[C&C] IR for Darren: Welcome to fabulous frakking Las Vegas

Fenster

Darren, hit me if you'd like my workflow/actions for this as the image is essentially black and white, and was processed as such.

There are a bunch of elements working against me in this image: The masses of power lines and the gapingly obvious banner for a local porn studio. The banner is why I have so much contrast in this image; I simply couldn't think of a handier way to obscure it without cloning, copious burning or stick-out-like-a-sore-thumb blurring. Cropping the image down didn't work out favourably. I hope to reshoot this image tomorrow evening after work, from a more advantageous angle.

Fenster

Bump. Just because.

ThOnda

Because it is worth it.

kjt

ThOnda wrote: »

Because it is worth it.

Dunno...

humberklog

Best photo I've seen in years, but my most recent favourites always are. I'm fickle but enthusiastic!

I don't understand any of the text in the post though.

Fenster

I'm wordy.

Fenster

Alright: I braved the elements and returned today. This time I knew enough to choose a better angle and with the help of seven (7!) clone layers I was able to remove all of the crap in the background. Power lines, porn studio ads.

eolair

but by removing everything, aren't you taking away exactly what makes las vegas, las vegas? The place is cluttered, jumbled, tacky, filled with contrasts and a million businesses and scams all vying for your dollars. Each to there own, but why make it something it's not?

Don't get me wrong, I've removed clutter from some images - after travelling a hell of a long way, and waiting years to get there, the scaffolding on the Taj Mahal was a major let down:( and it was promptly removed from my pic.

Dragan

I much prefer the first one, Vegas is a seedy mess that lost its luster long ago, all thats left now is a seething mess of dashed humanity.

The first one does a much better job of conveying that. :pac:

eamon234

I agree - the first one captures the real atmosphere of Vegas.

humberklog

There's so much to see in the 1st one and yet it doesn't take from a real sense of specific place: Vegas, in a car. The 1st has so much going for it. The smiling couple, wires, the sign to the left, the fuse box on the signage post, the knot in the wires, the human tilted angle and yet your in Vegas in a car.
The 2nd is a very good example of camera club photo of vegas. Clean, tidy. It looks like a box cover for tissues or (in my eye) a female hygene product box. The Las Vegas signage could just as easily read Lilettes.

The 1st one takes you to a sense of place where your drunk driving from a casino surprised that it's light out and not really caring as your pockets have been emptied by the casinos and hookers and you're bundled lopsided into the jamjar, leaving Vegas dirty and broken and spiteful searching for your plastic jesus that should be sitting on the dashboard of your car but now there's just a pair on miniature cowboy boots. Brilliant photo.

The 1st one is Scorcese's Vegas the 2nd is Walt Disney's family friendly Vegas.

Fenster

Tis interesting that you all definitely choose the first, while my own aesthetics lean strongly towards the second.

bigpoppa

crap image to be honest

Fenster

Heh.

bigpoppa

just so over manipulated in post, nothing about it makes me think vegas, better luck next time though as you seem to have potential

good first amateur attempt!

Fenster

Trolling works better when I don't laugh. Thank you for the morning smile!

eas

number 1 by 3 long shots here too, I'd even like to see more junk.

sineadw

I'd be agreeing - love the first one. Even love the grain and the dirtiness of it..

AnCatDubh

Like others I love the first one. It has real story telling potential and we all love a good story. The second is cropped too tight IMO, you are left wondering what the sign was attached to, where it came from, what was the context of it. Too many questions. In the second both the palm tree and the sign stand are lacking in context. In #1, I normally don't like such angles but this shot gets away with it in bucket loads. Although the second one has cleaner processing, the first in all its grittyness has character that which is lacking in the second I think but that's a personal preference I think.