Critique Request - Downtown Yangon 1

Werner

Thanks for submitting an image for critique!!

Is beautiful -- and no I wouldn't try to straighten the verticals!! I think the converging verticals are important to this pix. I though,for a moment, I thought you should perhaps try to straighten the uppermost horizontal but after consideration, I think not -- this pix is about more that just geometry --and if too symmetrical that's what it might become just about geometry -- because it's also about color and texture contrast which are very important to this image! The only thing that bothers me (just a tiny bit) is the very moch brighter patch of brick in the extreme upper left -- if you could find a way to increase the color saturation here or even just slightly darken it, I think it would improve the image

Werner,

This is very interesting image. The composition looks exactly right. I don't see a need to straighten any verticals as a central vertical blue line is exactly vertical. Same for horizontals horizontal lines at the bottom are exactly horizontal.

What I like the most about this image is how big is a variety of damages captured in the image. That forces a viewer to stay on the image and review it again and again. Great image!

Werner, this image is fantastic. The pow, the composition and the natural colors. The only thing, in my eyes, would be to remove the electricity line at the bottom. But, the image is also great as it is!

Werner

I stand corrected -- I looked at this image on an IPad where I can in essence crop it just by moving my fingers,

I tried cropping out that bright spot in the upper left, as I had originally suggested. I tried cropping out the electricity line on the bottom as Johanna suggested (which made sense to me until I tried it)

The net result is I don't think you should crop anything at all -/ the pix is just great the way it is!!!

Hi Werner, thanks for posting and allowing others to analyse this wonderful image.

First off, I think it important to understand what inspired you to take the image and how you see its purpose. If purely documentary, perhaps with a goal of relaying decay I think the image is perfect the way it is. However, I am going to critique with the understanding that your vision is as a piece of artwork that you may hang on your wall.

As others have pointed out I concur that this is a compelling image - it overflows with interest, from the variety of dilapidated windows (each unique an telling its own story) to the plant life growing from the distressed brickwork.

The composition is well crafted. I strongly agree that this should not be straightened - as Ken points out the convergence is s strong part of the image, leading the viewer on a journey through the image to the upper windows. This is strengthened by the wonderful (brighter) lead in formed by the central teal/blue drainpipe

Here's something you could try, although the impact may be uncertain. For me the strongest point of the image is the two larger window sets either side at at the end of the center drainpipe. If you are a Ligthroom/PS user you could try adding a very subtle and angles gradient filter from both left and right that follows the angle of the convergence and drops the exposure just a little. That would help guide the eye through the center of the image before reviewing the sides.
That would also help with the light area distraction upper left Ken pointed out (you could also just paint over that area with an exposure adjustment).

One of the reasons I love these critiques so much is that different artists see different things. I had not noticed the cable at the bottom of the frame Johanna pointed out (the 'always check your edges' rule springs to mind) until she mentioned it. As the lead in lines are so strong it is not much of a distraction (and likely why most of us missed it) but you could easily remove in Photoshop if you wish.

Overall a wonderfully interesting image. If you do make changes please upload the image with a different name (eg #2) and embed so we can view the before & after.

I will add whatever you consider as your final image as a homepage feature - please post to the group when you feel this is complete.

Many thanks Ken, Yuri, Johanna and Alan

What inspired me - largely documentary, but shot in a way that I hoped somebody might also like to hang on their wall!

The cable did/does bother me visually, but I'd find trying to remove it (ie Photoshopping it out rather than cropping it out) far too daunting (while I do have Photoshop, I rarely use anything other than the Adobe Raw Converter part of it)

I tried a bit of burning and dodging to de-emphasise the light upper left corner and came up with Re-edit 1 below. Then I saw Alan's suggestion and so made up Re-edit 2, also posted below. Which version looks best? I think I now prefer that last image.





(I've continued to post in large format, but if that's regarded as bad form then please say so and I'll desist in future threads)

PS just thought I'd mention those blue pipes - they're the water connections!

Werner

Somehow, on repeated viewing I prefer the reedit 1 version the best, and have concluded that I like th building in it being a little darker in this version as the reason. I don't know if this is purely an aesthetic choice, or if in fact the darker building more associates in ones mind with being dilapidated and "decaying" -- (ie the lighter buildings versions, orig and re-edit 2, seem to make the building "more cheery" and the darker building in re-edit 1 makes it look more somber and sad thus enhancing its rundown condition)

Anyway, that's my opinion-- I like re-edit 1 best

Thanks Werner,
The larger format is a great tip. As Ken rightly points out this may be frowned on by group discussions that have a lot of images (as it significantly increases load time) but as each critique is relatively short this should not be an issue. The bigger issue may be remembering the settings and getting other users on board but we can address this over time and keep an understanding that this not change overnight.

As the your image - I agree with Ken that re-edit 1 has greater impact - did you change contrast/saturation?

BTW - removing lines like this is a cinch in PS and works extremely well. Just look up 'spot removal tool' or 'remove power lines in PC' on youtube etc and you should find plenty of hits. If nothing else you should try (on a copy) so you are familiar with it as it is such a great feature.

Be sure to post your final image to the group so I can feature.

Re edit 1. :)

Thank you Ken, Alan & Johanna

Looking at these images after a good night's sleep, I must say that I also prefer the Re-edit 1 version as it is more dramatic - so I've now changed the original image to that version (and submitted it to FAA Top Photographers).

The re-editing was just using the adjustment brush in Adobe Raw Converter to alter exposure & contrast settings (not saturation).

Re that cable - I have used the spot removal tool, but I've found that when there is a busy background as in this case, the "photoshopping" has been evident on close inspection - I'm sure some people can do it well, but I just don't have the patience (or interest).

Thank you all for your help!

Agreed that spot removal can be tricky, sometimes you have to make multiple controlled passes and even then resort to cloning to get the bits PS can't resolve. In this case the lines offer minimal distraction so as suggested it may not be worth the effort.

Werner

Here's another viewpoint -- don't remove the cable on the bottom!! It's very much part of the image, adding to ones view of the decrepitude of the building - I like that stray cable being there!!

If this were an image solely concerned with abstract form (as some of my work are) then it might be important to take the cable out as it would only be a distraction. Here it is part of the commentary about the building, and perfectly fitting to be there!!

Good point Ken

Returning to my answer to Alan's query - ie wanting something documentary as well as hang-on-the-wall-able - I would prefer not to have to see the cable as there is enough decrepitude to tell the story even without that cable. However, as it's too difficult (for me) to remove and as it's quite consistent with the story, I've let it stay. I must say that generally I prefer not to fiddle with the content of my shots!
Thanks guys!