Old Shell station

[GB1]

in the ghost town of Bodie. The composition's pretty basic on this one eh? Just couldn't think of a creative angle (guess I was in too much of a hurry). Highsight needed please!

Fuji Reala film

GB

[ladybugamanda]

I like how the yellows force my eye to move around the image. The background (hills) and sky look a little grainy and blah - but I don't know what could fix that. Maybe it works because the blue and yellow is so vibrant in the foreground. Did you put the shell sign there or was it there already?

[GB1]

Hi LadyBug - No the sign was already there. It looks like they set the thing up for tourists alright. Sort of like a museam prop. But it seems to work. I just wish it wasn't so much at right angles.

Thks for commenting. I think this one is not the most artistic, but good as a memory.

GB

[gahspidy]

The colors and sharpness/clarity is very pleasing, but i think it is just too tightly cropped around the truck. More of the scene needs to be involved and if you had time to play with different angles I am sure you would have pulled out the right scene.

[MB1]

I'd try cropping everything from the right of the rear tire. IMHO that adds nothing to the composition.

[EOSThree]

It took me a while to comment on this. I like it, but there is a frustration factor here for me with the highly restored truck and the rusting old gas pumps and sign. I wish the truck were as run down as the rest of the scene.

[GB1]

MB1 - Thks. .I tried it, looks just as bad or worse :>\ It's just one of those shot, from bad to worse. Sometimes you have to get over it and try something new.

EOSThree - I think you may have hit it right on the head... This prop doesnt make sense. I could just hop in that truck and drive it to the farmer's market, 50 yrs old or not! They prob spent $50K restoring the truck when they would have been better off leaving it alone. Thks for the comment!

GB

[Mustang81]

On the truck itself, the licence plate or whatever in front doesn't reall work with the truck. The truck is so new and nice looking and the plate looks like a block of wood. Also, the roof could be cleaner or is something casting a shadow on it? Eitehr way, I would have liked to a see a more uniform color on it.

Also the hills in the back are a bit grainy for my taste. I think it you didn't center so tightly on the truck it might help resolve that.

Other than that, Its a nice picture. Like someone else said, the yellow really makes your eye moves around and thats nice.

[ladybugamanda]

I kind of like the contradiction between the pretty truck and the run down items around it.

[GB1]

Thks. Yeah, funny now that everyone's pointing that out. They restored part of it and left the other parts alone. Maybe they ran out of funds before they finished.

The blue and yellow does look good though.......... I'll have to remember that color combination for future ideas.

Thks again.
GB

[MB1]

B&W!

This image needs B&W.

Of course you would lose all those blues and yellows but it would solve the new looking truck against the old background.

[readingr]

GB,

Sorry but this doesn't work for me at all - the reasons are:

The two cylindrical things sticking up above the truck seem out of context and need more separation from the truck

The shell sign needs to have more separation from the truck

Perhaps if the photo was taken from the other side of the truck it would have been much better.

Roger

[GB1]

MB1 - Here ya go.... it does seem to 'place' the truck into it's environment a lot better. It neutralizes that ridiculasly modern paint job in an old west setting I think. But I do miss the blue and yellow

Roger - Good analysis. The cylindrical objects seem like Martian antennes now that you mention it. I really should have taken it from another angle :mad2: Thks for the insight.

GB

[Greg McCary]

I think we all have some of those, It's got potential shots, I know I have. I do like the truck. Maybe if you had shot from the other side and brought the tanks into the picture. Maybe gotten real low and shot up and down the side of the truck, who knows. But it's a neat subject GB. Thanks for sharing.
Greg

[readingr]

MB1 - Here ya go.... it does seem to 'place' the truck into it's environment a lot better. It neutralizes that ridiculasly modern paint job in an old west setting I think. But I do miss the blue and yellow

Roger - Good analysis. The cylindrical objects seem like Martian antennes now that you mention it. I really should have taken it from another angle :mad2: Thks for the insight.

GB

GB,

Your not the only one who takes those sorts of pics - the number I bin v keep is frightening - thank god for digital, it used to be very expensive when experimenting with film.

Roger

[Greg McCary]

GB,

Your not the only one who takes those sorts of pics - the number I bin v keep is frightening - thank god for digital, it used to be very expensive when experimenting with film.

Roger

I heard that. I'm still film. You have to really think before you snap. I have a closet full of "could have" an " should a beens". It usally takes me two trips sometimes three to get the results I want and even at that I am never completly happy. Maybe we need a whole section just for those" got potental pictures"...
Greg

[Frog]

I agree with trying to get a shot from the other side which would put the 'cylindrical objects' otherwise known as gas pumps into perspective.
Perhaps a wider shot.

Thanks for sharing.