Joe -- a lot of nice elements for both pictures, especially in terms of composition. There's a visual tension between the pier and the atv; the pier forms a solid, visible line heading toward the right, and the atv "suggests" a line running also to the right with the vehicle's shadow adding to that line. The footprints in the foreground serve as a nice framing device, and the various bands of color and texture really add to the overall image. The texture and subtlety in the final gives a real water color feel. The original has a real life look to it while the final has about it a dream-like state. I enjoy going back and forth between the two pictures -- what would happen if you boosted the contrast a bit and added a dark vignette to the original? Either way, both pics look great! Very creative ...   Posted: 06/09/2020 10:55:09

The texture in your image as a great deal of softness and the vignette brings your eyes into the image. I took your original and brought it back into Topaz and played around with sharpness and different looks, finally winding up with peeled paint. I felt that sharpening the image and bringing out some of the details of the ATV help to tell the story of beachcombing. Don't know what you think?   Posted: 06/10/2020 10:59:54

I agree with Al about the sharpness of the ATV and like his rendition of sharpening.
Joe - I like your use of the watercolor paper effect. I also like the sharpness in your redo. Could you put that on the watercolor paper? :)   Posted: 06/10/2020 16:54:18

Marti, is this more to your liking?   Posted: 06/10/2020 18:09:37

Joe I like your Soft Sunrise version with the lighter vignette. My first thought was that you needed to lighten the shadows to bring out detail on the ATV, but after seeing Al's version, that makes it all about the ATV and not so much about that mood that you have set. I love the soft coloring that you got out of Topaz. Topaz offers so many choices that it can be confusing, but I like what you have done.   Posted: 06/12/2020 14:46:15

Visiting from 48 & 80
This image brought out a lot of options from the members of the group, but frankly I prefer your choice after seeing them all. For me that's the beauty of having Topaz. I use it quite often. Well done.   Posted: 06/12/2020 15:54:22

I find the composition and processing fascinating. The pier and ocean provide timelessness to the image, but the ATV provides rip snorting readiness to explore the beach. The watercolor processing brings the objects together to create a peaceful image. I must explore Topas a bit more.   Posted: 06/13/2020 09:49:26

Thank you everyone for your sharing and interest.   Posted: 06/16/2020 08:07:47

Hi, I am visiting from group 32. I like the soft colors and the texture makes it look even more like a watercolor. No one has mention that the AVT is looking toward the edge and carries the eye to fall off the right side of the frame. I suggest that you reverse the ATV so that it forces the eye to stay in the frame. I think that you can use the tracks to fade out near the right edge and it then creates a nice diagonal to compliment all the horizontal lines.   Posted: 07/01/2020 17:39:02