Lafayette Park Sideyard

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12-08-2011, 08:15 PM
Jay Sheinfield

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Lafayette Park Sideyard

Walking the dog today, and saw this nice scene.

I started with a barely noticeable layer of Simplify, for its effect on the trees. Distortion control via Transform. Nik's Sunlight filter to give it some warm light tones, it was an overcast day. I was looking for an almost dusk like lighting feel to it, so I went to hand painting multiple layers of reduced lighting for effect. Saturation adjustments to control the initial color overload. More light balancing to help simplify a scene with a lot going on. Cloned out a security sign. A layer of Tonal Contrast, hand applied to those elements I wanted to emphasize. All in all, I hope I didn't overdue the effect. Hope you like it. OH, and I lit the light!:S3:

Comments always welcome..............
12-08-2011, 08:55 PM
Andrew McLachlan

Hi Jay, nicely seen. I love the colors of the paver bricks in the walkway and the trees in the background also. I like the processing applied to create the effect you achieved too!
12-09-2011, 07:48 AM
denise ippolito

Jay, I like the processing very much. Is that a person hiding in the bushes? At first I thought to clean up the top of the frame on the left w/ a crop but I like the added height. That curve of the left gutter might be something I transform. Love the colors but most especially the walkway. Nice job with the Simplify. I wish my dog would hold still on a walk to let me photograph:S3:.
12-09-2011, 09:53 AM
Dave Woeller

I really like the processing on this also. I think yhe texture and coloring of the walkway are great, but the trees put it over the top for me.
12-09-2011, 10:48 AM
Judy Howle

Very nice composition and processing Jay! I love the tonal range and colors in the image.
12-09-2011, 12:38 PM
Jay Sheinfield

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Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Jay, I like the processing very much. Is that a person hiding in the bushes? At first I thought to clean up the top of the frame on the left w/ a crop but I like the added height. That curve of the left gutter might be something I transform. Love the colors but most especially the walkway. Nice job with the Simplify. I wish my dog would hold still on a walk to let me photograph:S3:.

Denise, thanks. I did some more with transform. Not perfect, these buildings are over 100 years old:S3:. I also added some contrast and made some other editing changes..............can't keep my mouse off this image!
12-09-2011, 12:44 PM
denise ippolito

Jay, great job and I like the way you eliminated the windows in the back of the image.:S3:
12-09-2011, 01:12 PM
Jay Sheinfield

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Jay, great job and I like the way you eliminated the windows in the back of the image.:S3:

Thanks, Denise. The windows in back became a distraction the more I looked at it.................
12-09-2011, 01:15 PM
Dennis Bishop

I like the re-post, Jay. Obscuring the building at the end of the path was a good move, and I like what you did with the landscaping on the right of the walk. Darkening the stones and replacing the pink ones on the paver foundation made a big difference.
12-09-2011, 01:21 PM
Jay Sheinfield

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Bishop

I like the re-post, Jay. Obscuring the building at the end of the path was a good move, and I like what you did with the landscaping on the right of the walk. Darkening the stones and replacing the pink ones on the paver foundation made a big difference.

Dennis, thanks. I usually only subtract stuff, rather than add. But I made an exception in this image.
12-09-2011, 02:25 PM
Arthur Morris

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Is that a person hiding in the bushes?

Jay, I think that you missed Lady D's question in her comment (as above).
12-09-2011, 02:27 PM
Arthur Morris

Love the colors and textures and improvements above. Here is a suggestion for a similar image possibly a bit stronger, possibly not..... From where you stood for the image in Pane 1 raise the camera so that the double stones are just out of the frame.... Did you make that one?
12-09-2011, 03:08 PM
Jay Sheinfield

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arthur Morris

Love the colors and textures and improvements above. Here is a suggestion for a similar image possibly a bit stronger, possibly not..... From where you stood for the image in Pane 1 raise the camera so that the double stones are just out of the frame.... Did you make that one?

Art, Thanks for the comments...........no, I did not take it from a higher viewpoint. I recall I wanted to keep the sky out of it, and I wasn't bothered by the pavers until later. I did try zooming in, but the shot got too tight................A crop from the bottom, might be interesting though....that much mulch is not that interesting..............:S3:. I will keep your advice in mind.
12-09-2011, 03:16 PM
Jay Sheinfield

Quote:

Originally Posted by denise ippolito

Jay, I like the processing very much. Is that a person hiding in the bushes? At first I thought to clean up the top of the frame on the left w/ a crop but I like the added height. That curve of the left gutter might be something I transform. Love the colors but most especially the walkway. Nice job with the Simplify. I wish my dog would hold still on a walk to let me photograph:S3:.

Denise, Sorry, I intended to answer your question.............it's an age thing!:S3: You have great eyes, it is not a person, it is a scarecrow type of thing, stuffed clothes, with a witch-like face and scarf for a hat. It is netted and tacked to the fence.
Not sure what its intended to keep away, maybe photographers:S3:...........Also, generally my dog is pretty good at staying, but I have been known to drop the leash and step on the loop...........it's risky, at 100 lbs, if he sees a squirrel I could be flat on my back.
12-09-2011, 10:09 PM
Dennis Bishop

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay Sheinfield

. . . A crop from the bottom, might be interesting though....that much mulch is not that interesting . . .

When I read that, I had to overlay the golden section grid on the image and see what the implication would be in terms of proportions. Did you use that to guide the cropping you did? The proportions are so right on in many ways, I wouldn't want to compromise them unless I really hated mulch. As the image is cropped right now, you have a perfect golden rectangle. And it was placed within the original boundaries of the capture so the elements fall right where they should in terms of the divine proportion lines. I think it's something that subconsciously makes the image appealing.
12-09-2011, 10:16 PM
Jay Sheinfield

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Bishop

When I read that, I had to overlay the golden section grid on the image and see what the implication would be in terms of proportions. Did you use that to guide the cropping you did? The proportions are so right on in many ways, I wouldn't want to compromise them unless I really hated mulch. As the image is cropped right now, you have a perfect golden rectangle. And it was placed within the original boundaries of the capture so the elements fall right where they should in terms of the divine proportion lines. I think it's something that subconsciously makes the image appealing.

Dennis, that is great feedback. The image is basically full frame, minus what I lost due to Transform. I did try a crop from the bottom, just to see, but I'm sticking to the OP. No, I didn't do the grid overlay, but you have peaked my interest even more. I'm not crazy about the amount of mulch (negative space) in the foreground, but the lines and geometry of the OP kept me coming back. Thanks again.