Old truck B&W - Comments please

[Bo4key]

Here are a couple of shots I took on a recent visit to a winery in Naramata, BC.

1)


Red Rooster Winery by Boaketography, on Flickr

This truck was near the entrance to the winery. I liked that i was able to capture the sign and the truck in one shot. What I don't like are the power lines in the background, but I couldn't get my shot without them.

2)


Old Truck and Barrels - Red Rooster Winery by Boaketography, on Flickr

I don't like that the sky and top passenger side of the truck are blown, not a great shot but I'd like to see how I could have improved it.

Thanks!

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[tirediron]

Nice shots. I think #1 would benefit from a brightening and possibly a slight contrast reduction. It seems a bit dark to me. A speedlight inside the cab to provide a bit of shadow reduction wouldn't have gone amiss either. As for the power lines, yes, they suck, but they're a fact of life. They wouldn't be too difficult to clone out; it would take a bit of patience though. It looks like you've got nasty bit of sensor dust about 3/4 of the way up the image, just below the power-lines in that little gap of clouds. I rather like #2 better for not being a straight side-on shot. THe blown sky is a bit harsh; it could have been dealt with nicely by using several images to form an HDR.

[DennyCrane]

I love the first one, but the Red Rooster sign is very distracting.

[Bo4key]

Thanks for the input!

Had a look at some shots I've taken since these and they look clean so I must've had something on the lens. Too bad.

Unfortunately, I haven't purchased an external flash yet, but it's definitely the next thing I am going to buy. Soon.

Here's an edit with your suggestions:


Red Rooster by Boaketography, on Flickr

That smudge is going to drive me nuts now.

I haven't tried HDR yet, but I can see where it would work on this shot. I want to get more comfortable shooting before I do too much post producing.

[Bo4key]

Thanks!

I wanted to include it to give some context but I can see how it's bright contrast from the rest of the image detracts from it.

[DennyCrane]

There are always solutions in post... this was down & dirty, but...

[sleist]

I agree with what Denny is trying to say here. The brightest object in the image will draw the viewer's eye.
Sometimes this is what you want, but not here.

Don't feel like you need to have the entire truck in the image to convet the beautity of decay.
The sign also makes the truck seem more like a prop. (it is, but no one needs to know that )
I want to see more of the rust and decay - as a viewer I'm left disappointed.

The lack of contrast makes the image seem flat.

me

[ScubaDude]

I use Wire Worm to get rid of power lines.

[tevo]

#1 If the subject is the truck, I find the sign distracting; also maybe a bit underexposed (either that or just simply too dark), and too contrasty imo
#2 Could use a contrast boost - the blown sky doesn't really bother me, however the dark bush contrasts with the truck and is distracting.

[KenC]

Agree about the sign - better removed entirely because I don't see how it improves the image, even though you would cut off the front of the truck to remove it. Power lines don't bother me; in fact they help frame the truck here, imo.

[Bo4key]

#1 If the subject is the truck, I find the sign distracting; also maybe a bit underexposed (either that or just simply too dark), and too contrasty imo
#2 Could use a contrast boost - the blown sky doesn't really bother me, however the dark bush contrasts with the truck and is distracting.

Do you prefer the second edit I did of the first image then, minus the sign? It's a little brighter with less contrast.