Smokestack

I like the lighting of that scene, but something that I can not grap disturbs me. I think it is a little bit to dark, but if I make it a little bit brighter it just looks boring. What do you think about that picture. If you like, play a little bit with it. ThereforeI attached the second one.

Thanks.
Robert

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...5&d=1277844323

I think having the entire structure would help, especially if a bit of sky or another transition color was shown in the background. The current background sort of overwhelms the profile of the structure.

I sort of saw the image before I registered the title, and do you know what it reminded me of? An Apollo space rocket on the launch pad. I knew I had a weird imagination.

Yes I frequently get into a similar dilemma.

It is a high contrast scene and you cannot increase the highlights so you lighten the shadows which produces a flat and uninteresting image.

Usually, I end up by leaving the image as it was; which is my advice here. It looks good and dramatic as it is.

Hi, Robert;

It's awfully orange. I opened as camera raw in CS5, and used the upper part to get a white balance. I ended up with -25 temp and -30 tint, and I used a recovery 5 to bring the highlights in a little. Then I added a levels layer, and set white point at 207 and mid at 1.26.

This looks more rusty/industrial, and less painty/orange, to me: see if it strikes you as better.

http://i48.tinypic.com/9rlte0.jpg

Since there's so much of one color, I also tried it as monochrome. I converted to B&W, and adjusted levels again.

http://i48.tinypic.com/qqzes7.jpg

Cheers,
Rick

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sunray

I like the lighting of that scene, but something that I can not grap disturbs me. I think it is a little bit to dark, but if I make it a little bit brighter it just looks boring. What do you think about that picture. If you like, play a little bit with it. ThereforeI attached the second one.

Thanks.
Robert

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http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/y...photo/01-1.jpg

Hi Robert,

This is my humble attempt, your comments please

Hi Robert - There has been some recent discussion of abstract images from photographs. With that in mind, here's my abstracted version of your smoke stack. I thought it looked a bit like an old steam engine, if I put it on its side.

http://www.pbase.com/david_ws/image/...5/original.jpg

Cheers

David

Too hard for me :(
http://i46.tinypic.com/2wml2dg.jpg

Hello,

thanks to everyone for comments and modifications. Personally I like Rick's B/W conversion most.
I will try to get the smokestack at another time of day than the structures in the background get more light. Unfortunally it is not possible to get a picture of it from the side, taken from higher ground. It is only half an hour away from my home so I will get a lot of possibilities to get another try.

cu
Robert

Hi, Robert;

If you want to get a full range of exposure of the smokestack and the shadows, maybe try HDR. There's a tutorial on doing it with Photoshop, and of course there's a whole forum section. I've also used Picturenaut, which is quite good.

Cheers,
Rick

Hi Rick,

I tried to to some pictures today there for HDR. But shortly after my arrival some clouds blocked the evening sun. So I have to try it again.
But I wasn't ther for nothing. After sunset the whole complex is illuminated. And like Rob already supposed that thing converts to an Apollo space rocket during nighttime.

bye
Robert

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...9&d=1278109961

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sunray

But I wasn't ther for nothing. After sunset the whole complex is illuminated. And like Rob already supposed that thing converts to an Apollo space rocket during nighttime.

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Hey, that's great Robert, much better than the originals.

btw I preferred the very first one, the side lit by setting sun, which for me, made the WB acceptable.

That said, I also liked Rick's mono version.

Cheers,

Very cool, Robert: I like this one a lot. A totally different look, as you say, and well done on the night exposure.

Cheers,
Rick

A much more interesting and intense photo Robert. The lighting brings out aspects that escape the eye with daytime light.

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/y...Forum/00-1.jpg

Is this any improvement...! !

Yes, it would be one if I had uploaded a less compressed image.

bye
Robert