The Window

I took this image inside the Georgia O'Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, NM. It was looking out a window - I liked the silhouettes of the trees outside. It reminds me of a painter (French I think) and I can't remember who it is. I am sure this won't appeal to a lot of people. For me, I get some kind of deep feeling when I look at it. Strange, huh?:S3:

I like how you cropped the image to match the window frame. I think it is a strong graphic image, with contrast between the curing lines of the tree and the straight lines of the window. I wish the main tree trunks were not a pale black as they lose some power. But, if they were darker, they would blend in with the window. Perhaps best as is. Good job seeing and photographing this.

Thanks, Anita:S3:

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Originally Posted by Cheryl Slechta

. . . For me, I get some kind of deep feeling when I look at it. Strange, huh?:S3:

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Not so strange. I think I can relate to that. In which case, I hope it isn't strange.

The tree silhouettes, I think, would be better lighter for two reasons. One is because the one on the left isn't physically separated from the window frame and it's not much different in tone, either. The other is that there would be a greater feel of uncertainty and mystery about what is obscured on the other side even though we consciously know what's there. Hmm. Maybe there's a third reason -- a feeling of depth. I darkened the frame and lightened the silhouettes.

I like this much better, Dennis. I had lightened the tree once but not enough. Thanks for taking the time to work on it:S3:

Stunning! Good seeing!

I do prefer the lightened trees. My interest is held by the distortions in the window frame itself -- it it that wonky? It looks like a reflection.

I wonder what it would look like if you made the tree and outside a sepia color?

Diane, I think the distortions are from a thin gauzy curtain. Anita, I'll give the sepia a try - I'm still trying to figure out how Dennis made his changes:S3:

I really like Dennis' version, it pops a lot more by adding depth and a little mystery. Very well seen Cheryl!

Well seen! I like the bit of glass distortion and the not-perfect square window frame, it keeps you just a bit off balance. I think Dennis' version makes a nice separation between the tree trunks and window frame.

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Originally Posted by Cheryl Slechta

. . . I'm still trying to figure out how Dennis made his changes:S3:

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Let's see if I can remember . . . I think the first thing was to apply a custom lightening with Curves. It was based on the tones in the silhouettes. Everything lighter than that was locked in, and pretty much everything else was lightened. I'd hoped I might be able to just do it that way, but no such luck. So I added a new layer on which I used the Polygonal Lasso Tool to make piecemeal selections of the window frame which I, then, filled with black. Because that was on a separate layer, it was possible to back off enough in opacity to darken the frames and make the tones a bit more consistent (particularly in the center vertical) without having them solid black.

thanks for the details, Dennis. I was wondering how you did it, too. I do like the lighter trees, etc. If, however, you made every dark item including the trees totally black you would have a unique black and white stained glass effect....

Thanks everyone for your comments. The minute I walked into the gallery room I was drawn to the window. I had to get permission from the guard to shoot because that room was a "no photography" room so I think I rushed and might have been able to get a better shot if I had taken my time.
Thank you, Dennis, for your explanation - I had tried different approaches but not yours - I'll give it a try:S3:

Prefer the second too Cheryl. Very evocative and kind of spooky to me. Well seen!