With that in mind, here's my abstracted version of your smoke stack. I thought it looked a bit like an old steam engine, if I put it on its side.



Cheers

David

[arith]

Too hard for me

[Sunray]

Hello,

thanks to everyone for comments and modifications. Personally I like Rick's B/W conversion most.
I will try to get the smokestack at another time of day than the structures in the background get more light. Unfortunally it is not possible to get a picture of it from the side, taken from higher ground. It is only half an hour away from my home so I will get a lot of possibilities to get another try.

cu
Robert

[rick55]

Hi, Robert;

If you want to get a full range of exposure of the smokestack and the shadows, maybe try HDR. There's a tutorial on doing it with Photoshop, and of course there's a whole forum section. I've also used Picturenaut, which is quite good.

Cheers,
Rick

[Sunray]

Hi Rick,

I tried to to some pictures today there for HDR. But shortly after my arrival some clouds blocked the evening sun. So I have to try it again.
But I wasn't ther for nothing. After sunset the whole complex is illuminated. And like Rob already supposed that thing converts to an Apollo space rocket during nighttime.

bye
Robert

[Dave Humphries]

But I wasn't ther for nothing. After sunset the whole complex is illuminated. And like Rob already supposed that thing converts to an Apollo space rocket during nighttime.

Hey, that's great Robert, much better than the originals.

btw I preferred the very first one, the side lit by setting sun, which for me, made the WB acceptable.

That said, I also liked Rick's mono version.

Cheers,

[rick55]

Very cool, Robert: I like this one a lot. A totally different look, as you say, and well done on the night exposure.

Cheers,
Rick

[Klickit]

A much more interesting and intense photo Robert. The lighting brings out aspects that escape the eye with daytime light.

[Ashwin]

Is this any improvement...! !

[Sunray]

Yes, it would be one if I had uploaded a less compressed image.

bye
Robert