Hilton Flowershop

[Bob_B]

The Hilton Flowershop is a loveable icon of Catonsville, Maryland (USA). Obviously, the building could use some TLC, but it still has charm and grace. Given it's location on the main street (Frederick Avenue), it's difficult to get a great angle on this old gem of a building, but here's one perspective. Comments welcomed.

Best regards,

Bob

[Ed Blagden]

That image is so oversaturated I can't look at it for more than a few seconds.  Some interesting textures there but barely noticeable because of the oversaturation.

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

Yup, its overcooked, especially oversharpened imo.

[Bob_B]

Thanks. I agree with both comments, and I'll make adjustments. Oddly, the original image pre-posting to LuLa isn't as sharpened or saturated, so I guess my export didn't achieve the desired effect. (I confess to spending little time after posting looking at the result. My bad, sorry.) Nonetheless, back to lightroom to improve. I'll repost what I expect will be a better endproduct. Again, thanks for the advice.

[Ed Blagden]

Bob

I'm also wondering if you are using a calibrated monitor - the colours look semi OK on my non calibrated laptop screen but drag the image across to my calibrated monitor and..... eurrrk!

On the sharpening I'm wondering what export settings you are using - I was fooling around with Lightroom a moment ago and got a similar effect to your photo when I set the export Output Sharpening to Glossy Paper / High.  Again, eurrrk!  Assuming you are in LR Export Dialogue, set output sharpening to Screen / Standard.  Works 99% of the time.

See attachments below of one of my own random snaps to see how the wrong export output sharpening settings can render an image in a truly horrible way.

Ed

EDIT: PS, please forgive me if I am trying to teach granny the art of egg-sucking!

[Bob_B]

Thanks Ed. I'm away from my lightroom computer at the moment, but I do think this may have happened, as I had just completed printing to RR Polar Metallic paper (and got a nice result with added print sharpening etc), prior to export. I suspect that my export may have carried those paper enhancements to the jpg. Nonetheless, I'll double check and repost a better image.

Again thanks for the suggestion and advice.

Bob

[Bob_B]

That earlier version was indeed the print copy that had its saturation and sharpness increased. Sorry. I've uploaded the image prior to printing, and hopefully this one is a bit easier on the eye. (After posting this image, it still looks sharper and more saturated than what I see in lightroom. I'll straighten that out shortly.)

[Ed Blagden]

That earlier version was indeed the print copy that had its saturation and sharpness increased. Sorry. I've uploaded the image prior to printing, and hopefully this one is a bit easier on the eye. (After posting this image, it still looks sharper and more saturated than what I see in lightroom. I'll straighten that out shortly.)

Bob,

Thanks - I can now look at the image for more than 5 seconds without my eyes tearing up!

On to comments: I'm afraid I don't really "get" this image.  I know you gave some introduction in your OP but blanking that out for a minute and just looking at the image I have no idea what it is about.  Sure it is sharp and well exposed, but what is the concept?  Is it a study of texture?  Of colour?  Looking at it I don't really see what you as a photographer are trying to convey to me as a viewer.

Don't take the above criticism badly - I have taken many sharp pictures of fuzzy concepts, it isn't a crime!

[Bob_B]

Thanks for taking the time, Ed. I greatly appreciate your comments and advice.

Well, fwiw, I like the juxtaposition between the colors (vibrant and alive) and the peeling paint, loose shingles, and general decrepitude of the building. Although I just thought of this, it says to me "Even if I'm old and tattered, I can still be alive". Best I can do.

Bob

[brandtb]

The issues of saturation aside, what might have made this a more successful shot are the angles. As it is now, the image is mostly about dormer and asphalt shingles. I might have tried it a number of slightly different ways as follows. First though, what is interesting about this building (I saw pics of it on web) are the really wonderful brackets, the white angled board (which is simulating a Doric frieze in a very primitive way) under the eave, and to a lesser extent the steep roofed dormer and round head window. I would have tried to shoot a little more obliquely from the right e.g.- to try and get these elements tightly in a group (try variations)...and perhaps to have the brackets and frieze more prominent. This would also allow more of a sidelong view of the brackets...and  then to be able see the great shape. Having all that uninteresting whitish green asphalt tile (which was not original) is distracting. A more oblique view would eliminate some of this. /B

[Bob_B]

brandtb: Thanks for the tips. I live just a few hundred yards from the flowershop, so I will have plenty of opportunities in the future to attempt new captures using your suggestions. I find this capture challenging as there are wires and other buildings that I would prefer not be in the image. I guess they can be cloned out, I don't know. The other issue is limited space in and around the building, and traffic. Here's another view of the building. (This was just a 'snap' when I first started photography, so please be forgiving with it. It's here for reference only.)

Bob

[brandtb]

Bob  -It would have been great to see it in it's original state no? Yes, almost any wires can be cloned out...unfortunate about location and surroundings now. I deal with it all the time shooting historic buildings.  Another shot might be the right half of roof in one dormer and dangling shingle...shot from good distance back (on ladder) with long lens...don't know what's going on across street though...as well as a sidelong shot down the rows of brackets on a really high ladder. Booked a bit right now...in a couple of days I'll pm you some images of similar architectural/and shots to illustrate the point.  Good luck with it.   /B

[brandtb]

earlier meant to say more obliquely from...right