Too Tough A Subject?

[John Dailey]

I took this outside an art shop in Eureka Springs, Akansas. I love the “outside art” and those shafts of sunlight. But, WOW, talk about high contrast! I bracketed five images and then used Lightroom HDR Photo Merge to combine them. Plus, a bit more tweaking in Photoshop.

Does it work?

[davidc]

For me, overall it works, except for the top right of the painting. How bright was it to need 5 bracketed frames?

[John Dailey]

Thanks for the feedback, @davidc … Quite bright! But, I think my intial exposures were off as I bracked w/o giving weight to the painting. Try this one…

[Robert Apple]

Looks like you fixed the verticals, too John, which I was going to point out on the first one.

[John Dailey]

Yes, DxO ViewPoint is my friend, Robert. Quite a cool tool!

[davidc]

Good one! the composition good now.

[John Dailey]

Thanks, David!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I think the composition works just fine, but that brightness at the top of the right-hand painting really pulls in the eye very strongly. Maybe that’s the point. But I kind of like the interest in the windows as well. So I’m not sure. If that’s what you want.

[John Dailey]

There is a lot going on, thanks for the note, Rob.! I’m not sure myself. I’ve captured many scenes over the years that give the viewer things to explore. Maybe that is the point here, too.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

I suppose there’s the other question of how hard you want to go in post-production because I don’t think there’s any way even the best camera would get a perfect exposure for this scene because effectively you’ve got a very bright painting next to quite dark windows how was the scene when you looked at it with your bare eyes? I’m going to bet that you could actually take it all in a little better that the camera is able to render.

[John Dailey]

I hear what you are saying, Rob. I think my final “take” on this scene (shown below) is closer to what I saw at the time. I remember feeling that this was a rather magical, unusual place with the cool street art and the sunlight filtering through the above latticework. My late first wife may have said it best when that she said “she no longer tries to take pictures to save for later.” She simply wanted to be “in the moment” and “take it all in.”  As photographers, we sometimes forget that. We get so busy trying to figure out how to save a moment that we actually miss living it. Thanks, @admin-2 !

[Robert Apple]

I Live that comment in reverse, I’m often too busy enjoying a moment to photograph it. Or just sit and enjoy a scene for a long time before picking up the camera. I’ve Missed what could have been some great shots that way.

[John Dailey]

I turned 7o this week. I’m learning to slow down (finally) and just be. I appreciate your perspective on life, Robert!

[Robert Apple]

Happy Birthday John

[John Dailey]

Thank You, Robert!

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Happy birthday, mate.

[John Dailey]

Thanks, Rob!

[Robert Apple]

I finally got a chance to really look at this photo, so the old adage what doesn’t  add to a scene takes away from it, so I would explore a crop, the brightness at the top corner does subtract from the balance of the photo, I would adjust the light on the darker area vs the bright to balance it, and lastly with the frames of the window, and the implied frame of the art piece a square vignette darkening the outer edge of the photo adds yet another frame. This is what I came up with.

[John Dailey]

Thanks for the great ideas, Robert! This image is quite busy. The crop helped a lot. I took your suggestions and tried a new take. Plus, along the way, I learned how to do a square vignette. What do you think?

[Robert Apple]

Looks Great John.

[John Dailey]

Thanks, Robert!

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