please comment on this shot

[perfectpixel]

Hi All,
would appreciate your thoughts:
http://PerfectPixel.smugmug.com/photos/13147815-L.jpg
I am considering this for a largish print (~16x30)
Cheers!
-PP

[ToddMorris]

Hi,

I like the b&w tones, and the general composition. However, I think the fact that the top of the swan stature is cut off may be a little distracting. Was this a "one time" shot? ... or is there some way you could go back and reshoot it, maybe about 5 or 10 steps further back?

Hope this helps,
Todd

[Radtech1]

I agree with Todd, that if you have a chance to reshoot, then do so and include the top of the post. Seems incomplete without it. Also, if you have a chance to, try bracketing your exposures. I will elucidate below.

However, If there is not another trip to San Simeon in your future, and you are asking about THIS shot, then that is a different story.

If you are asking, "I was to hang this in my living room - do you think that is a good idea?" then by all means hang it. It is just fine - a pretty decent shot recollecting a nice trip up the coast. (Did you make it to Cambria? One of my favorite places to get away and relax.)

If you are thinking photo contest, or perhaps, trying to sell, then there are some issues. Again, a reshoot would be best, but there is still some things that you can do with this.

First Issue: Barreling.

There is just enough of a barreling problem to be noticeable, especially on the post. Several add on software fixes exist:

For barreling and pincushioning-LensDoc from http://www.andromeda.com/

For barreling and pincushioning-ImageAlign from http://www.imagealign.com/index.asp

For barreling and chromatic abberation(color fringing)-Debarrelizer from http://theimagingfactory.com/

My favorite, however is OpticsPro from DxO which corrects barreling and pincushioning, lateral chromatic aberrations and vignetting is at http://www.dxo.com/en/photo/optics_pro/default.php

Second Issue: Blown Highlights.

There are 3 places that the highlights are blown. From least to worst - 1) on the swan. 2) on the entablature and even more so on the frieze of the temple and 3) but the worst is on the statue near the bottom. If you can recover the shadows from these highlights that would be great. If not, they are a big detractor.

If you have a chance, you could reshoot and bracket your exposures. Use the technique here to blend them: http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/digital-blending.shtml My experience with that technique is that correct alignment is imparitive. If they let you bring at least a monopod, then do so. If not, brace yourself against something and fire off several brackets.

Third Issue: Grey Sky

Not that big of a deal, but I would select the sky and nudge the contrast there. In spite of the fact that there are a lot of clouds there, it is pretty flat. See if you can pull out some texture.

Fourth Issue: What is that Thing?

Two things are in the shot that distract. One would be easy to remove, one hard. The easy one is the handrail at the bottom of the stairs. Clone Clone Done! The hard one would be the rectangle in the forground. Best solution would be to reshoot and recompose. Next best would be to crop. Third best, clone, but that might be difficult. Whatever you do, it has to go as it adds nothing to the shot, and only serves to take your eyes away from the main area of interest.

Hope that helps,

Rad

[perfectpixel]

Hi guys,
thanks for the replies. Very helpful.
Yea, a return trip is not in the works.
I had not noticed the barrelling, but that's fixable.
I think most of the over-exposure can be rescued. The BW conversion/cropping was just a quickie to see how it looked. You can see the original is not as bad. The handrail you noticed will be cloned out, the rectangle at the bottom is harder, I might be able to crop most of it out as you suggested.
But the missing top of the lamp.....well that is not recoverable :(
Here's the original shot:
http://PerfectPixel.smugmug.com/photos/13166620-L.jpg
My wife prefers the color version, I prefer the BW and a long/narrow crop.
Cheers!
-PP

[Whaler]

I prefer B&W BUT, in this case your wife is right, color is the way to go. Mr Hearst would be impressed.