Rip Me Apart!!!

[Mr. Clipit]

This picture was shot at Princeton University with a Nikon S10 (point&shoot) at F/4, 1/200 seconds, at ISO 50. I photoshopped it a bit to give it more contrast, light bloom, and a grungier feel (and clone stamped a person out from in front of the tree on the left). I'm new here, so please rip it apart. (oh, the original is here)

[windrider86]

I think you should choose one item as a main subject. Rither the building or the green thing, otherwise its too bust and the viewer looses interest. However you did an incredible job cloning the person out

[acostica]

i agree, i like how the tree frames the building so if you crop out the green thing, i think its an awesome pic. also, you'll hear a lot here about shooting at dawn/dusk to get a very pretty sky - something about how blown out it is here bothers me... love the photoshopping though, think you did a great job!

[jonny4now]

I would have to agree with what is already said...too much going on. The picture seems to have three main subjects that are battling it out and the least appealing (to me)...the green sculpture, is winning. I feel like the image overall would be much stronger if you were to crop it in half and keep the left side. Great job on removing the destracting people!

[jiminyClickit]

Mr. Clipit, Welcome

In early afternoon there is a shadow beyond the people you cloned out, so the bright green grass acts as a distraction in that small area. It isn't the tree's shadow.

windrider86 is right to suggest "pick one," as they are both strong subjects, and looked more respectable in the original.

acostica is right about the sky needing to be a more attractive background.

Regretably, as to your request to "Rip Me Apart," that treatment is reserved for long-term members who get out of line (not really). But stick around anyway, think up better titles, pay attention to details (like shadows), and simplify your subjects as you learn.

[Mr. Clipit]

Thanks for all the help. I guess the eye is definitely torn between the two subjects, I really didnt think about that when I took the shot.

[bigdoggold]

I would have to ask you what story are you trying to tell with this photo? I think that you should choose a subject to focus on, to me this image seems a little to busy.

If you did clone out people in front of the tree, you might have had your subject right there, not with this angle, but maybe a shot of people in the foreground with the building in the background. Or maybe you could have focused on the sculpture at a cool angle, maybe low ground shot, or low ground looking up at the sculpture.

All just ideas, keep shooting, and have fun with it.

[annie]

Also, in enhancing the contrast you've gotten some of the colors to pop more, but you've also made the edge of the sculpture and the sky more blown out. It's a mistake I've made a bunch of times, so now I tend to notice it.