Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Battle of Antietam

Original - Battle of Antietam: Army of the Potomac, commanded by George McClellan; Union soldiers cross Burnside's Bridge over Antietam Creek.

Alternative 1 - Less contrast on left and right hand sides.

Not for voting - Unrestored original for comparison.

Reason: High resolution encyclopedic lithograph. Low resolution courtesy copy available, but it's all in the details for this one.
Articles this image appears in: Battle of Antietam, Pepper-box, History of Maryland, Maryland in the American Civil War
Creator: unknown lithographer; restored by Michel Vuijlsteke

Support as nominator --Michel Vuijlsteke (talk) 20:43, 10 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comment I think I prefer the original colour balance - it seems more appropriate to a dusty battlefield, whereas the adjusted one seems a bit cartoony and a lot less subtle. Shoemaker's Holiday (talk) 01:03, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Comment I like the original color balance better also. I like it, though, but.... --KP Botany (talk) 09:59, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Not a problem. I've dialed down the colours. Better like this? -- Michel Vuijlsteke (talk) 11:29, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'd keep going. It just seems to have lost something with the current colour balance: the original seems to have the left half of the image seen through smoke, but yours has the left half restored to full contrast. The lower right, which was much brighter in the original, thus becomes rather lurid. Shoemaker's Holiday (talk) 17:05, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Oh. I see. I though it was a fading issue to the left and to the right of the print, but it may indeed have been intentional smokiness. I have no strong feelings either way; put up an alternative version. -- Michel Vuijlsteke (talk) 19:29, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]
However: do take a look at a different scan at the LoC. Lots of contrast everywhere there. -- Michel Vuijlsteke (talk) 19:34, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]