For this picture, I used the brush tool to make everything but the lamp black and white. I then enhanced the lamp and its glow with multiple brush enhancements and color adjustments.
When I walked by these stairs, I saw a mix of both welcoming warmth and a "do not disturb the grumpy old man inside" kind of feeling. In fact, there is a private sign right in the middle of the stairs. To help communicate what I saw, I made everything black and white except the lamp on the wall. I also gave the lamp a happy and comforting glow.
To be honest, I barely even retouched this picture. I enhanced the light a little bit and brightened up the shadows, but not much else. The natural light and shadows did most of the talking.
To me, this scene was reminiscent of of town friends and family. People get together and everyone knows each other. The lighting is perfect and the texture of the patio behind it work together well. The dimly lit bulbs can also represent the lost dreams of actors.
Clarity was increased. The window on the right had a lot of color reflections so I desaturated them. I also tried to perfectly center the door. Vignetting.
This picture summarizes the abandoned feeling that is Port Costa. Paint is terrible, doors are rotting, and
colors are faded. Also, the lack of technology contributed to the old timey feel.
Clarity and sharpness was increased. I tried to crop the center bulge exactly in the middle because symmetry. I also saturated the blues in the window trim and brightened the shadows. It almost looks HDR.
As more of an abstract picture, this angle on the building could be interpreted as a positive look into the future of the pace. It also shows imperfections and dirty walls, but it shows it in a beautiful way.
