Edit Me An Image #16

Continuing the image editing thread, 16th issue!

General rules:

• A previous round winner presents a busy or just not so interesting image, having at least some potential for different crops or visions.
• Anyone (except author of original image) can edit the presented image, up to three distinct edits in separate posts are permitted.
• All edits must be based on original image, not on another people's edits (of course borrowing ideas would not be a problem).
• Short explanations about your editing intentions are encouraged, but not required.

Once the deadline for images has been reached, no new image versions will be accepted. Questions and (polite) discussions of techniques are welcome, so that we can learn from one another how certain edits were achieved.
The edited version gathering most likes within the announced period, wins and its author will start next round.
On the closing day for voting, if there is a draw in the number of likes for two or more edits, then the person that posted the original image will decide the winner.

Editing rules:

• All "normal" adjustments (brightness, colours, curves etc) are permitted (both local and global ones).
• All geometric adjustments (perspective, cropping etc) are permitted.
• Artistic effects (brushes, textures etc) are allowed.
• No additions or replacements may be made to the main subject matter of the image; non-essential objects may be removed, and parts of the original image can be "moved" to a different position in the image. Sky replacements are OK unless the sky is the main subject. (We are still refining this rule).
• Generative AI must not be used

Timing:
Get your images posted by Jan 20. As always, you can vote during the entire contest plus one day after the image submission deadline. I'll post reminders.

The photo:
The image was taken few weeks ago in Mustio Manor park near Lohja, Southern Finland. No snow, no Santas - sorry.
You can find the SOOC jpg image below and here’s a link to the RAW image (Fuji x100v)

What a lovely picture with loads of potential.

So, I got the raw file and denoised it. Brought up the saturation and vibrance to emphasise the purple grass. Then cropped it and changed the curve to the statue to make it glow - which then ended like this:

Thank you! and it may be so, but I personally am frustrated with inaccurate framing - there is not enough space at the right of the building to make final result more balanced :( I have so much to learn :)

I think your self-criticism is unfair, Arvo. Given that the church is in the background and yields focus to the statue, it is ideally placed in your photo. Alan‘s enhancement is well in character.

David

@davidwien Alan's edit is good and balanced, this I do not dispute. I just imagined a different version (I have not processed this batch of images yet - I'm waiting for your ideas 😉), which will be impossible to achieve with current source images.

I think the statue should be the focus. So; I cropped it way down to this:

But just in case you prefer more of the building:

I prefer your first attempt, because it has more of the foreground.

David

Thanks - as long as you vote for me, I don't mind which one wins 😁