Iwo Jima Memorial

[David Stephens]

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2844/10644971426_d4a939a850_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/10644971426/)
Iwo Jima Memorial (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/10644971426/) by dcstep (http://www.flickr.com/people/dcstep/), on Flickr

Canon 5D MkIII
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS at 40mm
Av Mode, ISO 400, +4/3EV
f/13, resulting in 1/125-sec. hand held
Raw conversion with DxO Optics Pro

[Don Railton]

Hi David, Dramatic sculpture and hence subject, and nice and sharp but I think I would lighten the clouds (or maybe the whole image) and make the words level..

DON

[David Stephens]

Thanks Don. My inclination is to black out the words. You're right, I need to either raise them up or knock them out because hard to read words are a distraction.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi David, I think I would, as Don mentions, lighten up the monument a bit for a little more detail in the soldiers and possibly a crop from the bottom to eliminate the words.

[Diane Miller]

I love the hint of detail on the monument, but might be tempted to look at a comparison version with a bit more. But I wouldn't lighten things globally. I don't know DxO Optics Pro, but is there more highlight recovery available? (Just a little.) Would be interesting to compare this file converted in current ACR/LR. Don't know what you have....

I could go either way with the words, but would want to level them if they are left. If this isn't a crop, though, that would crowd things too much. Maybe just black them out -- I like the space on the top and sides.

The flag is dramatic with lovely lighting!

[David Stephens]

I actually lowered Blacks to emphasize the silhouette nature of the shot and increase the contrast between the soldiers, sky and flag. I think I'll black out the lettering, but I'll try the other ideas as I rework it sometime in the next day or two. (Things are hectic at work with holidays coming up and year end stuff to get done.

Thanks for all the input.

[Bill Jobes]

The sunlit flag is the crowning feature of this image.

I would keep the words, but level them.

Not all silhouettes work, but this one does !