Beautiful Sunset

[bigdave]

I photographed this amazing sunset a week ago. Maybe it would be a better shot if I removed the street lights? Thanks for any comments.

http://photoscenery.dynu.com/HoughtonMI/h014.jpg

[dn7elson]

I think that I would first crop the bottom of the image to remove most of the dark image below the low spot of the hill.

This appears to open up the sky to being the major element. It would also remove the headlights of the car that seems to fight with the balance of the image.

[bigdave]

Is this about right Dale?

http://photoscenery.dynu.com/posted/colorfulsunset.jpg

[Leighow]

DAVE

Absolutely gorgeous colours. Colours that I have never seen all together. Also, you have some wonderful dynamic diagonals working for you too.

It’s real tough to say. I agree with the lower crop.

I do not see the need for all of the blue top. You see, I am less a rule of 3rd's guy (although I avoid splitting pictures down the middle!)... and more a guy who prefers to use the golden mean to place subjects. So I guess that I would crop the blue.

But where? You want to keep that outer space look and glow that the blue brings. But it seems to me that you do not need it all. I would be trying to crop to leave a left to right upward sloping diagonal. And I guess that I would do that at -- or somewhat above -- the darker cloud.

As for the lights and tree leaves. Yes, they do add noise and do not support the composition. But that is urban North America. This time of the year these sunsets keep rolling in. You have the eye, and the camera. Now you need to find (assuming bucolic sort of compositions appeal to you) the ideal location to capture the next sunset -- praying also for the return of these clouds and colour!

HOWIE

[dn7elson]

I think so. To me, it is a bit more balanced than the uncropped original.

Now, if you could just do something about those "War of the Worlds" street lights :)

[bigdave]

I can't thank you enough for all your advice, Howie. You said that the lights and trees interfered with the composition, so i went to work in photoshop. I just love that healing brush tool!

http://photoscenery.dynu.com/posted/colorfulsunset2.jpg

I think it looks a lot better now, although it's a little smudgy on the bottom.

[UK_Terry]

Excellent Photo colours are fantastic

[bigdave]

Thanks UK_Terry, I looked at your gallery online and the photos you captured at the airshow are wonderful. The planes must've been moving very fast and you did a good job framing them.

[cgesteland]

Wow, what a difference between the original shot and the modified version. Besides the smudging it turned out great!

Good job. 8)