Look to the west and you might just find gold (Revisited)

The title could have been "If everything fails, convert to Black and White". Except I'm not at that stage yet. Well, almost. I've belabored on the first image for so long that I think the Black and White nuclear option is the next step.

Last Monday I had a bit of time to do some post production photography. I was initially excited to see the results on this image of the golden hill (see left insert). It was taken a week earlier at my usual hangout -- on top of the office roof top. Yet the next day as I review the picture somehow that excitement had dwindled. I felt that the color was too pale for my taste – a huge departure from my usual style. I seem to want to darken the shadows and enhance the color of the clouds in the sky. I kept it the way it was thinking that my impression would change. I've also asked for comments from other people. After hearing what they said, I ended up revising it. Hence, the second image below. I think it's an improvement but now I think I've lost the grand composition of the first one in favor of a more cropped and saturated image on the second. I mean personally, I like them both but I felt I wasn't confident enough to share them. Anyway, here they are. I’m giving them a chance. If you have an opportunity, let me know what you think. (Be nice.)

Diamond Bar, California, Canon EOS 60D, 100mm Carl Zeiss Makro

Comments

Guy Patterson said…
Interesting. What planet is this on?
Rob Castro said…
I woke up late this morning... very late but was able to still get here at 7:40am, which is very early for me - I usually come in at 8:30. You're wondering that this time Rob has really lost his marbles. (Actually, I have -- a long time ago but that's another story.) I've been dropping my daughter to the train station in the last few days. Normally, my wife does that but she went to the Philippines so I have to do it -- which means I have to wake up earlier. But today I didn't hear my alarm go off. And that means I'll have to let the dog out real quick, brush my teeth while in the shower and miss my morning coffee at home. Does that sound familiar? So I'm a bit out of myself today.
Rate-cha said…
Well, you didn't have to preface this with being tired. If you had told me you worked very hard on this, I would believe it. Great improvement. Although, as I said before, it is a beautiful shot on its own. That's just part of having a good eye.

That being said, I really like the drama you added by brightening up the sky above the clouds and bringing in the grim darkness directly under the cloud. You kept the integrity of the ominous storm, yet, dramatized it by creating depth with color. Again, great improvement. Would have been great if you could overlap a man on a horse at the top of the hill....now that would be drama, LOL (kidding, of course).

Thanks Rob. Good Morning! And, time for some coffee and food, for you

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