A Few from Viet Nam - Please C&C

[Tigerkn]

I took these back in June/July on my last trip to Viet Nam and just PP them today. Please C&C. Many Thanks in advance!!!

1. Summer School
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2793/4021698818_26060ca8f8_b.jpg

2. Tran Phu St., Nha Trang
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/4021698536_cc3a231a14_b.jpg

3. Before the Rain
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4020936675_104c0479d7_b.jpg

4. The country side
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2428/4020936629_9b88f3a29c_b.jpg

5. The empty Bridge
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2528/4020936567_d5194e0dca_b.jpg

6. Transportation on the water
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2594/4020936497_7fb4d7b51b_b.jpg

[charliecruise]

I like number 1, 3 and 5.

The colors in 1 are really good, but the tree on the right hand side seems a little blurry.

3 Would definitely be my favorite - the clouds and reflection on the water just do it for me. It's simple but very effective, and seems the most natural by far.

I like the composition of 5 but find the clouds a little over bearing. I'd be interested to see the original for comparison on that one.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks Charliecruise for your time!
Here is the original of #5. It was late in the afternoon and it was about to rain so it was dark. Please help to PP any of them using your skills.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2595/4021883476_6bb38de35f_b.jpg

[charliecruise]

I Played around with it a wee bit.

I love the original cause it really tells a story re the fury of mother nature. I've tried to accentuate it a bit here by sharpening the image and then playing with curves slightly. I then selected the sky and increased the contrast by about 50%, and then added a blue colored filter.

Ignore the lighter blue line above the tree line as I was sloppy when selecting the sky, but you could spend some more time with it and make it look even better.

As said, I'd be less inclined to lighten the bridge, and just darken the sky a little more for effect.

For me, the darkness of the image really works.

[Brian500au]

i really like number 4. It is a beautiful place VN.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks Guys, please keep them coming. I am sure I need a lot of tip, advice and correction to make better photo. Please teach me.

[navydoc]

I hope you don't mind adding my comments.

I really like the composition of your shots. The colors are soft and have a nice pastel look to them.

I tried a little photoshopping to see if I could change the mood. Here are a couple of yours I modified a bit.

Doc

[Lonnie]

Your photos and your photographic eye are very good. Sharp photos with good composition. My favorite is the first one, with the leaves on the concrete.

[ScottKCooper]

#3 followed by #1. Wishing the tree in 1 was in better focus, and that maybe you'd caught one student hurrying to class. thanks for sharing!

[Tigerkn]

I hope you don't mind adding my comments.
I really like the composition of your shots. The colors are soft and have a nice pastel look to them.
I tried a little photoshopping to see if I could change the mood. Here are a couple of yours I modified a bit.
Doc
Navydoc, Thanks for your time and comments!
I really like what you did to #4, it is much better than mine version.
What you did to #3 is bit dark for my liking though.
Where are you in IE, we should get2gether to go shooting some time.

Your photos and your photographic eye are very good. Sharp photos with good composition. My favorite is the first one, with the leaves on the concrete.
Thanks Lhoney2

#3 followed by #1. Wishing the tree in 1 was in better focus, and that maybe you'd caught one student hurrying to class. thanks for sharing!
#1, I wish the tree was in better focus as well. Actually, there was a student in hurry to class but I cloned him out and I don't know why I did it but here he is back.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/4024692013_a692aba12f_b.jpg

[dkorr]

some looks a little grainy... some need a little more contrast...

[chrisvl]

Hi Kevin, nice images.
Really like 4 & 5.
What bothered me about this this thread is that you get one response from Charlie and you want to change the image. Charlie didn't like the clouds on the other hand I did. Charlie put's up his own version where the clouds are so blue that they don't match the image in my opinion and appear to create a color cast.
My point here is don't be so fast to adjust your images based on a single feed back trust your vision.
This is no a bash on Charlie but merely using his post to get my point across.

[Tigerkn]

:) Hi Chris, thanks. I don't think I changed the image per Charlie response but shared the original version and Charlie put up his own version. Yes, it was a hair blue for my taste as well.

Time to time I kind of trust my vision but first I have to get it calibrated first. I still have a lot to learn so here I am and please bring it :D

[asoemant]

these are great shots, i love 1, 3, and 5, number 1 kinda reminds me of my elementary school back home..

[Bill Boehme]

Kevin, I like your images. The compositions are done well. It appears that at least some on some of the images the Photoshop Shadow/Highlight tool was used since I see a few prominent halos. If that assumption is correct, my suggestion is to use the tool more sparingly.

I think that Doc offered a good example of processing (especially of the sky colors) on the second image that he did except for one thing -- the color of the jungle and the river in the foreground was moved in the wrong direction which made the jungle become a too saturated green. For consistency, the alpenglow of the setting sun should be more prominent in the foreground colors by shifting the color temperature and bias towards amber/magenta in the foreground layers. While this may initially seem counter intuitive, try it and I think that you will be pleased with the results.

[Tigerkn]

Thanks Bill.