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Red, White, and Blue Building

© Elaine Hessler

Red, White, and Blue Building

Uploaded: July 06, 2012

Description

Cleveland, Ohio

Exif: F Number: 8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 100/10 seconds, Flash: did not fire., ISO: 100, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 35.00 mm, Model: NIKON D5100

Comments

Elaine Hessler July 06, 2012

Hi-I am not sure what to do with this photo. I like the building and the fireworks on the horizon, but do NOT like the parking lot. Any suggestions?

P.S. I've also uploaded 3 fireworks pics for fun. Someone asked about settings. I used ISO 100, f/8, and anywhere from 2-3 seconds using a tripod (manual focus). Check your focus often... #1473360

Dale Hardin July 06, 2012

Very,very nice fireworks shots Elaine. On the image in question, I don't see a major issue with the parking lot, but if you do then the easiest way is a crop. I know your images are over 5000 pixels so you should have no problem.

I'd first use a bit of lens correction at the bottom (not a big issue though) and then apply a 3x5 horizontal format crop starting at the top left just to the right of that bright area next to the blue bridge. Have the bottom of the crop at the upper left corner of the blue canopy located above the parking lot.

This will leave just a bit of the parking lot visible. Clone out all the cars except the two that are by themselves. Don't bother with those that are close to the hotel.

And finally, selectivly apply a multiply blend to the parking lot only, but not the lights. This crop will leave your composition in tack and draw the eye more to the horizon fireworks. Love the straight horizon by the way. :o) #10217091

Stephen Shoff July 06, 2012

What a great concept for the photograph, Elaine. I really like the horizon lined with fireworks displays. I think Dale's more panoramic 3x5 crop will help strengthen that concept. I'm not quite so sure you want to lose all of the bright portion of the bridge on the left -- seems to me that it is useful for identifying the bridge as an separate element behind the hotel.

I would add a suggestion that besides the level horizon, you also could straighten the verticals on the left. Before cropping, I would use the skew tools to straighten vertical lines of te hotwl on the left side. That allows your new crop to start in the upper left corner but would still reduce the size of the bridge and keep some contextual information.

That leaves you with two bright lines leading out of the picture -- the bridge on the left and the elevated highway in the upper right. You might need some narrow and/or additinal multiply blend to help reduce those ines just before they reach the border of the frame.

#10217226

Michael Kelly level-classic July 06, 2012

Great shots and good suggestions. I don't normally use filters or plug in software but if you wanted to keep the whole shot a flood filter might work well to make the parking lot into a lake. Here is a link to Flaming Pear:

http://www.flamingpear.com/flood.html

if you wanted to take a look at a demo and see if it would do something you like. #10217322

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict July 07, 2012

Cool concept for the building and I leave the editing suggestions to the experts! I'd love to see what that Flaming Pear would look like...now that Mike mentioned it, I remember a long while ago someone giving a link to it, but I never tried it...I'd like to see what it looks like on this photo and see if there's one I have that I can try it on too. it sounds like a really good idea... #10218138

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict July 07, 2012

Cool concept for the building and I leave the editing suggestions to the experts! I'd love to see what that Flaming Pear would look like...now that Mike mentioned it, I remember a long while ago someone giving a link to it, but I never tried it...I'd like to see what it looks like on this photo and see if there's one I have that I can try it on too. it sounds like a really good idea... #10218141

Elaine Hessler July 07, 2012

Thanks for the input! I did have to straighten the pic-uneven horizons drive me nuts too. I do see how the left side of the building appears to lean out due to the perspective. I am assuming skew on PSE will bring that corner out leaving the horizon level, right? Is this the same as lens correction dale? Thanks! #10218366

Aimee C. Eisaman July 07, 2012

That is so neat how the whole horizon has fireworks going on. What a neat idea to grab a shot of that! You also got some really nice crisp shots of single fireworks. :~) You've got some really good suggestions on different things you could do to this. I have used the flood filter before...might work well here, but you really can't tell till you try. #10218431

Dale Hardin July 07, 2012

In answer to your question Elaine, skew is not the same as lens correction. The lens correction tool changes both sides or any perspective errors at the same time. Skew moves the entire top or bottom of the image left or right across the entire image.

You can use the distort tool to correct one side at a time and it is a perfered method in many cases. #10218452

Jeff E Jensen July 07, 2012

Yup, very cool image! You've gotten some great suggestions already, so I'll wait to see what you come up with.

Nice job on the fireworks images. I didn't get to see any this year, guess I'll have to just do my own sometime. . . . #10218702

Beth Spencer July 07, 2012

Great shots! I will wait for the edits.Your fireworks are awesome! I need to get mine off my camera hopefully after we water our garden #10218863

Rita K. Connell level-classic July 08, 2012

Elaine this a great shot even with the parking lot. I love all the fireworks on the horizons. very cool. I think I would do a pano crop taking off the lower half of the image.

your fire works shots are wonderful....very nicely captured. I like all of them. #10219872

Elaine Hessler July 09, 2012

Hi everyone-I finally got back to this picture. Here's what I did (and thank you for your suggestions!!!). I pulled the lower left corner of the photo so the building isn't distorted, so the left side is now parallel to the edge of the photo, I recropped as suggested. I tried to blend out the cars in the lot, but I didn't like it and decided with the new crop, it looks better. It also gets rid of some of the brightly lit windows at the bottom left. I also learned how to use the dodge tool to tone down what is left of those windows and that bright street light in the lower right. I also sharpened the image. Thanks for the suggestions and making me get out of my comfort zone! Let me know what you think. #10221784

Dale Hardin July 09, 2012

Excellent Elaine. You have embraced this club with vigor and it shows. The edits on the image retain a good composition and lose nothing of the subjects that had interested you.

I agree on the cloning of the cars, the reduced foreground was enough to take care of your perceived problem. Well done. Very proud of you. #10222111

Stephen Shoff July 09, 2012

Nicely done, Elaine. Thanks for giving my suggestion a try.

I'm glad you understood my straightening suggestion in spite my rather lazy use of vocabulary. I'll generally try to make my suggestions in terms of concepts, and leave the detailed procedures to those that seem to know the intricacies and variations of the different products.

#10222348

Elaine Hessler July 10, 2012

Thanks guys! And Steve, that works for me. Crooked horizons make me nuts, but I never looked at vertical lines like that before. I think it is a stronger image due to all the fixes that were suggested. Keep 'em coming! #10222780

Aimee C. Eisaman July 10, 2012

Looks fantastic! :~) #10223011

Michael Kelly level-classic July 10, 2012

Very nice work - looks great! #10223105

Beth Spencer July 10, 2012

You did a great job! #10224063

Elaine Hessler July 10, 2012

Thank you! #10224122

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