Comments on these photos please

[Anthony]

I was out today and I found this wreath; I took variouse photos at different angles and apertures.
I have put my thoughts below each one and I would be interested on other peoples thoughts - all but one are just resized from the CR2 file.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqSC3ScaI/AAAAAAAAAYw/SwteIbghEHw/th_IMG_1657.jpg

The original that the modified version below came from.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqAfOKxvI/AAAAAAAAAYc/QYF0ljF8F-o/IMG_1657.jpg

Small crop, saturation and unsharp mask - Have I gone to far?

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqFJBBNzI/AAAAAAAAAYg/8izU2QvP0sg/th_IMG_1637.jpg

To "flat" and the wall is distracting.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqJ_S2zuI/AAAAAAAAAYo/Nf-I8w3qrUo/th_IMG_1641.jpg

I quite like this one except the wall is to distracting again but you can see more of the wreath

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqNw9pECI/AAAAAAAAAYs/NAmS_uUS4hg/th_IMG_1662.jpg
Not sure about this one as I have a smaller depth of field.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMwqWU6rwZI/AAAAAAAAAY0/MCl7kDITygA/th_IMG_1652.jpg

At first I did not block out the sunlight - what would be the best way to remove in post processing ?

[SpecialK]

I like the one that is "too flat" with the distracting wall.

In the other shot, you should be able to clone out the sunlight other parts of the wall.

[Anthony]

Thats interesting SpecialK, that photo shows more of the wreath.

I wonder if something between the two angles would have looked OK; I will see if I can go back tomorrow and take another version.
I did consider moving the wreath and leaves away from the wall but did not think it would look so natural if I placed the leaves myself.

Another version
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TMw5awgstRI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/yg5q56IP3ok/grey%20and%20red.jpg

[Anthony]

Looking at the photo again the leaves are in a gave shape :eek:

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

It's just not an interesting enough subject for me. To get around that I might have tried to show some context, ie small wreath as part of the whole memorial scene.

[K1W1]

I'm with DPR it's just a pile of leaves to me. The wreath in it's context would probably be more interesting and thought provoking.

[Anthony]

I can see what you mean about contex; this is another I took at the same time. The view through the gate is washed out and I should have taken two photos and combined them.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_twXBe0RgCpI/TM208zyLqNI/AAAAAAAAAbw/B4R1AE2stW8/s640/IMG_1645.jpg

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Much more interesting to look at.

Cropping a touch of black off the top and straightening the horizon would improve it still more.

The exposure of the view through the gate is fine to me. If anything a little off camera flash to bring up the wreath in the foreground would help but not much and you may not have the gear to do that.

[Anthony]

I had done a couple of quick tweeks:
Darkened the view through porch slightly
Squared up using the side of the gate sides - though everything seems out of square
Cloned out some distracting light from holes in the porch.
Cropped slightly.

I agree with your comments especialy about the black at the top of the photo.
I only have the on camera flash at the moment but may be able to lighten the wreath a bit with software.

This photo was only "snapped" as I was to engrosed with the closeup of the wreath :rolleyes:

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Took me a ton of mistakes to realise closer isn't always better :)

[mattdm]

I like the last wreath picture best, sunlight and all. The light adds interest, and the way it points towards the wreath makes it a nice graphic element.