Opinions please (very photo heavy)

slrdude · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject:

Another thing, have you ever played with curves?
Curves are critical at making an image "pop" and they are the proper way to achieve that look. Most people do that by messing with contrast or brightness, which is not the best option as it results in blown areas and/or loss of details.

Here is a quick example.
I am not saying that my version is better than yours, it is simply a one minute job to see what curves can do to your image.

Before.

After a quick curves adjustment.

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uncle aj · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject:

The last time I tried playing with curves, she slapped me.

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slrdude · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:25 pm Post subject:

jdc · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:13 pm Post subject:

Jimbits76 · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:27 pm Post subject:

I'd post a pic but my polaroid is still waiting to develop.

Time to do a bit more flapping and blowing...

Then once I'm done with Bubbsy I'll see if my picture came out!!!!

J
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uncle aj · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject:

slrdude · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:00 pm Post subject:

Martin,

I could actually tell that it was a misty morning, and to be honest, it made me want to be there instead of surrounded by the Dallas skyscrapers.

Mist is an interesting phenomenon, and it works best when it is localized. And by that I mean just in certain parts of the image. Mist all over like you have in your image can easily come across as a foggy lens to the untrained eye. When on location, your brain knows what it is, compensates for it and tells you that is a wonder of nature and it is a picture worth taking.
Too bad the sensor is dumb and it will just capture a beautiful landscape through what might look as a foggy lens.

It's one of those decisions you have to make when you do your post processing.

If you use Photoshop, curves are located in the Image-->Adjustments menu and once you open it it looks like a square with a line going diagonally through it from bottom left to top right and it should be straight as an arrow. Flat. As shot.

What you want to do is make it look like a bit on an S. Grab the line about half way between the mid point and top right corner and drag it UP slightly to where it looks pleasing. This will increase your detail, especially in the dark areas.
Do the same thing with the bottom half, but drag it DOWN. That will increase the tonal range and the overall contrast of the image and give it that pop.

If you think about it, you eye compensates for all those things when you look at the scene while the camera can not. And this is why many times when you look at the image you wonder... is this the same scene? What happened to... (insert missing element here).

Those are just some general observations. The vast majority of your pictures are outstanding and it does not take a rocket scientist to see that you have a great eye, and you should never give this up.

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slrdude · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:04 pm Post subject:

uncle aj · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:06 pm Post subject:

slrdude · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject:

Adrian,

I am a big fan of never altering the original image due to the data loss that occurs every time a change is made.

The proper way to do this is to go to Layer--> New-->Adjustment Layer and make all your changes this way. Make a new layer for levels... one for curves... one for saturation... one for luminosity etc. Flatten ONCE and apply the Unsharp Mask. That's always the LAST thing you do to an image.

I think you will like playing with curves!

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uncle aj · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:18 pm Post subject:

slrdude · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:29 pm Post subject:

I also work in RAW and I do 90% of my work in Lightroom.
Honestly, Lightroom has no equal when it comes to what it can do and it is a dream come true.
My work flow takes 80% less time than it does with PS.
About the only time I use PS is... well... I hardly ever use PS anymore

.

I am at work now and I all I have here is PS 7, which is a relic.

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uncle aj · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:36 pm Post subject: