Stage Coach

[littlemt]

on a rather cloudy day.

 

[Photographiend]

Well, it is what the title promises. IMO it is well executed. A little back story would be nice since I assume this isn't your new ride?

 

[Bynx]

This might have looked better either as an HDR or with on board flash for some fill on the dark side of the wagon.

 

[tirediron]

Strictly speaking, it's a covered wagon and not in fact, a stagecoach! I'm curious as to why you chose to shoot from the rear quarter instead of the front quarter.

 

[amolitor]

You don't think it's an HDR?

It looks like an HDR to me. At any rate, the tonal range is handled oddly. The shadowed side of the wagon looks a little odd, with the sort of feeling of phantom light sources one gets from an HDR image. The sky looks overprocessed, and the colors are over-saturated, to my eye.

This is the style in some circles, and as an example of that it's fine work. It's simply not to my taste.

Composition is fine. The clutter at the edges of the frame left and right could be handled a little better, I think. Either give us a little more context, or go in a little tighter, I'd say, and above all make it look like you chose where the edge of the frame should be, rather than simply letting it fall someplace, unheeded.

 

[littlemt]

the image isn't hdr..

the cloud cover was very heavy on that day...

 

[littlemt]

Strictly speaking, it's a covered wagon and not in fact, a stagecoach! I'm curious as to why you chose to shoot from the rear quarter instead of the front quarter.

I should have shot many different angles, I don't really have a reason for shooting from the rear other then it felt right..... you're right, a covered wagon........

 

[Frequency]

i liked the second image more; the first image is busy on the right bottom corner; it looks almost three dimensional for me too

 

[Bynx]

amolitor I can see why you would think it was an HDR. The exposure for all the elements as a group was excellent. Just a bit of lightening on the shadowy side of the dark wood is all thats needed to bring out the details.

 

[amolitor]

Yes, Bynx, and now it looks even more weird

The original was slightly odd, but one could buy the idea that the sun was behind a cloud and the light was a bit diffuse, although it's a little visually confusing (the light looks and feels warm, like direct sunlight, but spreads and lights like diffuse light -- if you cool the color down and de-saturate a little I think the light works). Your version is downright bizarre looking. What on earth is lighting the wagon?!!

 

[FanBoy]

amolitor, the reflecting light on the wagon could be from gloss or semi-gloss dark paint (as opposed to flat) covering the wagon to protect it from the elements.

Given the daylight, I think the edit brings out the craftsmanship quite well.

 

[SamSpade1941]

I like the image even if it is mis titled. The wagon in question is not a stage coach. It is a covered wagon or prairie schooner with U.S. Military livery markings, for the United States Army Cavalry. I am assuming it is part of a re enactment of great plains expeditions and campaigns. I love history and thats a really well composed shot, I would love to know more about the back story and what the event was. What were they re enacting ? Was it a historically significant event? Or was it just a general re enactment? Did yo get any photos of the re enactors? Very cool and interesting stuff.

 

[manaheim]

heh, I thought it was an HDR too...

burrrrrrn!

 

[Bynx]

amolitor I dont know what you are looking at but I dont think my lightening the wagon looks weird at all. But its not something to discuss. If you see it as weird then to you its weird. And to me thats weird. It looks to me like the sun is almost overhead of the wagon since the shadow is right below it. In fact looking at the wheels the sun is slightly on the viewing side of the wagon so it should have some light on it. Between the original and my version is just a bit of exposure alteration to show the details.