A lone mansion

[invu69]

Nobody seems to comment on my two previous posts

I hope they would comment on them too...I put a lot of efforts on those...Anyway..here's another shot in Baguio. It's a mansion which guards did not let us pass, for some reason...

Post processing done: Tweaked levels and desaturated pic.

Would really love to hear your thoughts on improving my photos. Many thanks...

[Nicole]

The critique forum can be hit and miss. Sometimes it moves really fast, and posts go by without responses. I wouldn't take it personally. Plus it hasn't even been a full day with your Paradise shot. Two of your other posts have gotten responses though . Also sometimes people just don't know what to say.

Anyways... I think that with this shot there's a lot that takes away from the focus of the mansion. I can see that it would pretty much be impossible to get closer unless you're going to walk in the water. If you were to crop off about the top half of this picture, there would be a much greater focus on the mansion, which I gather from your title is the focus of the shot. It's also quite dark.

What did it look like in colour?

[invu69]

I see..hmmm..you have a point there..below is another shot of the mansion pic in color.



I'll try to do what you said..I really appreciate it..but please, feel free to process this pic if you like to, that will be awesome..hehehe...

[Palachandra]

I like the original rather than post processed. The post processed doesnt seem to add any interest for me unless you specify the reason behind that!

[snapdragon]

The color in this shot shows a lot more detail & demention and IMO if far better that the B&W . B&W IMO is best on simpiler shots where there is not a lot of colerful small details that will be lost in B&W . Hope that makes sense ,only on my first coffee .

[tenjin]

Hi,

The B&W really is B&W in the tree area. It would be better if you adjusted it so that you had a range of grays rather than just B&W. You lost a lot of the details of the trees and bark in the conversion.

Personally, I like the colour, but a better B&W could steal the show.

Also, have you considered mixing colour and B&W / grays in the shot? Perhaps having everything in B&W / grays apart from the water and mansion? It would lead the eye in perhaps?

Cheers

D.

[FotoMike]

I like the B&W better personally. It looks to me like the horizon may be slightly off, or maybe my chair is just shorter on one side...i dont know. You said you desaturated it? im not sure if thats the saw as just going straight to B&W, but i would like to see a little more contrast, but maybe thats not possible? Either way i like the first better. good shot

[jpendley77]

I am new too and found that some of my post are slow and some are very very helpful. I am so new to digital photography i just figured no one wanted to fool with me, haha, not the case i love DPS and all the insite i have gathered in just a short time.

IMO I like the color, the trees in the b/w take away from the mansion for me. I may just be me having a long day, but the first thing i noticed in both photos is that the photo leans to the right a bit, but overall i really enjoy the shot nice work.

[invu69]

@FotoMike: Thank you!

@tenjin :I dont quite get you're suggestion..im no expert in doing black and white processing..maybe I placed too much contrast? or leveling?

@snapdragon: I agree with you. I will keep in mind that B&W pictures would best fit simple shots with not much colors.

@Palachandra :This picture is actually one of the first processed using my new 400D. I'm still exploring or doing trial and error on how to make a better B&W picture. Maybe I did something wrong in making this B&W since most of you guys like the colored pic. I was actually going for the dramatic mansion type. Hehehe

I thank you all for your comments, and would love to make an excellent B&W shot next time..please, if you have suggestions on your post process or way in making a better B&W, I would really appreciate them..

[invu69]

@jpendley77: Thank you very much! I am new too myself in digital photography. I used to use my K750i cam phone..and thats how it started. So i decided to buy a Canon 400D..I love it..and this shot was actually one of the first processed shot. I never use Photoshop, I only learned using it from the articles posted here. I really learn a lot from the masters here..