Cooper Shop

Very nice as is, but IMHO to give more balance and depth it needs more of the tree on the right.

PE

An interesting shot with light that looks to be just 'pre-storm'. What's with the haloing around the rooflines and tree trunks and branches, though?

Jovo, I was hoping no one would notice the haloing! It's from dodging when I burned in the sky. Will work on that...

I think it is a very good image. I like the tonality, the composition and how the building and van stands out. However, I agree with PE about the tree on the right.

Good work.

If you're having problems getting tones in the sky, did you try split grade printing it? Then you can build density in the sky and burn without getting the halo. Just a thought since I think this photograph deserves a lot of attention in the printing. It really is wonderful.
- Thomas

Hello Thomas,
Thank you for the suggestion. I really need to try VC papers but right now I'm set up for graded with a cold light head.

This is a nice overall image... Have you done any masking to this as well? Technically, the print is good, but I can see the halos asothers have said, and what looks like dogding, or bleaching of the shop facade, and bus. It has an otherwordly / almost 3D look that I cannot fathom. As Thomas has said, try split grade printing it. It might change the look and will certianly be a lot easier to print. As you are using a cold lught head, with grade paper, you might have an opportunity to try 'flashing' the paper either selectively, or wholely to push the paper past it's inertia point, and bring down the highlights? Interesting image though with lots of potential.

Andrew, thanks for the comments! I must have set my meter wrong and overexposed this massively. The density of the van roof is 1.85 and the sky 2.35 - Yikes!

There's no dodging or bleaching of the shop or van. Actually I had to burn down the van's top and front a bit. Also burned in the sign since it did not stand out well. As for the haloing, yes I made a dodge mask to protect everything but the sky when I fogged it down, causing the "edge effect" halo. The sky was pure white and I wanted to bring it down so the shop and van would stand out. I'll have to make up a better dodge mask or go to split grade printing!

Try a 'pre or post flash' as you are using graded paper as that is something you can do right now with the same paper. There are articles around that show how to do this. Then go the VC split grade route.

It looks like an impending snow storm with that strange light that's bright but not bright if that makes sense. This disguises the halos very well. I am not sure that warming it up will help. It looks cold and lonely which might be destroyed with any warming effect even if confined to the building.

Great atmosphere

pentaxuser