Ice Storm

[mikem12188]

This is a photo I took looking down my road after a January ice storm.



This is what it looks like after playing around with it:



Any ideas on how to make it better. I'm using a Nikon D50 and PSE 5.0.

This is the first time I'm asking for a critique, so let me have it!

[Jeerkahn]

I like this one, for me though the road leads me straight to those frozen power lines and I 'd much rather keep on going down the road instead.

Maybe clone/heal them out?

[jiminyClickit]

mikem12188,

Most of my favorites have some kind of cable in them, so I can overlook most of that. But it would change this frosty lane for the better if you were to remove them as Jeerkahn suggests. Good crop, time of day, everything.

[mikem12188]

Better?

[jiminyClickit]

mikem12188,

Wow. That seems like the highest form of praise. Wow.

I had not noticed the wind was knocking a little snowfall into the scene too. That's a bonus. And I haven't looked at a larger version, this is good. You've just won a week's vacation in Cozumel.

(OK, had to look . . . on the larger view there are a few spots that could be further cloned, but that's what snow days are for, right? Still a good job)

Last thing: when you edit, do you ever enlarge to the point where a pixel is about a quarter-inch square? Not often needed, maybe for the catchlight in an eye, or adding/filling in eyelashes. I'm curious what other's parameters are for editting.

[Saralonde]

Well done, Mike!

[Christa]

I really like your edits from the original. I thought the subtle colors you had picked up in the first pic was a little distracting and then you fixed it automatically.

It looks so much better with the lines out. You can see the editing of the line at the left of the screen but other that that I think the shot is very nice.

I always love the calm after the storm.

[beckywithasmile]

I really like this too. I liked the second one just fine because the garbage cans were gone. but then you removed the lines and made a great photo amazing. Nice work!

[mikem12188]

Thanks everybody. Christa, I see what you mean, I must not have had my coffee yet when I edited the picture.

Jiminy, no I haven't edited anything quite that fine yet, but as I practice more I can see how that will produce even better photos. Thanks.

[purplepixie]

My 2 cents: sometimes powerlines and such form part of the scene and are ok, but in this shot removing them made it timeless and other-wordly... well done :-)