Balloon Days

Just looking for some feedback. Are things too cramped here? I had

to crop to eliminate half a vehicle and reduced the contrast a tad.

Do I need to start again? Unfortunately the tones look different on

the PN site from the image original.

If you're looking for a period look, the wide-angle works against it- they just didn't have too many wide-angle choices back in the old days. Otherwise, an excellent combination of subjects.

Yes, the wide angle was a problem, because the cars were immediately behind a fence in a no-go area. So it was a choice between including the fence and people gawping at the cars, or the wide angle close-up. Thanks for your time Stephen.

Hanna, I have no problem with the wide angle--I feel certain that wide angles lenses have been around much longer than those two automobiles. Besides that I like the aggressiveness it adds to the cars. The only thing that bothers me about the crop is the fender of the car on the left "kissing" the edge of the image.

 

If there is any possibility that the complete fender is in the original capture it would be very easy to clone in another eight inch or so of image. There is not a lot of detail in the grass and the tree line to make it difficult.

 

Were it mine, I would also clone out the car under the tree and the deflated balloon on the right and what ever the rectangular thing is in front of the tree line on the left. Just sort of a clean up, simplify and concentrate attention on the main subjects.

 

Gary, I did crop half another car off the left, hence the very close crop. But that actually is the whole fender with the tip of it just at the border. The Bentlys do have big front ends so I see what you mean about the aggressiveness of them. Cloning the anachronistic vehicles out of the background wouldn't be a problem.

Hanna, they certainly knew how to do headlamps back then. They also knew wide angle lenses. The classic Goerz Hypergon (1910) covered 135 degrees -equivalent to an amazing 10mm focal length. The shot is a little cramped on the left but sometimes we just have to make the best of the situation. I like the tonal quality here with the gleaming chrome and paintwork of these nice old Jaguars (?). Though that is imo what makes the shot look modern rather than old. Lenses were all uncoated so contrast tended to be lower. Here is a version with more shadow detail and lowered foreground contrast for comparison. A fine shot and the balloon is fun!

They had wide angle lenses, but they weren't common, was my point. That Goerz Hypergon wasn't on the front of every box camera. They also had color, but it wasn't common, and so if you're trying to make a shot look old, you do it in B&W. Anyway, the tone, the contrast, the angle of the shot, are all fine, just that IF an old appearance is desired, it may help to do things differently.

Colin, thanks for the lens info. I wasn't making a serious attempt at aging the image, just thought it would add to the theme. We came here to Leeds Castle for a surprize balloon ride arranged for my in-laws who were celebrating their 60th anniversay. I'm sure you and Stephen have made good points. They are Bentleys by the way, more akin to Rolls Royce than Jaguar.

Nice cmposition. I am divided between your's and Colin's version. I like the deep blacks of your's and I like the more visible details of Colin's. Now, I don't know if a third version between the two would be satisfactory. We must choose.

Henri, it's good to hear from you. But why must we choose{~?