Scenes from the construction dumpsite and bird sanctuary

[Jack Breakfast]

Greetings folks...I posted a few times before in this forum, and was amazed at the helpfulness of you fine folks. Here's an image from Toronto's Leslie Street Spit, a construction dumpsite and bird sanctuary, more or less. No birds in this picture. Anyhow, I'd welcome your thoughts and comments and suggestions. Many thanks for your time and trouble...
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[Norm Dulak]

I see the dumpsite, but where is the "bird sanctuary"?

[Jack Breakfast]

Sorry Norm...I should have explained that the site is a haven birds of all feathers...none are in this particular picture though. If we forget about the bird sanctuary bit, I'd ask you and others for your opinions on the shot, viz., how might you crop the image? Suggestions would be highly appreciated by y.t. and I thank you in advance...

[Norm Dulak]

Sorry Norm...I should have explained that the site is a haven birds of all feathers...none are in this particular picture though. If we forget about the bird sanctuary bit, I'd ask you and others for your opinions on the shot, viz., how might you crop the image? Suggestions would be highly appreciated by y.t. and I thank you in advance...

I think the crop is OK, but I would post this image as an environmental impact statement, rather than as a general landscape contribution.

And I don't think I'd make reference to a bird sanctuary, since that is not really emphasized in this picture. I presume, however, that some birds may land in the trees between the rubble and the smokestacks.

This image has interest and merit. I would simply re-characterize it.

Norm

[Jack Breakfast]

Your comments are fair, Norm. Of course I see the image as a cityscape/landscape and would not have posted it here if I felt otherwise. That said, I agree wholeheartedly with you RE a re-characterization. When I write too quickly I forget that strangers don't know what goes on in my head. A common mistake among amateur writers, to be sure. Forget the bird sanctuary business. The Leslie St. Spit is a rare and unusual place but there's no need to write about it here. Information about the site is irrelevant to this particular shot.
So: here's a look at a construction dumpsite. If anyone has any suggestions for improvement of this photograph, I'd love to hear them...

[Robert Amoruso]

Jack,

Composition-wise, crop out the building at left that is on the image edge - the clipped building and protruding tree are edge distractions. The image is flat and lacking punch. Also rocks/brick and cloud detail not strong.

I did the following to my repost:

1) Masked highlights and blended using a Multiply layer - see method below.
2) S-Curve to add contrast.
3) Sharpened image.

You can also enhance detail using Local Contrast Enhancement - see links below.



Go to http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=20434 to see my Image Contrast and Tonal Range Tweaks, Part 1.

Go to http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?p=161168 to see my Image Contrast and Tonal Range Tweaks, Part 2.

Look at blending modes in the first link and highlight selection in link 2 using method 2 (CTRL Key and double click on the RGB channels pallet will make same selection in current versions of PS).

Highlight selection:

1) Channels palette.
2) Ctrl key and click the RGB channel. Photoshop will now create a feathered selection around highlight pixels in the image. Photoshop has selected pixels based on how bright they are. Pure white pixels are selected 100%. Pure black pixels are not selected and pixels falling in-between those two extremes are selected based on a percentage of how close they are to white.

Blending Mode Adjustment:

1) Go back to layer palette - you will see selection.
2) Create BG copy.
3) Create mask on the BG copy from the selection.
4) Selection is grayscale shaded.
5) Change blending mode to Multiply.
6) Adjust opacity.

[Jack Breakfast]

Robert...your version is certainly punchier! Your PP work is way over my head, but I'm going to study your methods and see if I can wrap my addled brain around your fine ideas. I really appreciate your time and trouble. Thank you.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Jack, I can't add more to what Robert has said or suggested.

For me personally, the shot doesn't do much. There are some interesting colours and textures to go around, but perhaps it's still an issue of me "not wanting any man-made elements in my landscape images" that is speaking here. I don't mind the odd barn or even nice skyscraper-scapes, but overall I need to 'warm up' to urban landscapes of various kinds a bit more so perhaps you don't need to worry too much about my personal opinion. :e3

[Jack Breakfast]

Thanks Morkel, I will stop worrying immediately! :S3:

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks Morkel, I will stop worrying immediately! :S3:

hopefully only pertaining to this image :w3

[Jack Breakfast]

Yes! I intend to worry about a great many other things, some of them photographic. Without worry I would slip into perpetual boredom and my demise would arrive quickly...

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Jack, I know the place very well. I use to venture down to the spit frequently in search of wintering owls, ducks and so on. I should head down to check out the Black-crowned Night Heron colony someday. I do prefer Robert's repost as it has added the punch needed.