Not so pretty lake fixed

[speedymatt]

I went out early before a local car event to take some pictures of the old girl. Stumpy Lake has been in my photo spot lists forever. Recently the city has done some roadway improvements in the form of widening and gaurdrail. So after I got home and looked at the photos I just hated the rail and overhead lines running through the scene so I fired up the photoshop and went to town. Here is the result:
Before: DOOC

revision1: cropped and cloned out overhead lines and gaurdrail

revision2:selected lake and everything upwards and moved them down to cover the road, cloned out drainage ditch and small tree, brightened car, darkened everything else, increased contrast in sky

revision3: blur tool to provide "DOF", applied warm filter

IMG_3186_4 by Matthew Cox Photography, on Flickr

I think its passable.

[two30grain]

i think it looks good. i shoot cars fairly often, and it isnt always easy getting a good 100% perfect background. TFS.

[highlydope]

Nice job Matt.

[speedymatt]

thanks,
two30, backgrounds are hard to come by, it seems like i'm alway editing something out of them. i've got a lot of car shots on my flickr site as thats my main focus. stop by and check them out.

highlydope, sure you can mess around with it. i usually use my 50mm,1.8 to help control the DOF but i had my 18-200mm, 3.5 walk around on due to the event i was attending later that morning. that and i like the openness of the lake behind the car, kind of small car in a big ol world feel. as for the sky, well thats just what was there, sometimes you get what you get.

*pops head in door, notices what just happened... slows backs out*

[highlydope]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

*pops head in door, notices what just happened... slows backs out*

If you're referring to my post, I'll delete it. Wouldn't want to ruffle any feathers.

[speedymatt]

Originally Posted by highlydope

Edit: Here's a quick & dirty edit describing what I'm talking about. Sky added, background bokeh added, and I brightened up the car a little to bring out more detail along the side of it. Note that the eye is drawn more to the car, than the sky now. Hope you don't mind me doing this and if you do, I'll be glad to remove it.

i like the popping of the car but the i'm not feeling the sky, at all. i try and be as miniumalist as possible with post processing. i know its a quick edit you did, i just don't think the sky adds to it.

aw come on Max, share with the class.

Originally Posted by highlydope

If you're referring to my post, I'll delete it. Wouldn't want to ruffle any feathers.

Your post was ... *meh*.... the blurring was just not... well... Not good. I don't know how else to say it. It was too much.

Originally Posted by speedymatt

aw come on Max, share with the class.

I've been "cited" too many times for running my overly opinionated mouth here, so I need to be careful.

But honestly, that shot would have found my delete key faster than Superman drops a deuce in a public communal shower.

Water never makes for a good car photo, you have a tree apparently in the back seat of the car, the angle just doesn't work for me, the road in the background is so distracting I didn't even notice the car at first, ok sure it's a miata, I get it... Time of day was poor, location next to the sewer run off was not appealing...etc and etc and etc...

I say, take this as a lesson to learn to make these things a priority next time.

~Eric

[speedymatt]

Originally Posted by maxharvard

I've been "cited" too many times for running my overly opinionated mouth here, so I need to be careful.

But honestly, that shot would have found my delete key faster than Superman drops a deuce in a public communal shower.

Water never makes for a good car photo, you have a tree apparently in the back seat of the car, the angle just doesn't work for me, the road in the background is so distracting I didn't even notice the car at first, ok sure it's a miata, I get it... Time of day was poor, location next to the sewer run off was not appealing...etc and etc and etc...

I say, take this as a lesson to learn to make these things a priority next time.

~Eric

uh thanks? i guess?

now anyone got anything that applies to the actual subject of before and after and not random crap that belongs in the critique section?

Originally Posted by speedymatt

uh thanks? i guess?

now anyone got anything that applies to the actual subject of before and after and not random crap that belongs in the critique section?

aaaaaaaaannnnnnddd now you see why I didn't want to say anything.