Background nad photo retouch

[Martin Grauer]

I'm quite new to retouching but i think i'm getting i little bit better at it now (my second psot here on PSG).. I would love to hear your opinions and any advices

Before


After

 

[dv8_fx]

A good first try if that's what it is.

But you should've showed more of the background text. As it sits now, its just jibberish clutter - unrelated to the image.

 

[chrisdesign]

It is a nicely done job Martin, though rather drab.
You should start from here and I agree with Dv8 about the BG text. I personally would go for a desaturated brownish look, and not Black and White.
I like that you asked for advise and are open for critique. This is the best way to improve your work. My roughly put together image is just a suggestion for you to see what I would do.
I really look forward to see your very own interpretation. Hope you post an update soon.

 

[Martin Grauer]

Thanks for your opinions and advices it helps me a lot
Well.. I have tried a few things, but for some reason the first picture i made still feels more realistic to me.. Even when the text is just "jibberish" now

 

[MrToM]

I agree with the others that the text is a diversion but your original composition is as you say, preferable.

What may help then, and this is just my opinion, is if the text is irrelevant then why not blur the background a little more just to 'exaggerate' the fact that the content of the text is not really that important.

Ideally that would be enough to remove the distraction but not so much that it no longer looks like text...ya know?

You could, and I stress, could, also increase the contrast in the foreground as well....just a little.
Objects tend to lose 'saturation' with distance, (more so on landscapes but...), but as this is greyscale you don't really have 'saturation' as such but changing the contrast should have a similar effect.
That would put greater emphasis on the foreground giving the whole image a more 'dynamic' feel....maybe?

I dunno for sure, I'd try it but, that's me.

Regards.
MrTom.