Recent Shot, C&C welcome

eddlum25 · Feb 13, 2012

A walk in the city center yesterday yielded to this image. The day was overcast. The first thing in my mind before I took this image was the details that I can bring out in the wooden door and the status and that is what I did. What do you think. Is there anything I can do to bring out more texture in this picture? Please be harsh with your critique because that is how I learn.

ISO 160 f/4 1/125 at 50mm
Lens : Tamron 17-50 f.28
Image processed with Lightroom 4 Beta version.

Thank you for taking time to visit.

MReid · Feb 13, 2012

Looks like there is plenty of detail...maybe even out the crop on the phone booths.

HughGuessWho · Feb 13, 2012

The colors are amazing. And looks like the focus is tack sharp.

KmH · Feb 13, 2012

The overcast lighting creates soft light, but it's also flat light that really diminishes the perception of depth.

Some of that sense of depth can be brought back by selectively dodging and burning in the image. Unfortunately, Lightroom's ability to dodge and burn is pretty crude compared to what can be achieved using CS5.

The_Traveler · Feb 13, 2012

When I see a pretty symmetrical shot, like this, I expect to find the most interesting thing(s) at the center.
But to me, these doors don't seem to be anything special, just doors.
Am I missing something?

JessicaLynn · Feb 13, 2012

i think this is a nice photo, however you should make sure both sides are cropped equally... the right side is cropped really close to the phone booth and the left has more space. Or... i agree with Mreid and just crop them both out.

KmH · Feb 13, 2012

eddlum25 said:

One of many possibilities:

eddlum25 · Feb 13, 2012

Thank you for all your comments.

KmH, I see what you have done in the image, points taken and thank you again.

Austin Greene · Feb 13, 2012

As others said, a little crop can go a long ways with a photo that has as good a foundation as this one does! I would suggest you go back sometime and try to reshoot it in HDR, just to really get every last bit of detail, and because I'm curious what it would look like in HDR

eddlum25 · Feb 13, 2012

togalive said:
As others said, a little crop can go a long ways with a photo that has as good a foundation as this one does! I would suggest you go back sometime and try to reshoot it in HDR, just to really get every last bit of detail, and because I'm curious what it would look like in HDR

I might do it for you as well

Bossy · Feb 13, 2012

I used Topaz 4 - Crisp, just for kicks. I also used Transform and roughly straightened your lines.

eddlum25 · Feb 13, 2012

Bossy said:
I used Topaz 4 - Crisp, just for kicks. I also used Transform and roughly straightened your lines.

Great job, Bossy

The_Traveler · Feb 13, 2012

I am pretty surprised at the responses here.
I don't see much in the original shot and the successive beatings this has taken with PS etc. have resulted in this last image being almost comic book in color and with not two parallel lines or square angles in the photo. (that may be an exaggeration but not by much)

eddlum25 · Feb 13, 2012

Looks like all the pp are down to dodge and burn.

Bossy · Feb 13, 2012

Taste differs. Its ok Traveler, really. I can accept that you hate a photo if you can accept that others like it. There isn't much technically wrong with it. Its in focus, its exposed ok, its composed almost interestingly, your only voiced beef with it is you don't like doors. Which is fine. You don't have to like doors.
And thats why I said "roughly straightened". I'm not going to spend more than a minute on an image intended only to give an idea of what I'm talking about. As for the "comic book" colors, its just a fun play kiddo, sometimes artists do that. And really, the colors aren't any different than the original.