Need help with this shot.

I took these shots a while ago, but had forgotten about them until now. I really, REALLY hate that post on the right, and I can't figure out how to properly clone it out. Every time I try it looks like hell. I just can't do it. Cropping it to square looks even worse. What do you guys suggest? I haven't processed the photo yet, I'm just looking for opinions on the post on the right of the frame.

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Sweet pic...wish I was there. How is this?

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I really feel like the square crop detracts from the composition. Also, I like the houses dark; not quite silhouetted, but dark. I think the mood is much better than brightening them up.

JuiceBox wrote in post #6661537
I really feel like the square crop detracts from the composition. Also, I like the houses dark; not quite silhouetted, but dark. I think the mood is much better than brightening them up.

Oh. My bad. I didn't read the whole initial post.

That will take some serious rubber stamping. The water won't be an issue, nor the sky really, but you might have to find an area of houses somewhere in the rest of the photo, cut them out, place them over the pole, and do some feathering and blending. It is a rather tough one. Good luck.

That's my problem :P. I know how to use neither the rubber stamp nor feathering.

Here's my attempt. Just cut the pole down and cloned in the sky. Also brightened it up a smidge. It really seems dark. I guess if you look hard enough you can tell. I don't feel like cloning the whole thing out, but this is a bit more balanced.

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i actually like the post were it is

i think it gives a nice close foreground element without detracting from the image

but thats just my opinion... cool shot btw

JuiceBox wrote in post #6661449
Cropping it to square looks even worse. What do you guys suggest?

How about cropping the whole frame tighter 8" x 10".

I've cloned out a small part of the boat, adjusted curves and levels slightly and did a little burning on your clouds.

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Here's a quick edit... could use plenty of cleaning up... but I think this illustrates the point that the post helps fill in the picture... this looks awfully bare... if I had some maybe put something more interesting in its place...

If I were you and taking a photo of the scene... I would have made sure that I took a picture of the scene from a couple different angles to get whatever is behind the post... otherwise, what I had to do here was clone and flip one of the houses.

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I do see your point; I felt that the post detracted from the shot, but I can see why it also detracts by being missing.

I am by no means finished editing this photo, I just wanted your opinions on the post in the foreground. I'll post up a shot when I take some time to edit it; what I posted originally was pretty much right out of the camera. My apologies if that wasn't clear.

I would leave the post in, and I like Reign's edit. SOmetimes drak is too dark, and I am all about contrast.but lost detail is not the same as a dark photo?

Did I lose detail with my edit? I tried not to touch the darks... looks okay and brighter then the original on my screen

I don't think you did.

Thanks guys; I'll leave the post in, and process the shot sometime this week or next week. I can't today or tomorrow. I have entirely too much school work to do.