#32 Tunnel c & c please?

kds1

I hadn't intended to enter this round, but then I got a lot of positive comments on this photo I took while I was traveling last weekend. I didn't even know what the topic of this round was, or think of this image as fitting into this round until people said it on the dailies.

So - I'll ask here, too. Do you think this fits the topic? And my next question is - does the orig (top) look a little dark to you? It didn't to me when I originally loaded it up to my computer, but now it does. Is the 2nd, brightened (curves) one better or not as good?

To me, the orig seems a little too dark, but when I lighten it up just a tad, I seem to lose something I like in the clarity of the black and white lines going back into the distance.

Help! Thoughts?

Tunnel Vision orig:



Tunnel Vision brighter:



Thanks for looking!

Kara

Kinkajou

Could you simply up the contrast instead of doing a levels/curves adjustment? Maybe getting the darks darker and the lights lighter is all you need?

I really like the shot - it's very interesting and the conversion works very well, but it's borderline on theme for me... but I'm having a really tough time with this theme and can't seem to figure out what on earth I can do for it, so feel free to skip over my 'on theme' opinion

ghinson

I like the brighter version as well. Nice photo.

It is a tough theme. I think I know a photo that fits with it when I see it, but going out looking for a new one would be tough.

The photo that I immediately thought of when I saw this theme was a commonly taken photo of a lighthouse in Maine. There is the keeper's house with a back porch, a couple of steps that lead down to a path that goes out to a medium-size lighthouse. If you're on the porch, and you use a wide DOF, you can make the small columns of the porch look like giant cathedral columns leading out to a tiny lighthouse. A nice play on perspective.

Problem is, if you only see that photograph, and not the real live version (or a distant version), you may not recognize the play on perspective.

I can see where this works in a similar way. I bet the tunnel was not as dominating of the walkway, as it seems to be in this picture.

adbsgicom

Play around with your crop. I think coming in a bit more so you lose the flat grey might help the sense of perspective. Then the lights come running right to the edge of the frame. I think the perspective is more about the lights than the walkway here. I like the image!

sbarge

Really cool shot! Ditto Andrew re the crop. I actually like the darker version a little better. Maybe increasing contrast will give you what you want.

-Steve

richtersl

Ummmm...I like the brighter version. The people at the far end are far clearer in that one and the eye is pulled right toward them.

Regardless of which one you decide to enter, make sure you clean up the left corner.

The photo does fit the theme, IMO. How about something like "Vanishing Point" for a caption?

Wil Davis

I think I like the lighter one; but with both there's the confusion of the lights; looks like two (actually three) vanishing points, the main one to the right, and the lights on the upper left and centre. I think I'd play around with the cropping - not sure if the structure is needed on the right, but get rid of the horizontal, and suddenly it seems like the viewer is falling into the picture…

…something like this (I'll remove if you don't like it):

kds1

OK, thanks everyone! I will play around with the crop and contrast.

Wil, I like that! Great idea.

Linda, not sure what you mean about cleaning up the left corner? I like the man that is there, so I hadn't wanted to crop him out (before you all suggested playing with the crop) and if I keep him there, the other person-shadow has to stay, too. (but if I play with the crop they might both be out anyway). Just looked at it again and wondering if there may be a way to clone out the other shadow person without losing the man. Something to try this weekend...

I find myself oddly attached to the man on the left and the curve of the flat wall on the right. But I think I am wrapping my brain around creating a photo to suit (and specifically for) the contest, but not necessarily having it replace the original idea of the photo in my head and gallery.

Hopefully I'll find time this weekend to play with this. Thank you all so much for your help!

Kara

richtersl

Not the man, Kara, but the fuzzy thing below his right leg. Sorry, if I didn't make that clear. I rather like having him there so there's no need to get rid of him.

Will's crop and suggestion for rotating the photo are pretty interesting. The rotation definitely adds even more visual interest to the photo without any "overkill".

You have a great photo to work with. I can't wait to see your final outcome.

kds1

Well. I have done stuff. You know, 'stuff'. And here it is.

I actually have an alternate shot that I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post in a separate thread or not, as well as some different takes on the tunnel shot.

This one is the tunnel shot just fixed up a bit as far as contrast and I got rid of the shadow person at the bottom left, Linda! So this is one option.

Tunnel Vision corrected




Next option is thanks to Wil:

Tunnel Vision ver 3




Next option is the same as Wil's suggestion of the rotation as seen above, but in the original color:

Tunnel Vision color crop




So those are the three possibilities for the tunnel if I go with that for the perspectives theme.


On the other hand . . .. I was playing around today and came up with these:

Drive By 2




or the highly processed and slightly weird version:

Drive By 1

On this one, I was trying to make the car look like it is in motion or was just very recently in motion (trees motion). I have softened the hand about all I can. There is something distracting about the skin texture on the hand, I think, and I don't think I have the patience to play with it anymore as this took a good few hours. I don't think I like this one. I mean, I know what my concept was and I like where it worked in the image, but there are too many mistake points in the processing or something.

Hit me, people! Which one - the tunnel or the car, and then which one of those???? Lots of choices for someone who didn't think she was going to enter this round, I know!

We have until Monday at midnight or Sunday at midnight to put in the gallery?

MrsCue

I really like the darker version of the tunnel.

WhatSheSaw

Hmmm... I think I like the blue version of the tunnel.

The cars are also cool. The background blur gives me a bit of an eyeache. And there is a bright spot on the back bumper that you might want to tone down. I tend to favor less processing, but that is just me.

I guess I am not much help.

adbsgicom

Tunnel version 1 (original alignment B&W).

I like the car as well, go with the first one (drive by 2) without the processing. Also, see what a square crop looks like. I think it may improve the illusion that the car is on the same scale as the road. As it sits you can tell the road is much more massive than the car. I think you have the potential of ending up in the finals with either one.

I wish I could tell you which I would vote for; I love that you saw the perspective in a 'naturally' occurring state and captured that. In 2, there is the chuckle factor which is always good for some extra credit.

richtersl

I'm diggin' the blue version of the tunnel as well.

Drive By 1 has potential, but I'd omit the processing and crop in tighter. I like how the hand is more prominent in that one.

kds1

Egads, people, you are supposed to make up my mind for me!!!

OK, done laughing now?

So my instinct is kind of telling me that while the car shot is fun, it is not done well enough (and won't be since this is my level of learning with that kind of set up shot). And that I should enter the technically better photograph. I think the technically best one is the Tunnel Vision corrected, but I might be leaning toward the blue for this contest since the theme is not just perspective but a different perspective.

Ack ack ack. Decisions, decisions. Good thing we have until Monday morning.