November 2008 Contest Discussion

[T Paul]

Add your comments, questions or general discussion about the Contest entries here. This is also a great place to share your techniques or ask others about theirs.

Most members are eager to hear comments/suggestions about their entries, so please take the time to help each other out.

[amica999]

I wish you would choose images from sites where one does not have to register...

[Joeven]

I don't really understand the point of this contest. All the entries will look exactly the same. Where's the fun in that?


Joe

[Frank Lopes]

I think the point is to see who best is able to deliver what was asked for.

Sure the colors might be the same, but the hues will not and the execution most definitely will not be the same.

Originally Posted by Joeven

I don't really understand the point of this contest. All the entries will look exactly the same. Where's the fun in that?


Joe

[Peter S]

Swarbees I think you need to resize

*Final image must be exactly 800 pixels high and 600 pixels wide


Peter

[igot2pman]

I think the hardest part for me in this contest was actually picking the background. Trying not to copy someone elces color, even though you wanted it "first". Not that using blue and blue or green and green would be bad, I just want to be diffrent.

I must have tryed 20 diff colors before I got to mine, PAIN.

[Peter S]

I feel your pain igot2pman, though its surprising what colours actually compliment here.
Personally the masking of the hair is the pain for me.

Peter

[Gilbert]

Hi Oz
I think you should rotate (well not you personally).....600w X 800h I believe means 'portrait' view, be a shame to have it disq'd for that.... gilbert

[K_GiMiNi_M]

i got disq'd last contest for being one pixel short.600x799
so i checked this time.

[0lBaldy]

nadiakasper24, welcome to RetouchPRO! Nice to have you aboard and hope you enjoy your time here.

Nice first post! Way to jump in there!

But... You might want to resize your entry!

*Final image must be exactly 800 pixels high and 600 pixels wide

[tyrandelf080]

this contest is very interesting, the difficult part for me is to make it contrast with less noise in the photo. Using some editing (level or curves) usually will increase noise - anyway I am new here and this is my first time join the contest - hopefully we can learn from each other.

[0lBaldy]

I miss Lonnie!..

LonK, you should be up to speed by now... Ya got a couple days to get an entry in!

[LonK]

Thanks, 0lBaldy. I appreciate the sentiment. (Although, you may be in a small minority.) As far as being "up to speed", well, I don't think so. Switching from an old object based editor to a layer based one is somewhat challenging, as well as familiarizing myself with the sheer complexity of the Photoshop user interface. Since Adobe was kind enough to offer a trial membership at Lynda.com for registering the product, I am busy watching some of the 160+ hours of videos there for PSCS3. So far, I'm overwhelmed by PS's capabilities, but I'm getting there -- slow but sure. Give me a bit more time... I'll be back!

[lusant2]

just wanted you to know in case you werent aware. but the colors you had to use were in the contests description

[Kraellin]

ok, folks, at least a third of this contest is in following the rules/guidelines. think of it as following a client's requests/orders. it's important. there is currently at least one image of the wrong size and i've seen a couple that didnt put their names in the titles of the image, so, check things over again. there's still time to re-submit.

[T Paul]

Here is a temporary link to the contest entries for easy viewing: November Content Entries

Please make sure to follow the contest rules. Many entries were disqualified this month for not meeting the rules.

[T Paul]

For those whose images ended up being 799 x 599. What program were you using (Photoshop 7, Photoshop CS3, Elements...) and how did you save your image (such as save for web)?

I like to figure out if this is a work flow problem or an uploading issue.

THANKS!

[groovez]

I cropped it in Photoshop CS3 to 600x800 @ 72ppi and saved it out as a .jpg through Save As... not Save for Web.

The original that I saved out is still 600x800 in my archive but after uploading it to the forum it magically changed, weird right?

I blame Microsoft and Fonts, the usual culprits.

[shanafagan]

i used photoshop cs3. but didnt do save for web, just a regular jpeg save

[swarbees]

Same ---CS3 --the file on my PC is sized at 800 X 600 --I didn't know it had changed to 799 X 599 until I got your message. I saved as a straight jpg not save for web.

[Danitalil]

Same here, except I used CS4.... my original is the correct size but the upload is not. I am new here so I didn't think to check the dimensions after the upload.
Must we still be disqualified for something most likely completely out of our control?
Thanks!

[T Paul]

Unfortunately, we had a lot of entries this month that did not meet the contest dimension requirements. We try to gear these contests to real world requests, and if the client is expecting an exact size they expect to get it. So please double check those entries to make sure they meet the outlined requirements.

Out of curiosity, I did test an image making sure it was 800 x 600 and saved it in a variety of ways to see if it was a upload issue or a workflow issue.

Using Photoshop CS3 an 800 x 600 image was saved using:

• Save for Web optimized to 100kb (image stayed as 800 x 600)
• Regular jpeg, standard format (image stayed as 800 x 600)
• Regular jpeg, optimized format (image stayed as 800 x 600)
• Regular jpeg but file larger than the web site’s size limitations (image changed to 799 x 599)

The only way I was able to duplicate the image’s size being altered, was when I uploaded an image larger the the site’s maximum file size restrictions. So it appears that the issue is the image’s file size and not the uploading process. Please check your image file sizes and make sure they are within the web site’s limitations. When you attach a file to your post you will see a window showing you the types of files and the maximum file sizes that are allowed.

The easiest way to save your images for the web and ensure file size is using the Save For Web option. Even better you can use the optimize file option to save the image to an exact file size setting such as 100 kb.

Hope this helps,

~T

[tyrandelf080]

I also don't know about this problem if the file size is bigger than web file size upload limitations it will automatically cropped, for example become 799x599. I don't check my entry after uploading, because I also upload my entry to my blog (about this tutorial - you can check it) but it's still 800x600. In attachment jpeg limitation is 100kb but some people still can upload although the file is bigger than 100kb (for example my entry is 404kb). For the other contest it will be better if file size limitation also provided in the contest's rule to prevent this happen again or mention the people to save the file using save for web. Anyway it's so sad my entry can't enter this contest - but we should follow the rule, right?

[T Paul]

And the winner is...Blaskica!


Top 5:
Blaskica: 42
K_GiMiNi_M: 34
Lorraine: 21
0lBaldy: 21
johndiablo: 18

[Kraellin]

congrats, blaskica!

[0lBaldy]

Congratulations Blaskica! Well deserved!

And congratulations to all who entered.. this was tuff to judge!

[Lorraine]

Congratulations, blaskica. Beautiful job.

Lorraine

[learninlady]

I forgot to change the title to my name instead of whatever I decided to name it. I think I named it colorgirl as a personal joke, guess that one backfired...lol
I also have to check the file size as everything here was 800 x 600 but when uploaded it was resized and changed that to 799 x 599 oopsie. close but no banannas.
fun contest!
I'd like to see the actual color photograph if there is one.

And congrats on the win blaskica, you did a wonderful job by far!

[LonK]

Congratulations, Blaskica. And to all who entered.

Though I didn't enter, I did work with the contest image in my recent efforts to transition from PhotoImpact to Photoshop. As such, this then, is the first image I've worked with in Photoshop. I'm finding the software to be simply amazing. I certainly have much more to learn, but I think I'm at the point where I can at least be considered a PS rookie.

[igot2pman]

LonK,

Lovely background and D&B.

One critique though, the background above the shoulder could be masked better, or deleted, however you combined the image. I decreased the contrast to more easily show. Mainly it’s that tip that gives it away.

Can’t wait for your next image, I’m a fan of your work.

Hope it helps,
-Keven