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December Sunset in Elsa village IL.

© Peter W. Marks

December Sunset in Elsa village IL.

Uploaded: January 02, 2014

Comments

Dale Hardin January 02, 2014

Beautiful mid-west scene, Peter, with a nice composition.

Impossible of course, for me to tell what it looked like, but my impression is that it would benefit from a white balance adjustment and high light reduction. This is the look I used to get from my old Polaroid. Very distinctive. Not wrong, just different. #1557959

Peter W. Marks January 02, 2014

Thank you Dale. What you are seeing is a Topaz Lab Detail v.3 adjustment using the "Stylized Detail Collection, Summer landscape" plugin. The original was rather lifeless and bland.
But as I admit to putting all my weight on my right leg as usual on hand-held shots, the church and flagpole were one degree out of vertical but I have have straightened them. So there! #10935539

Dale Hardin January 02, 2014

I appreciate you taking care of that. You know how it does weird things to me. :o) #10935570

Jeff E Jensen January 02, 2014

Does weird things to Dale. . . . .

I like the placement of the light on the steeple, Peter. The only thing that bothers me is the bits of trees coming into the frame on the left side. With not being anchored to anything, they look out of place. I know, they were there when you shot them, but they still look out of place. If they were attached to a trunk, I'd be okay. But, as it is, they need to go and should be simple to clone out. #10935644

Susan Williams January 03, 2014

Peter, I really like the lighting in this image and the quaint feel to the scene. I am partial to the mid-west love the Americana feel to this image. I agree with Jeff that the upper branches in the upper third on the left could be cloned out, but I don't don't see them as a flaw in the composition. If you lose them, you might find the sky too plain so it pulls the other way. I'd try it to see. Beautiful work, as is, though. #10935950

Peter W. Marks January 03, 2014

Of course it does weird things to you Dale. But I have developed a theory about your OCD regarding tilted horizons.lol
I believe it is because you are an ex-navy vet and you usually had the starboard watch on your ship Subsequently if the horizon appeared to be tilting to the right (as with many of my shots) you believed that your ship was capsizing and a watery grave awaited you as you tipped over the starboard rail.
OK Dale. Pay my receptionist on your way out and schedule another appointment for next week when we will try therapy. (Dr Marks Phd. clinical geriatric psychology).
Now Jeff, let me see what we can do about your concerns over trunk-less trees unlike our Susan who has perceived that I wanted at least some framing to hold our eyes attention to wards that gleaming spire. Perhaps not enough I guess!
Several of us appear to be having problems with BP and uploading images but I will give it a go.
#10936007

Susan Williams January 03, 2014

The big tree creates shadows on the Church. I like the framing of the branches. #10936399

Beth Spencer January 03, 2014

I like the way the light is hitting the front of the church and the shadows from the trees. I like the branches cloaned out.
Peter, you make me laugh when you enlighten us as to why Dale sees things so straight! #10936424

Kalena Randall January 03, 2014

I like the affect the Topaz software you used on this created, Peter. I also like the crop of removing the trees on the one side.

I agree with you that shots like this with are sometimes flat. I really like the pp that you did.

:-)


#10936426

Michael Kelly level-classic January 03, 2014

Very nice Peter. I understand the desire to remove the disembodied branches, but to me it looks a bit empty without them. I think that the steeple in the sun is awfully bright so would support Dale’s suggestion of a slight highlight reduction. #10936459

Peter W. Marks January 04, 2014

There is no good reason why we all should agree on anything but it does intrigue me how with many images some will say 'clone something out' and others say 'leave it in'. But what I do particularly appreciate is when the responder tells us 'why' as Mike has just done regarding the branches, as that helps us understand the thinking. As for the over-bright steeple; I had reduced that just a little from the out of camera shot but decided only to bring it back just enough to show the ventilation louvres to give it form but to leave the overall brightness to emphasize at this Christmas time that Christ's birth theologically is pointing forward to Easter and His sacrifice on the cross. Not everyone's thing I understand, but blessings to you all. #10936693

Elaine Hessler January 04, 2014

Really pretty shot, Peter. I cannot decide which one I like better. I keep going back and forth. At first I liked the one without the branches-it has a completely different look-a lot more space and you can focus in on the church. But then I keep going back to the one with the branches, and like the way they take up some of the sky on the left. #10937242

Jeff E Jensen January 04, 2014

I like it without the branches, Peter! #10937459

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