Low key - does it work?

[Ian]

Taken inside St.Albans cathedral last night at our daughters' school carol service.

Ian

[Pol]

Re: Low key - does it work?

Hmmmm. I don't think there's significant, meaningful content for a striking low key image, not for me anyway. It just seems dark, grey and flat atm.

I just took it into CS5 and did a quick and simple tweak to brighten up the mid tones and I felt that made it more interesting, brighter but maintaining the general atmosphere but nevertheless still quite low key.

Maybe you could try it with slightly brighter mid tones?

Pol

[Pol]

Re: Low key - does it work?

Maybe you could try it with slightly brighter mid tones?

Here's an attachment showing the general idea of what I had in mind. All I did was take it into levels and selected 'mid tones brighter' from the menu, though you could probably tweak the tones further yet still maintain the atmosphere.

Pol

[Pops]

Re: Low key - does it work?

Only the pillar and the arch, which only features in the centre of the image, holds any real interest. Both top corners and the heads don't seem to offer anything to the photo. In fact I find the heads rather irritating in that they could be hiding something of more interest.
All in all I find it rather dull and boring.
While Pol's adjustment has bought out more detail its still not enough to make this a eye catching image.
Hope you took some more especially of the choir.

[Ian]

Re: Low key - does it work?

This is another of those that goes into the category, well I liked it!

The idea and the development of the composition came about as a direct consequence of the limitations of where I was in the pews (quite far from the altar and where the girls sang). So I guess it is a very personal shot that might not appeal much to anyone else, which is fair enough.

Pol has tried to normalise the image, but that alas misses the point of the thinking behind the image at the time.

Ian

[Pol]

Re: Low key - does it work?

This is another of those that goes into the category, well I liked it!

The idea and the development of the composition came about as a direct consequence of the limitations of where I was in the pews (quite far from the altar and where the girls sang). So I guess it is a very personal shot that might not appeal much to anyone else, which is fair enough.

Pol has tried to normalise the image, but that alas misses the point of the thinking behind the image at the time.

Ian

Sorry.

It's just that it made me feel I was in a cold church or cathedral and the original struck me as kinda 'gothic' - a wee bit 'spooky' with that lady's hair reminiscent of a ghost emerging from the shadows.

I mean it does have atmosphere but ...

Pol