Dark Lyme: Lyme Regis - a short-cut from the town centre to the car park. The walkway has a stream both sides. Do you have an opinion on the processing?

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Lyme Regis - a short-cut from the town centre to the car park. The walkway has a stream both sides. Do you have an opinion on the processing?

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Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I like it, Dave! The light and composition hold my attention for quite some time. I wonder if the child is out alone, or if the shadowed figures are family. The light on the house makes me hopeful that safe haven is near. Small details, such as the stick she's holding, add interest, as do the textures of the wall and fence between the buildings.

Have you tried without the sparkly light on lower left? I'd be curious about how that would look darker.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

It's an interesting corner of the town, but it looks a bit over-sharpened to my eye.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Linda From Maine wrote:

I like it, Dave! The light and composition hold my attention for quite some time. I wonder if the child is out alone, or if the shadowed figures are family. The light on the house makes me hopeful that safe haven is near. Small details, such as the stick she's holding, add interest, as do the textures of the wall and fence between the buildings.

Have you tried without the sparkly light on lower left? I'd be curious about how that would look darker.

This is an old jpeg, before I took to shooting raw, so pp is a bit limited. The sparkle is water and I did try toning it down, but didn't like the look. Not sure about the wall texture - may have overdone it in the original pp but can't remember now, and there's no changing it! The light on the house is natural, as found. There were no figures in the original, they come from other shots along the beach and quay on the same day. Thanks for thoughts on it Linda, always appreciated.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

R.G. wrote:

It's an interesting corner of the town, but it looks a bit over-sharpened to my eye.

I may have oversharpened in the original pp RG, but it's a while back and I don't recall. Can say it was the sort of thing I did then! Certainly no sharpening this time around, just the addition of the figures, also without sharpening.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

magnetoman wrote:

Lyme Regis - a short-cut from the town centre to the car park. The walkway has a stream both sides. Do you have an opinion on the processing?

Composition is very good. Would not have noticed for sure that it is a composite. I noticed some haloing around the dark figures. That is easily fixed. I like the texture on the lighted wall and the fence adds interest. Also very good is the dim light in the window upper right. It is a moody and atmospheric photo. Without the figures I think I would like it just as well; but with the figures it is really a nice photo. I think it is well done and very powerful.
Erich

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

ebrunner wrote:

Composition is very good. Would not have noticed for sure that it is a composite. I noticed some haloing around the dark figures. That is easily fixed. I like the texture on the lighted wall and the fence adds interest. Also very good is the dim light in the window upper right. It is a moody and atmospheric photo. Without the figures I think I would like it just as well; but with the figures it is really a nice photo. I think it is well done and very powerful.
Erich

Thanks Erich. I left the halo on the figures purposely as I felt that light would, in reality, provide a rim of light around the figures. Moody and atmospheric was the aim.

ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

magnetoman wrote:

Thanks Erich. I left the halo on the figures purposely as I felt that light would, in reality, provide a rim of light around the figures. Moody and atmospheric was the aim.

Actually, right before I wrote my comment I wondered if you had left that there as I saw no halos anywhere else in the photo. I can see your point to make a kind of frame around the figures. Clever, but I wonder if most people would just see them as halos? Don't know the answer to that question.
Erich

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

ebrunner wrote:

Actually, right before I wrote my comment I wondered if you had left that there as I saw no halos anywhere else in the photo. I can see your point to make a kind of frame around the figures. Clever, but I wonder if most people would just see them as halos? Don't know the answer to that question.
Erich

I wonder if it would have more impact without those in it at all, just leaving the child on his/her own in dark? Might try that.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

ebrunner wrote:

Actually, right before I wrote my comment I wondered if you had left that there as I saw no halos anywhere else in the photo. I can see your point to make a kind of frame around the figures. Clever, but I wonder if most people would just see them as halos? Don't know the answer to that question.
Erich

How about this version?

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ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore

magnetoman wrote:

How about this version?

What I like about this version is the foreground. It is very dark, as it should be; but there is some detail in the walkway and, without the figures, the lone child has much more impact. Now I don't have two groups of figures to contemplate, while I still have the child. I think I like this version better in terms of composition; and I don't have any technical issues that can be a bit distracting. It appears that you added a texture and that works better with just the child. They are both powerful photos. I might give the second version the nod, though.
Erich

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Really lovely. The negative space, along with the lit areas brings focus to the subject, and accompanying subjects. The exposure ensures just enough detail to establish place, but not overwhelm with details.
--Bob

magnetoman wrote:

Lyme Regis - a short-cut from the town centre to the car park. The walkway has a stream both sides. Do you have an opinion on the processing?

NJFrank Loc: New Jersey

magnetoman wrote:

Lyme Regis - a short-cut from the town centre to the car park. The walkway has a stream both sides. Do you have an opinion on the processing?

I like the lighting. The couple in the shadows adds some drama to the shot. The young person walking down the steps seems obvious to his surroundings. To me he is the counterbalance to the two figures in the shadows. A little yin and yang.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

ebrunner wrote:

What I like about this version is the foreground. ... (show quote)

Think I'm with you on this one Erich, it's that extra bit of light on the walkway that does it. Thanks for the appraisal.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

rmalarz wrote:

Really lovely. The negative space, along with the lit areas brings focus to the subject, and accompanying subjects. The exposure ensures just enough detail to establish place, but not overwhelm with details.
--Bob

Thanks Bob, much appreciated.