Old pickup...thoughts?

I love the sky/clouds -- the actual truck doesn't "pop" as much as I would like. Slightly underexposed for the truck maybe?

Yeah it was tough. I shot several bracketed shots, but the ISO was high and the HDR didn't look good. My PS skills aren't that good. I'll have to go back and try again when the light is a bit better and I have my tripod and GNDs.

when you go back and try again maybe you can move the chain link fence out of the way too. i like the shot but the truck need more pop to me too. but then again i stink at photoshop too.

Bill

maybe try a tiny bit of fill flash? though that might screw with the nice sunset reflections and all...

Within the image in its present edit, its hard for me to determine which is the intended subject--the truck or the sky. The truck occupies the premium realistate, but the sky has a more spectacular exposure.

The truck is facing out of the image. I wouldn't know quite how to recompose this one.

You can easily edit the image so that the truck is primary by setting the dodge tool brush opacity to 7-12. Then carefully dodge the truck in increments until it pops. The pole in the background has to go-clone it away. the truck is a powerful subject.

I feel this shot was a rare find and a really good capture given the circumstances and situation, but its incomplete without further editing.

Aside from the already mentioned exposure issues, I think I'd crop this in tighter to put more focus on the truck. While it is a really nice sky, I don't think it adds anything to the central subject here. I'd take quite a bit off the right side (pretty close to the back of the truck) and some off the top as well, then I'd selectively adjust the exposure on the truck.

Now I do have one other suggestion if you go back to shoot this again. Instead of (or along with) trying to shoot it earlier "when the light is a bit better", maybe wait until after dark and do a long exposure shot with this. In fact I think this would be a really good subject to try "painting with light". If it were me, I'd mount the camera on the tripod, go for a really long exposure to catch some natural light in the background and use a flashlight (MAGlite if you have one) to selectively paint the truck...I think it could make for a really dynamic image.

Just my $.02,
Jim

Great tips from all. I will try again with the pointers!

What does the background look like it you went to the opposite side of the truck?

I liked the photo and since you had permissions I gave a crack at it..
I have Elements 6 as well so if you like let me know..
Regards
Mike

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This is such a compelling photo. I hope you don't mind me playing a bit.

Cowboy, you've got two things going for you with this image, the truck and the sky.
The foreground lacks interest and the surroundings are no better.

You might try taking the picture from ground level from the other side of the fence..
If you use your 50 wide open, that fence will probability disappear.

chauncey wrote in post #5786154
Cowboy, you've got two things going for you with this image, the truck and the sky.
The foreground lacks interest and the surroundings are no better.

You might try taking the picture from ground level from the other side of the fence..
If you use your 50 wide open, that fence will probability disappear.

I'm confused. Shoot the truck again from the other side? The foreground past the truck will be ugly. I was looking to the west off the side of a hill.

With the current high gas prices, they are offering some really good deals on trucks ... you might see what they would offer in trade.

Seriously, I like the image a lot and do not think that it needs any "improvements".

I like the shot, and IMHO it will look great in B/W. Here is my version, hope you like it.

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