Hot Air Balloon - Cliche?

I really like this shot, but to me it gives off a real 1970's vibe - the golden era of hot air balloon hobbyists! Any C&C are appreciated as I'm still struggling to understand the difference between an average shot and a good shot. Thanks!

Dogfood

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I really like the perspective and it is well exposed. It also looks like it would make a great color chart for profiling a camera or scanner.

Well, for what it's worth, I would say this is an average shot.

In order to be really good, I would say that it would have to have a better composition (a bit more space around it - not cropped so tightly).

It would also be a real plus to see someone more clearly in the gondola - the crew seem to be just a fragment here and there that you can't make out very well.

However, the colors are very nice.

I agree with Bob, the crop is very tight.balloons look fabulous when they have space.

Thanks for the input - I agree on the cropping. Wish I could go back and zoom out just a few mm. The above pic is unedited I think, no PP - just as it came out of the camera. I need to see if any of the other shots from that day have more blue-space around them.

Thanks again,

Dogfood

I have to add, it does make a pretty cool desktop picture!

Perhaps you need more in the shot than just the balloon. Maybe some clouds or foreground. See a couple of samples I have.

http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …583757_851bfc77​f8.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …584773_4bac4d6d​08.jpg?v=0

Or maybe a closer view.

http://farm4.static.fl​ickr.com …583083_3ee49515​b4.jpg?v=0

Look, the crop is at no man's land, but you can go tighter.
Try croppping with zero sky showing, turn it into an abstract. Add more contrast and saturation.