Which edit do you like best?

[vintagesnaps]

I just find the flare to be visually distracting more than anything. I thought it looked more like it was photoshopped in, and covers so much of the tree. The photos are overly bright to me, although it was obvioulsy a bright sunny day. It's one of those photos that I'm noticing the editing more than the photograph, and wondering what the original looked like.

I learned doing sports and events to move around and try changing the vantage point to keep things out of the frame that I don't want in the picture, like kids and big trash cans, etc. So I try to make my eye move around to see everything in the frame so I can take a step or two or more to make the visual distraction 'disappear' (I taught myself how to make empty seats disappear by scrunching down, etc.). Those cars over there don't really add to the photo. I get aggravated with myself if some annoying thing sneaks into the edge of my photo if I didn't see it in time to reframe the shot.

 

[Peeb]

I like versions 2 & 3 best. Love the flare!

 

[SquarePeg]

I go with #1, while I understand the flare is on purpose, it is my opinion that on #2 it over powers the church and largely becomes the focal point...however you still have the issue of competing focal points and the starburst distracts from the church/steeple

Cheers!

Good point about the competing focal points. That is always an issue with this location during fall.

#1 has deeper blacks. I like crushing blacks, so #1 for me.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I appreciate your input. I tend to also like my photos more contrasty with deeper blacks but in this case the shadows were too deep for me. I don't normally like to shoot mid day but the ride up to this part of NH is almost 2.5 hours for me so not a lot of choice in that.

I do like your final edit. Good job technically, getting that deliberate lens flare.

It's probably no surprise to you that I preferred the 2nd of the original two edits. I like the light, ethereal mood of it. Discovering later in the thread that you made a technical decision to add the whimsy of lens flare only strengthens my preference.

Not everyone is gonna get what you were doing, but I did and I say: Great job!

Thanks Terri. Yes, the purposeful lens flare is not for everyone and I'm ok with that! I appreciate the input on the different edits. I was worried this thread would become all about the flare and should have stated up front that I wasn't looking for feedback on the use of the flare.

I just find the flare to be visually distracting more than anything. I thought it looked more like it was photoshopped in, and covers so much of the tree. The photos are overly bright to me, although it was obvioulsy a bright sunny day. It's one of those photos that I'm noticing the editing more than the photograph, and wondering what the original looked like.

I learned doing sports and events to move around and try changing the vantage point to keep things out of the frame that I don't want in the picture, like kids and big trash cans, etc. So I try to make my eye move around to see everything in the frame so I can take a step or two or more to make the visual distraction 'disappear' (I taught myself how to make empty seats disappear by scrunching down, etc.). Those cars over there don't really add to the photo. I get aggravated with myself if some annoying thing sneaks into the edge of my photo if I didn't see it in time to reframe the shot.

Thanks Sharon. If I were going to print this or use it in a calendar or something I would photoshop out the cars.

I like versions 2 & 3 best. Love the flare!

Thanks Peeb!

 

[jeffashman]

#1 here as well.