the exit is where now?

Cool little scene over by my house. Playing with the Nik HDR demo some more, and this time without all the lag (woot!), and layered it w/ my middle exp.

Edit: my best critic, I.e. my girlfriend suggests I should have cropped out the street. I think it adds a hint of irony. Thoughts?

I think its the car that distracts. I also wonder if a tighter shot on the door with those nicely colored stones would be more interesting.

I agree the car distracts and also I think the door is to centered. The subject is wonderful. I think a dead on shot of the door would have really worked or even open it up placeing the door in the left third of the frame. Great processing, just a matter of composition.
But in the end you are the artist and you should deliver it as you wish, but I lean on my wife too.

The angled door and surrounding brickwork is very interesting. A tighter crop including just the door and some of the interlaced character of the brick would make the shot, IMO

Ed

agree with other regarding the car. i think just focusing on the door and surrounding bricks might have been a better approach.

Great subject and nicely exposed.
I competely agree that cropping out the street here will make an excellent photograph.

I do understand why you left it in. but it really does nothing but distract from the goods.

Cropping this into a 4x5 ratio (8x10) by cropping right up to the edge of the building brings a very well balanced composition with all focus on the interesting door, bricks and vines.

i even feel it looks best as you shot it rather than shooting it dead on.

Just the crop, and its done.

Great image

Thanks for the feedback guys. I took the advise, and of course had to take it a bit further...and man am I enjoying Nik's stuff.

The crop works. I like the effect, but i sure miss the color and detail especially of the door and rock pile in front of it. Perhaps a retro artsy look but with some color intact.

I agree the focus on the door is much better now, and I also agree about NIK lol. I've been going crazy with it too.