suggestions?

[Focus Pocus]

Here is one more picture that I thought was going to be really cool when I shot it, but now It seems like just another one that had potential, but didn't quite get there. What could I have done differently? What can I do in pp to make it better now? I'm a photoshop rookie, but want to get better. I tried a B&W conversion here. . .

http://idaphoto.smugmug.com/photos/72280984-L.jpg

and here is a color version. . .

http://idaphoto.smugmug.com/photos/72282986-L.jpg

Any ideas for improvement would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

[Focus Pocus]

:scratch :scratch:scratch

[illuminati919]

Very interesting shot, the red of the birdhouse draws so much attention in the photo, very nice. I like the first one just how it is.

[ian408]

I think I see what you were intending. Perhaps a tighter crop and also
a more blurred background (especially that stair and the siding in the
back).

[GREAPER]

Which item is the subject? The birdhouse or the bike.

[Focus Pocus]

Which item is the subject? The birdhouse or the bike.

Good point. . . in my mind the bike is the subject, but the bird house seems to distract. I think I like it better cropped tight to exclude the bird house. Thanks for the feed back!

Also, yes - I wish I would have tried harder to blur out the background when I shot this. Maybe a longer lens/tight crop with shallow DOF.

Thanks guys!

-Richard

[athos]

shot is a bit too busy as has been said. isolating the subject better, perhaps by placing the bike on the other side of the tree and shooting away from the house, you could get some nice bokeh and the bike would pop. the bike has character, just need to bring it out :)