One of the best things that I have found about blogging is getting a whole heap of feedback, including real constructive criticism.
To my mind this has to be great for a bit of creativity and encourages one to play around. Many of my posts I half cringe at now and think “What was I doing putting that up there?”, but that is all part of the journey. So with this post I wanted to say thanks to you all for your suggestions.
This post itself has arisen as a result of feedback provided by “Didonablog” following my September post “A Different Direction“. She suggested a tighter crop to remove the sky and placing in a purple tinge.
Well I tried the tighter crop and yes I think it works a lot better by removing the sky (but retaining the lamplights on the bridge).
I then tried using Lightroom to alter the white balance and individual colours to get a slight violet tinge, but alas the result did not please me. So I carried on playing with settings in the digital darkroom and liked the slightly golden effect I obtained for the photograph below:
Of course there are a zillion settings and not everyone is going to have the same preferences – that is art after all. However, the feedback, the encouragement to explore, try new things is something that I like best about blogging.
So thank you so much Didonablog and I would be interested on your views on the beauty of blogging.
For those interested, here is the original photograph:
Meticulous Mick 
The “Sharper crop” works very well for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for the input Malin and hope all is good with you. MM 🍀
LikeLike
didonablog is one of those readers everyone needs. Honest opinions with your best interest in their heart is great. And it does form lasting bonds of friendship.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very well said Dannie Hill. 😀
LikeLike
Didonablog was right – the little rectangle of light at the top of the original was distracting. You are very open to suggestions considering what an incredible photographer you are!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t happen to think much of the Mona Lisa, but that doesn’t make it a bad painting. We all have opinions. I welcome all (non-troll) feedback and I can agree to some suggestions but disagree with others.
Like here with Didonablog – the extra crop worked perfectly, but for me the violet tinge did not. It did help me to go on to explore and try other things mind. If we aren’t prepared to listen to the opinions of others how are we ever going to improve and stretch ourselves?
Many thanks for taking the time to comment Anne.
MM 🍀
LikeLike
Love the crop and the Golden Glow it really adds to the original image here John. In general I have found Bloggers to be generous with their comments and suggestions and their time spent in replies. Suggestions such as this one from Didonablog are priceless but we can all learn from it as well. Keeping a photo blog has made me more aware of what I shoot and how I shoot it, I have noticed an improvement in my shots and a refinement in what I shoot. I have also discovered to my surprise that I love playing around in Lightroom and Photoshop on certain images.
As you say, it is all a journey, and we learn from every other Blogger and that sparks our creativity and that itch to see and play more.
LikeLike
Well said Lee, a great community it is too, full of encouragement and it is great to get participation from all corners of the globe.
As with most things a key part is practice, practice, practice and here is the perfect place to throw out that practicing for valuable input.
Thank you for taking the time to comment Lee, we all appreciate it. MM 🍀
LikeLike
I hear you, John… I don’t play too much with my original images either… That said, the golden glow is absolutely beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh thank you for your kind world but mostly for allowing us to have a wonderful and meaningful ideas exchange. I strongly believe that the meaning of a blog is to allow constructive criticism and different views which in return would trigger a questioning of the personal approach of any of the art form that one does and an opening towards new ideas, new ways of thinking and seeing..
This echoes well with John Berger’s book and tv series Ways of seeing in which he explores the ways we see art that have changed and continue to change.
I was introduce to your blog by John Owens that kept on raving about your great pictures and wonderful stories you produced at every lunch and dinners he would have with his customers. When I saw your blog I realise he was not praising you for not reason!
Its a delight to read your blog and every morning I’m sure everyone is waiting for a new wonderful picture from you!
I’m also very happy to be able to exchange ideas, as in the Morning Glow and your enthusiasm of trying new ways of seeing is very encouraging !
I love what you have done with the original shoot and it goes to show that an open mind and a playful attitude can take you places.
I also had a go at this exercise and will send you my result in your email..can wait to hear what you think.
Of course as you said there are zillion ways and angles to see and that’s the beauty of art!
May I also say that your blog have inspired me to attached short stories to my photos, contrary to my initial belief that the picture should say everything just by the image one takes. I feel more and more that a short story could be seen as part of the photograph as mixed media art is a painting as a whole. So I thank you for this!
In conclusion I feel we are on the right path of exploring art !
LikeLiked by 1 person
I must thank John Owens and clearly thank you yourself Diana. I for one feel I must apologise for not commenting as much as I would like of late or visiting other blogs. Sometimes time can just catch up on all of us.
As to the final note of your wonderfully glowing piece, I have to raise a glass and a smile to that. Look forward to working / playing / learning for many a time to come.
MM 🍀
LikeLike
Bloggers are so generous to each other. We would pay big money for some of the advice we get. I am especially reminded of my early clueless days.
Nice photos. I am so clueless about photography that I think every photo I see is the actual photo and not touched up in any way.
LikeLike
Overall I tend to do little, but one has to remember that so much also went on in the film days, just it involved lots of messy chemicals. What I have done here in this image is simply accentuate / diminish colours.
Personally I am against all this sanitising of images, but used in a more creative sense I think it is incredibly good fun and interesting.
Happy Blogging Tric and thanks for your own input.
John / MM 🍀
LikeLike