Abandoned......

[LenR]

An autumn scene from the Red Deer River valley.
1948 Kaiser and Frazer sedans slowly deteriorating the corner of a field in the Badlands hills.
C&C welcome.....

Abandoned by Len Reeves, on Flickr

[whited3]

If they were left in a paddock here in Oz they'd be gone (sold/stolen/whatever) in a jiff.

[LenR]

Hi Mark, out in the rural prairie farming communities it is not unusual to see old, broken down farming equipment, tractors, pick up trucks and the like abandoned in the corner of a field and left to the elements. In recent years however, some of the older classics are being sought by restoration enthusiasts.....

[Chataignier]

They look like an old married couple !

When I bought my property in France there were several abandoned cars in the woods and amongst them a couple of rare early citroen "traction avant". We put the word around and several enthusiasts contacted us - we proposed a deal to take all the abandoned cars, interesting and rubbish alike, and they could have the collectors citroens. Everyone was happy and our woods were tidied !

[billtils]

I like this Len and am a wee bitty reluctant to suggest any edits, but perhaps have a look at a tighter crop (on the cars) and using whatever your preferred tools are to make the cars stand out a bit more?

[Round Tuit]

Lovely capture. +1 to Bill's suggestion.

[LenR]

My thanks to David, Bill and Andre for taking the time to comment on this image.
Much appreciated.....

[Geoff F]

I was also thinking about a slight crop - but keep the full tree height

[LenR]

Geoff, cheers for the input.......

[AntonioCorreia]

Len, the mountain backdrop offers a homogeneous canvas that gently embraces the two veteran automobiles, allowing their distinct colours to breathe and assert themselves naturally within the composition. These 76-year-old treasures emerge from the scenery as undeniable protagonists, each carrying its own chromatic personality.

Even so, I felt there was room to intensify this visual dance between figure and background. Through subtle digital treatment, I sought to amplify the dialogue already existing in the image. I selected the cars and granted them an additional touch of luminosity, allowing them to shine with greater presence. Subsequently, I inverted the mask and worked the background in the opposite direction, creating a more pronounced separation between the planes.

The process included a careful reduction of clarity, in an attempt to achieve a slight blur that would lend naturalness to the transition. Although the result did not completely achieve the idealized softness, the intervention managed to honor the essence of these historic automobiles, highlighting them without compromising the documentary atmosphere that surrounds them.

[LenR]

Hi Antonio, appreciate you taking the time to offer editing suggestions for the image.
Although the direction you are suggesting may have have some merit, I am not entirely sure whether as presented, it is "My cup of Tea" Perhaps a more subtle approach would be worth exploring.
Cheers.

[escape]

Hi Len. The higher contrast of Antoniosa's edit works for me. It works better for my vision. Regardless, I felt the image needed a little bit more space at the bottom—just my perspective. Im still trying to decide if the original makes a stronger statement by keeping it closer to the edge.

[LenR]

Hi Daniel, thanks for your input. A little more space at the bottom is worth considering.
I have taken another gander at Antonio's edits. Increasing the contrast of the 2 vehicles could indeed be beneficial but I am still not convinced about the darkening and softening of the background hills.....
Cheers.

[AntonioCorreia]

Regarding Len's photograph and the various comments that emerged in the thread, I perfectly understand that my initial approach may not have won Leo's enthusiasm. Fundamentally, I was merely seeking to grant visual protagonism to these two automobiles which, planted in the midst of rural serenity, assume almost the role of elegant outsiders in the composition.

Naturally, I respect the different aesthetic sensibilities that each person brings to photographic treatment – after all, it is precisely this diversity of perspectives that enriches our creative dialogue. Motivated by this reflection, I returned to the image and conceived a completely new interpretation: a vigorous and deliberately theatrical sepia, in perfect harmony with the temporal dignity of these classics.

I take this opportunity to clarify a matter that gives me particular satisfaction: when I mention that the automobiles count 76 years and not the expected 77, it is because they left the factory in November 1948 and, strictly speaking, are still awaiting their next anniversary!

The new framing pleases me frankly. I confess, however, that there remains in me an almost childlike curiosity: how might the interiors of these noble veterans have withstood the passing decades? Certain automotive mysteries exercise an irresistible fascination over me.