Placa dom Pedro

[John 2]

Another from Lisbon.

[IzzieK]

14mm...according to your EXIF...I am amazed at the width of this lens, it can take quite a wide scene...it would have been nice if the image is softer. The clouds looks overcooked, why is that? Just curious...

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured, the clouds could be cropped somewhat as they don't really add much to the scene. Also that bird looks so lonely.

[John 2]

Thanks John, thanks Izzie. I must admit there was something I wasn't sure of here but I couldn't see it. A tighter crop and taking the edge off the clouds are definite improvements. So version 2:

[bnnrcn]

Hi John I like the composition. IMO the image looks too crisp because of adding too much structure and/or sharpening. I would step back a bit

PS. You already uploaded the cropped version while I was writing my comment John. I like the feeling of vastness in your original but the crop looks good too. But IMO the structure/sharpening issue still carries on.

[John 2]

Not added any structure Binnur (structure as in Nik). I think it must be just the effect of the contra jour lighting. Tried adding some Gaussian Blur but it doesn't look right. Thanks for the feedback though.

[KimC]

I am so glad I looked at this one, as I really enjoy it! It is extremely sharp, but my eye finds it pleasing/fitting for the image. I also prefer the original with the clouds, as it felt to me like the clouds were wrapping over the top of the image giving it almost a 3D feel.

[IzzieK]

Not added any structure Binnur (structure as in Nik). I think it must be just the effect of the contra jour lighting. Tried adding some Gaussian Blur but it doesn't look right. Thanks for the feedback though.

About .4% is what I did and it looks similar to yours. Maybe it is because of the crispiness of the water too...the deflects the attention from the actual bluring in the clouds...I do not know...not sure ...

[John 2]

Thanks Kim, thanks Izzie. I chose the viewpoint to bring out some sparkle in the water which disappears if I add blur. Can't remember if I sharpened but I did dodge the buildings a little.

[IzzieK]

Thanks Kim, thanks Izzie. I chose the viewpoint to bring out some sparkle in the water which disappears if I add blur. Can't remember if I sharpened but I did dodge the buildings a little.

You know, yesterday hubby and I went out to get my laptop back from service and in front of us along the way, were almost exactly the same clouds like what you have here -- very textured. Then I realized that I was using my sunglasses. I have 4 exchangeable magnetic style lenses but I wore the polarized pair...usually my sunglasses just rest on my head...

Anyway, long story short, the clouds reminded me of your shot here. I removed my sunglasses then put it on again several times and each time, I am convinced now that your clouds here are sharpest when viewed with the polarized dark lens and when I removed it, the cloud textures were smoothed out. Go make your own conclusion from here. It will take a hell of a lot of work to keep each of those edges normal looking, but just accept it as is now as it is more closer to reality than real. Maybe this is where "looking at things with rose-coloured glasses" came from...just a thought...there is nothing wrong with your shot after all...

[John 2]

Izzie, I think that it is to do with contrast. The original shot was very contrasty due to the lighting conditions and that I think has produced more edge sharpness than might otherwise have been the case. I have had to recover the extreme highlights and lift some of the shadows because the dynamic range of the camera couldn't handle both but the sharpness remains hence the impression the image gives. Pure uneducated assumption though. Any one more knowledgeable??

[MrB]

Everything below the sky looks very good in the mono conversion - the buildings, the fountain, and the attractive patterns in the paving. However, I find the over-processed clouds (even in the edit) to be quite a distraction from the pleasant detail of the town scene.

Cheers.
Philip

[John 2]

I think I agree with you Philip if I'm honest. I think that I have pulled the blue of the sky down too far and it's made te sky look angry. I think that I should have left it a bit lighter.