DanJM

Lake Superior

It’s wild you mentioned wanderlust regarding the second photo. That was the theme of the art journal in which that image was accepted. That was well before the show I referred to in this post, which has ended. I’m learning a lot from all this feedback though, so thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Red-backed salamander looking pretty orangey

Rime ice at sunset

I completely agree with the first sentence, but based on the title, Hospitality Corner, I wouldn’t have thought the OP’s intent was to make an unsettling image. Unless the title is meant sarcastically, of course, but I read it at face value.

Just a thought, could you accomplish some of that my upping the contrast? Maybe then the exposure would not need so much of an increase.

Interesting. Two suggestions come to my mind. 1. I think the 1:1 aspect ratio works but I would tighten the composition to cut out some of the space to the right of the chair by pulling up the bottom right corner a little and pulling down the top right corner a bit more. 2. The pavers and mug look blown out so maybe see if you can recover some of the details there. Adjusting the exposure to the whole image would also darken the black chair, which I think would also be an improvement.

Thanks everyone!

Thank you Bob, I appreciate your thoughts.

Back of one

I think that much exposure increase makes it a bit too flat, at least compared to the first. The strong shapes accentuated by the glossy highlights make the original much more interesting. Something in between these two would be well worth a try.