USFS Guardstation Barn

[Mogen_david]

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Camera: Nikon D90
Exposure: 0.025 sec (1/40)
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 18 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash
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So I' messed with this photo in Gimp and may have over done the edits. The original:
Kingston Guardstation Barn on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Had a blown out sky and the background mountain was overexposed. I then played a bit to add some "depth" to the image. My main concern is that I might have overdone the edits.

I will take any other comments you might have that would improve the photo, composition, technique or editing.

[sk66]

I think it's a good picture and no issues with the edits....a little HDRish, but not overdone IMO.

My only negative is I feel like there is too much DOF. The subject is clearly the Barn with the railing/fence drawing your eye there (nice job), but then the mountain in the background draws your attention away and there's not much to see there.

Also, (and this is very minor) the rt mountain's edge is paralleling and "confusing" the roof line of the barn. It would have been a touch better defined without that.

[spellbound]

I totally agree with sk66.

It's just waaay too busy...I just don't know where to look.

[irieness]

Yea, while i understand the contrast edits you made, I would do the shot over with a different composition. You chose a nice subject (or too many subjects) where you wanted to focus the fence and they eye following the fence to the house. But once my eye reaches the house it doesn't know where to go. The mountains, high contrast grass and the facade direction of the house are making me look all over. Do you just have a picture of the house with some nice grass in the foreground surrounded by mountains in the background? Willing to see that.

[Mogen_david]

Thanks for the comments. I'll be back twice in the next couple of months and if I hit the spot in the evening or morning I'll give it another go.

[dcclark]

I looked at this and thought "Yikes, HDR!" -- so that's my main comment: the colors and contrast are a bit too high to feel "natural". It's your choice whether you want it to look natural or not, but my personal choice would be to tone it down.