I hope you don't mind, John, in what is to follow.

As I downloaded your image here and put my thoughts into a slightly altered version (composition for the most part):

"Shelter Ceiling" - Warped and Cropped

The transforming via the Warping function in Photoshop was to straighten some lines out. The Crop itself.. reduces your image to that which really appealed to me.. the texture (your post processing/editing) on texture (the wood of the shelter).

It's much more pedestrian, I agree.

And loses the facet/aspect of the 'rain', outdoor elements.

However, I do think that the light captured and again, the texture on texture is more than strong enough to fill the screen by it's lonesomes.

Just sharing some thoughts and typing out loud in the above.


Funny thing is.. the more I view your image in it's entirety.. I am not as confident in the suggestions I am putting out there for your creative consideration.

Go figure?

Maybe a lesson learned, then.

Let things sink in.. don't be so quick.

That said..


I do like this one, make no mistake about my nonsense above.

And thank you for sharing your creativity with us.

John, both your and Les's rework are superb, Excellent editing with your technique, and good deep color, tigs=^..^=

Thank you Les for your suggestions and your example. I considered a picture without the bottom. But, believe it or not, liked the contrast of colors created from the wooded area to the open area. My simple mind said, "Oh, wow, color. Color good..." ;)

Really like this John and I've been in this park so appreciated the memory.

I also like yours & Les's work - buy yu are the master at this type of work

Topaz Lab software??

This shows the workmanship so well , in this artistic way. Excellent.

Very artistic with the wood craftsmanship and colors.

I too like yours and Les's idea, they both work well in their own way. Yours with the colour contrast of the woodland, and Les's concentrating more on the structure of the shelter. That oil paint technique lends itself well in both too. Well done John!
Ann