The original photo for this post I took almost a year ago, and have been tinkering with off and on ever since. It was taken with my wide angle lens which is an 11-22mm lens. The lens was purchased for two reasons, one is for landscape purposes. Wide angle lenses can deliver sweeping landscape shots. The other reason was for shots like this one below. The lens made it possible for me stand inside Holyrood Abbey and get a lot of the interior in one shot:
ISO 800 10mm f/13 1/500sec
In this case, it almost looks like I’m shooting from below the Abbey. The first edit I chose to convert to black and white, but I kept a lot of the blue tones in. It was a beautiful, almost blindingly blue day. So painfully blue, that for my first color version I toned the blues down by dropping the vibrancy:
ISO 800 10mm f/13 1/500sec
When I revisited the edit later, I added some warmth by increasing the yellow tones:
ISO 800 10mm f/13 1/500sec
I’m still not sure here, there are things I like about each of the edits and things I don’t, so your opinion is welcome below in the comments.
A bit of an aside, but in case you are wondering the Queen is at Holyrood this week:
Cheers!
Added to A Photo A Week Challenge.
Photography Journal Blog 
I like the qualities that all 3 bring and for some reason I prefer the middle one. It’s on a feeling level really, something about the sky and clouds, how they inter-relate, contrast with the structure. Maybe it’s about the sense of balance I get in this one that resonates more for me.
On another note, and wanting to be respectful…. I do think the Queen is a hoot. I love the hat with the little flowers, the glasses (lightly tinted or is it the sun?), the bouquet, the gloves and of course the purse! Her colorful wardrobe is delightful as is her persona! And longevity does seem to be in her genes!
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Thank you for your thoughts on this. That contrast between sky and structure was really striking that day, so I’m glad that comes through, even though I did dial it back a bit.
I follow the Queen on Instagram and one thing I am struck by is her work ethic and she is always immaculately turned out as well 🙂
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I liked the edit that ‘fixed’ the angle, but not sure about the extra warmth. Given my experience of the UK, I prefer the chilly look 😉
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Yes, I have a habit of warming things up and I think it is a reaction against the normally overcast weather 🙂 In this case, the warmth was real though, it was downright hot for Scotland that day.
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My favorite is the second as the blue sky frames the Abbey beautifully. If you still want to add warmth to the Abbey, I wonder if split-toning would allow you to maintain the blue in the sky but add the desired warmth. But really, I think the second shot is brilliant the way it is.
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Thank you for your suggestion Lisa, I think split-toning would be a good next editing attempt.
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i love the result of the editing, Amy!
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Thank you very much Amy!
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I prefer the one with the warm tones. It is brighter and shows more details of the stone work. Although the original is also very beautiful. Great photo of our Queen 🙂
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Thank you. The writing of this post just happened to coincide with her stay in Scotland this year so I couldn’t resist adding her in.
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I like your final edit best so far. The frame works well, too. Perhaps you might try to move the sky away from the slate tone back a wee bit of the blue. Cheers!
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Yes, that’s a good suggestion, I will have to give that a try, thanks 🙂
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I like both color versions better than the grayscale one. (Full disclosure: I almost never prefer grayscale over color.) Imagining a hypothetical color #3 with the comfortably blue sky of color #1 and the warmer look of stone in color #2, I like #3 best. Getting there looks like quite a challenge.
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Thank you very much for your thoughts on this. It seems you are not the only one who is thinking I could combine some of the elements of the second two edits. Sometimes edits just take a while and mean several trips back to the drawing board for me. That can be frustrating, but in this case, it just feels like a bit of a puzzle.
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I think the black-and-white works wonderfully with the ruins!
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Thank you, I thought of that first because I think stone tends to lend itself well to black and white.
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Ooh, something is going on behind the scenes in this photo (imagining). Dramatic clouds, stone walls, overpowering … I liked the warmer tones in the edit. Good call, Amy!
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Yes, there is nothing quite like a stone building to get the imagination going 🙂
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Well-said!
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I really like all of the edits. I’m a sucker for bright blue sky so likely not the best to critique.
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Thank you Sue; I really like a bright blue sky but in this case, it was too much, shocking really that that can be a thing 🙂
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How did I miss this one? Love it!
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Thank you very much 🙂
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😊
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I like the last editing the most. I find that the details are more accentuated, and the building gets more depth, too.
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Thank you, I agree, the warmth added to the last one does add to the feeling of depth. Thank you for your thoughts on this.
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you really did get a lot of the interior – and in this post – I like the very first photo for a mysterious and timeless feel. The center right (up around there) had a light vibe leads into a sky that feels vast. And it is not a spooky mysterious – but almost spiritual and ponderous – with the darker interiors helping frame and lead the eye there.
either way – a good photo all the way around and each edit has a different vibe
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Thank you very much for your thoughts on this, definitely, this is an image I am still working through, in a way still trying to decide what story I would like to tell.
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ahh – the master at work…
and the time you invest pays off… sure does.
and hope you have a nice rest of your weekend
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Oh yeah, that’s me!! haha
Hope you had a nice weekend too.
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🙂
hard to believe it is almost another week gone now….
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I know right? have a lovely weekend.
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you too….
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I prefer the third one. The color gives it an extra dimension. I’ve been to this ruin. Lovely peaceful spot🙂
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It is an interesting spot, isn’t it? It’s very quiet but right near some of the busiest places in town.
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