[todd]

Nice work Anton! I am tracking with you, and like what you have done. From absolute photographic standards this is best, but I guess I am a rebellious and tend to look at pictures like this as a story. And yes it is a story of decline as you well said, and as such, I can look at the different focal points as different pieces of that story. This was my interpretation anyway, and I tried to remove a little bit of the clutter and process in a way to highlight focal points I found most interesting. (I first tried turning it into a night scene, and streaking some long exposure headlight trails down the street, but I couldn't pull it off.. :-) )

[Anton Magus]

Nice work Anton! I am tracking with you, and like what you have done. From absolute photographic standards this is best, but I guess I am a rebellious and tend to look at pictures like this as a story. And yes it is a story of decline as you well said, and as such, I can look at the different focal points as different pieces of that story. This was my interpretation anyway, and I tried to remove a little bit of the clutter and process in a way to highlight focal points I found most interesting. (I first tried turning it into a night scene, and streaking some long exposure headlight trails down the street, but I couldn't pull it off.. :-) )

We definitely agree. I have no idea where the photo was taken and I don't know the history of the area, but it looks to me as if it was at one time quite an up-beat place. The building for auction on the corner has that wooden balcony or whatever over the entrance so it must have been something special. Now its derelict and some shops across the street seem boarded up as well. There is definitely a story here, but I am not sure the one image tells it fully.

The interesting thing is that all the entries so far have either gone for a B&W grainy look to highlight the general run down appearance, or they have boosted the color and contrast to highlight the focal points. I guess its a kind of competition between followers of Ansel Adams or Ken Rockwell, although I am not sure it is lawful to mention both names in the same sentence?

I must admit the thought crossed my mind that a red Ferrari might give good contrast to the run down buildings, but I thought it maynot be appropriate. I do think that the image needs something to highlight the story more than what we can see in the original.

[todd]

I think your last sentence nails it on the head... Yet you have definitely broken the law, and caused me to consider deleting (or at least reworking) my rendition! This is the first time I've been accused of being a follower of KR and hopefully the last! :-)

[Anton Magus]

This is the first time I've been accused of being a follower of KR and hopefully the last!

Don't feel bad - I think we all fall into the KR style from time to time. He actually comes up with some pretty good images from time to time. The biggest problem I have with him is that he has an over-inflated ego and thinks he is better than us mere mortals when I know many amateurs who consistently produce excellent images. By the way, I would never accuse you (or anyone else) on this forum of being a KR follower. He seems to love Nikon and hate Pentax while we are all exactly opposite.

[todd]

I hear ya. Sorry for the off topic, but what exactly is the KR style then? Heavy saturation? Stiff/boring composition? Both? When I first started, I thought KR was cool because I saw some of his landscapes that I liked and some of his writing seemed to be helpful... It didn't take long though to get blasted out by his ego, and to notice that most of his current (at that time at least) images he was bragging about were nothing special at all (to me at least)..

[Immunogirl]

I'm happy to have posted an image that forces you guys into different camps and can be interpreted in so many different ways. Break out of your Ansel Adams or Ken Rockwell molds though!

I think I prefer your first entry to your 2nd anton - that lens flare and selective focusing gives it this magical mr. roger's neighborhood type feel.

Isn't it obvious? It's on Mulberry St. In Baltimore.

[ivoire]

great images all around! and heres the reason for the decline

---

Last edited by ivoire; 01-22-2013 at 05:45 AM.

[Anton Magus]

Sorry for the off topic, but what exactly is the KR style then?

Its not so much the over-saturated colors or the stiff composition, its more like

<<< Taken with my $42 000 Hasselblad H4D-60 >>>

I support my hungry family through my website so give me $5

You will definitely recognise this one-of-a-kind style when you see it...

great images all around! and heres the reason for the decline

That's really fantastic, Ivoire. Amazing how a bit of sharpening and contrast has pulled those previously invisible elements right into the image so we can now see them. Of course the aliens are all around us all the time, but we just don't notice them in normal photographs.
You need to be very careful, Ivoire. My colleague has a friend who told him of someone he knows who has spoken with aliens on several occasions. He says there are millions of them around. They look pretty normal with straight black hair, usually ride in trucks at night and speak a weird language, often saying something like "Hola señor ¿Estamos en la frontera? ¿Es este el los Estados Unidos?" whatever that may mean.

[todd]

Ha! Now I completely understand! At least now we can make an automatic $10 monthly donation... What a Sunday morning revelation for me, all about KR and aliens in one post! Just a coincidence? Thank you.

[ivoire]

Bart.... nice fade out. works well with this image

Taurasek... like the lighting in your rendition

todd... great colors in yours

Anton... very cool idea, you made me rethink my entry

todd.... second entry is hilarious. i think you have made kr immortal

[Anton Magus]

Its so good to see people having fun.

[Bart]

Thanks, ivoire!

[todd]

thanks ivoire! oh man that edit is classic! lmao

[ivoire]

thanks ivoire! oh man that edit is classic! lmao

thanks to you todd for your edit and idea

[Immunogirl]

You guys have taken a simple picture and are now having it tell stories...