Back Alley

[Greg McCary]

I was hoping this one had enough goodies to carry it to make a nice print. Pipes, windows, doors ect. I am unsure if the dumpster works but the more I look at it the more I like it. A dumpster a cop might find something interesting in.LOL It's cropped tight on the right due to a distraction. Any ideas for improvements? Thanks.

[Didache]

I like this too Greg .. there's lots to let the eye wander over and it asks questions: is it abandoned? Why is the window boarded over? Do the extractor tubes imply the back of a restaurant? I tend to like images which are a little open ended like that.

The only thing I can think of that might make it better would be a little splash of colour somewhere. Not sure how you would manage that - shame the dumpster isn't yellow or red.

Cheers
Mike

[rylan]

yeah i love this shot, maybe try some black and white? im thinking it would work well with black and white. as well as i agree with mike, if that dumpster was a bright color it would pop!
good work

[Didache]

A further thought .. could you work a little PS magic and turn the door red?

Mike

[Greg McCary]

That's a very good idea Mike. I have never tried that. I may give it a go.

[Greg McCary]

I couldn't quiet get it red but with the help of Aaron I threw a huge curves layer to it and came up with this. What do you think? Thanks Aaron

[Don Schaeffer]

Without some little touch like that color door I just don't see a photo here. The door does make a whole nuther thing though.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks Don and thanks Mike for the tip.

[rylan]

wow made a big difference! i love it good work greg

[Dave Smith]

I liked the first shot, but I love the "re-do"
Good job Greg

[fx101]

I like the composition...just... there's no WOW moment there. Partly, I think it's a bit too dark. There's also some funky pink/red colour cast on the top part of the sky. If you fix that, increase the contrast a bit, maybe pump up the saturation (or lower it for a near BW or BW look) I think you will have a winner.

[Greg McCary]

OK, I bumped up the saturation, contrast and worked on the sky. Thanks Rylan, Dave, fx101...
I shot this with Kodak Portra 160NC. It's a little unsaturated to begin with.

[rylan]

the last edit is awesome, really brings everything out
great work

[freedom1500]

Great team work here! It went from an ok shot to a great shot. Well done.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks rylan and freedom 1500

[fx101]

Much better. You really brought out the earthy brick tones in your last edit. The sky is still a little pink but since the rest of the picture is so good it's hard to notice.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks again FX

[GB1]

Greg

A worthy subject for sure. But somehow, even with your adjustments, it just seems so flat and all ... it makes it seem like it's missing something, somehow. Perhaps a person, a woman maybe, wearing a bright red blouse?

This image might also be great material for a photo effects project. I would take a shot and post it, you you'd like, or you can just try it yourself.

G

[Greg McCary]

thanks GB and yes, by all means. Go ahead.

[AgingEyes]

A worthy subject for sure. But somehow, even with your adjustments, it just seems so flat and all ... it makes it seem like it's missing something, somehow.

Ha, I felt pretty much the same Also, I think some of the shadow parts could be brightened up a bit in the adjusted version. I'm wondering if it would be better not to show the sky and crop tighter.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks AE for the input. I thought the same on the sky but it would clip the top of the pipes.

[andywatson00]

i think it would look good as a b+w pic , it would make it a bit more moody looking and like somthing from a cohen brothers movie!!! in black and white with a chalk body outline on the floor would make it so much more intresting

[AgingEyes]

Thanks AE for the input. I thought the same on the sky but it would clip the top of the pipes.

I knew. I was pondering the possibility of cropping more than that.

[Greg McCary]

Thanks Andy, Thanks aging AE. I thought if I had moved a little more to the right I could have cropped the outer walls out completly, but there was a huge refrigerator just to the right. I agree with what you are saying.

[andywatson00]

do u mind if i have ago at editing the photo?