A Legend's Throneby
RulerZigzagComment by alexzen: Critique Club :)
Challenge
In regards the the challenge topic, I find it difficult to see a strong connection. I would imaging that hurt your score considerably. But let me critique the image itself.
Composition
My first take is that my eye is led very nicely via the perspective of the two buildings. These are strong leading lines. However, once my eye gets to the apparent main subject, I do not know what to look at. The foreground lights take my attention and the last thing I notice is that there is a tree I am supposed to be looking at. Too bad about that angel and trumpet because I think there was some potential in this image. I wonder what your options were on the other side of that display?
Exposure
I think you did a good job given the lighting conditions. Night shots are very difficult. I am surprised you did not use a tripod. You did a good of job of not blowing out the highlights, or at least salvaging them. ISO 1250 of course gave you lots of noise. Some noise reduction (such as Neat Image) could have helped. I find that some very careful noise reduction with subsequent sharpening can do wonders.
Post Processing
In order to make this image successful you would have to really make the tree lights pop. To do that you might have to dodge and burn a bit to reduce the levels of the buildings and increase the brightness of the tree. The tree is lost otherwise.
If you could have just gotten rid of that foreground. I think that is the main thing that is distracting the viewer from seeing what it is you want them to see and experience. Now that the challenge is over, the clone tool could be your best friend in making this what you intended.
Ken
alexzen
Photographer found comment helpful.
