Am considering entering a photo in a showcase, theme, windows. I have posted two photos of the Plaza Hotel, NYC and would like your feedback as to which is the more successful photo. In addition, I would like to emphasize the darkness in the sky in Plaza One and punch up the sky to make it more brilliant in Plaza Two. I don't know how to do any of those manipulations. Advice would be appreciated.

In the same gallery, I have posted two manipulated pictures of a piece of rope over a piece of wood. Again, your opinion as to which is more succesful would be appreciated.

Thank you.

http://www.pbase.com/merrillmack/merrills_gallery

Merrill Mack

On plazaone, here's what I did. I duplicated the image and on the duplicate layer, I did a Gradient Map. I showed in the top right what gradient I made. You have to play with this one somewhat to get it to work how you'd like. Then I set the Gradient Map layer to Luminosity, and used Darken to clean up the contrast left around the bushes. You might want to play w/ Gradient Map, you can get some great effects like this.

Oh and I like the second rope better, the weathering is more obvious and the first one just looks "raw", like it is straight off the camera, but the second looks like it has been optimized.

Boingo, great job. Thanks. I've a lot to learn. I will try your suggesstions as I think I would learn a lot. Never tried a gradient map before so it will be a good experience for me.

As for the rope, I agree, I think the second one has more depth.

Merrill

Of the two I'd vote for Plaza #2, also. #1 is a little too far away and the framing/cropping doesn't float my boat. #2 to me is the more interesting and unique.

I, too, vote for rope #2 for the same reasons as stated above.

Good luck with the show.

~Danny~

Danny:

Thanks for the response. You chose the ones I thought best too.

Merrill

Right off the bat, I have to say that I know this isn't what you were looking for, but I hadn't ever played with the gradient map (used the gradient tool lots but never the map)

Any way, I played with it and was surprised at the results. This one I posted could prove very useful on an old family photo that I've tried unsuccessfuly to restore many times.

Thanks for the thread,
Margaret

Talk about punching up the sky. Wouldn't work for what I need but it sure is an interesting look. Great job. Very talented people in this forum.

Merrill