The ghost

[Ricco]

I'm interested in getting some feedback and opinions on this. Whilst it probably isn't one of my most well executed or pleasing photos I've taken, it does keep drawing me back and I don't know why. There is something about the ghostly image that keeps me intrigued.

It is a shot back down the champs élysées in Paris on my recent holiday.

I'd be interested to hear others opinions. Does this shot do anything for you? (It is ok if the answer is no). If you do like it, why?

[RustBeltRaw]

I can see why it grabs you. It's got me, too.

But I believe a few tweaks might help. Try cropping out the crowd on the right-hand side to concentrate focus on the solo gentleman in the crosswalk. Then tighten the crop from top and bottom to maintain the aspect ratio (or go square if you like that better). A little saturation/vibrance, slightly deeper blacks, and a little color correction (looks a tad yellowish green on my monitor), and I think you have a real winner.

[Ricco]

Lex, after your post I had a bit more of a play. I tried the crop but I think the photo needs the room on the side. I tried a stronger vignette on the other version below which I think works ok. You were spot on with the yellow tinge.

1. Cropped



2. Stronger vignette

[RustBeltRaw]

I'm really getting into details now, but I think the vignette is too strong. It dims the upper-left-most light enough to make it look mismatched relative to the others, and creates a dark area in the lower left that doesn't make sense. Looks like you brightened it a bit, too, which I think was a mistake. The gentleman stands out too clearly, and the blown highlights from the traffic are starting to spread. But bringing down the blacks definitely helped.

[Donald]

Going with Lex's setiments. Re-create, precisely, the post-processing (apart from the yellow tinge) done in the original, with the crop in the second and, I think, you've got it. I think the lighting (yellow tinge aside) in the original just brings up detail to the right amount. The second one is just a bot dark, I think.

[Karm Redland]

Peter, I think for images like the "Ghost" it's important for the photographer to have some purpose in mind. For example, I want to construct an image that communicates how people in Paris are invisible to each other. I'm sure you can come up with a million other "hooks" for this image. Once you understand its purpose, then its development follows.

Your title is "The Ghost." What exactly does this mean other than having a subject in your pic that you can see through?

Karm



karm