Little Sepia Girl

[Conk]

Some of you may remember this photo from about a month ago. I decided to do some PS editing and would like to hear feedback on the end result especially those familiar with the original.
ORIGINAL
http://www.pbase.com/image/4667446/large.jpg
EDITED
http://www.pbase.com/image/5681928/large.jpg

[bigdave]

Very nice Conk. It must've taken a while to remove the two gentlemen, but you pulled it off and it looks totally natural. I'm not quite sure why you darkened the image in your edited version. The brighter image looked fine. Also, why did you crop the bottom so close to the little girl's shoes? Lastly, including the car hood ornament makes the photo even better. Absolutely fabulous shot! I can't wait to see more!

[G2Jim]

Very nice! The only suggestion I'd make is to keep the bright/shiny tone of the first shot.

[marie]

G2Jim wrote:
Very nice! The only suggestion I'd make is to keep the bright/shiny tone of the first shot.

I totally agree with both posts above
I like the tone which is in the first picture better
and its also showing more of an era with the two modern persons 'missing'
Its very nice



marie

[Leighow]

CONK

I think that the comments are well founded, but the ratings undershoot the mark.

This is quite simply a beautiful picture.

What lies hidden behind the sepia tone (and now I am color curious), and the Mom's ... oversized-but-matching-my-nice-dress ... hat work to reinforce the wave of temproary setback that fill this scene. We the viewers want to stretch out a helping hand, but, time and place have passed us by.

Nope. Conk you have a great shot here. It is alive. It is genuine. It is real. Reportage at its finest.

Bravo.

HOWIE

[Conk]

Thank you for all your comments and especially Howie for your inspiration.
I have taken one more attempt to edit the photo to include the whole windscreen. There is something that doesn't quite jive about it but if you guys feel that the the windsheild should be left out then that's how I'll leave it. The contrast and levels has also been put back to original as in the first photo.
http://www.pbase.com/image/5852032/large.jpg

[Big_Mac]

in the first 2, my eyes were drawn to the little girl, and in the third the center of attention is now the car. That's fine if you were intending it, but i think i prefer the image to end just above the hood ornament, so that the girl if the center of attention.

[eland]

Colin

All the comments are valid I feel.
A composition concentrating on the doll is good.
Seeing the whole car is also interesting.
You really have two potentially good images here.

To make a dramatic image concentrating on the doll the crop should be lower still, roughtly just below the word Ford near the top of the radiator but well below the ornament.

Why the full version fails is the busy background.
Those light colored panels and the strip through the steering wheel should be removed, even from the cropped version. The light colored panel on the right in particular is distracting.

Then the two tone background is still rather spoiling the windscreen shot

The side wind deflectors are nice to see but sadly are a bit lost in the background.

You have a good PS exercise here, removing the busy background from your car and doll.
Maybe I'll have a shot at it myself some time.

Do you know what the hood ornament really is ?
In those old cars it was originally a radiator temperature gauge with needle and scale housed in glass. It could be read from the driver's seat.
Only later was the temperature gauge moved inside the car.

eland

[Conk]

Thank very much Eland. Your info was very valuble. I'm using this photo in the exhibit.