Critiques - - How to improve these photos

anders · #1 01-22-2006, 06:39 AM

I have been very impressed by the quality of comments and advice that you share in this forum. You seem all to respect the rules of the forum. Bravo !
I want to share two photos that both are taken with my Canon 20D (24-105) with a focal length of about 60 (1/100, f/5.0). In both cases I’m very near what I wanted to express but I see of course the challenge of balancing the important contrasts in the pictures without loosing the general atmosphere.
Both pictures have been through adjustments in Photoshop CS (level, curves, saturation, highlights, exposure as well as unsharp mask). They are both prepared for printing on A3+ format (Epson 1800) if that provides any usefull information here given the quality/size of the attached files.
Has anyone advice on what can be done to improve these pictures further.
Anders

Flora · #2 01-22-2006, 09:34 AM

Hi Anders,

Welcome to RP!

The only thing I can say is that I love them as they are!

Great shots!!!

skipc · #3 01-22-2006, 10:08 AM

Nice shots. i notice a cool green color cast—possibly from post processing—that could be improved with yellow color balance. Also USM of 20-10-0 would add a subtle pop. They look good as b/w, with a little dodge and burn, fine art...skip

anders · #4 01-22-2006, 11:03 AM

Thanks to FLORA for your support. That you like them as they are encourages me enormously.
Thanks alo to the suggestions of SKIPC. I have tried your suggestion of adding a USM of 20.10.0. You can see the results in the attached photo. In my opion the alone standing tree comes out too much and the background forest stop playing its role as setting the mood of the scene. All that is a question of feeling, but you are right in trying out trying out further adjustments with the USM. I have tried the BW option but again I find the colour and especially the green foreground is playing its role. Thankls again for the suggestions.
Anders

Kraellin · #5 01-22-2006, 11:34 AM

anders,

bonjour and welcome to RP.

i love your composition. you have a good eye. i believe these would be ideal for photo art, but i would add a little pop to them also. maybe some contrast or some additional color saturation... something to bring them out more. i also think you might experiment with some black and whites or some dodge and burn techniques if you wish to keep the color.

now, i went a little crazy and did some photo art on the first one. you'll forgive me, i hope; i do not mean these are criticisms, but only as some rather wilder examples of what could be done with such a great composition. i just couldnt resist with such a great image

the compression was rather high and i had to resize the image to a bit smaller to get a little better resolution due to the compression here. i do hope they show up right.

craig

skipc · #6 01-22-2006, 11:40 AM

Immediately after applying any Filter or Command, you can choose Edit>Fade to reduce the effect by lowering the opacity slider and change the blend mode. Choosing Luminosity helps prevent color shifts...skip

anders · #7 01-22-2006, 11:46 AM

Craig, I agree with you that these photos are inviting for also more darry photoart experiments. Of the three you have forwarded I like most the first one . I will however try with you suggestions and come back if I succeed.
By the way I was not aware that the initial photos were more compressed then what is normaL; I have used the traditional save for web in photoshop and followed Jeannie's instructions. Which settings should I use ?
Anders

anders · #8 01-22-2006, 11:49 AM

Sorry SKIPC I forgot to come back to you on the green colour cast. I will try out the fade function you suggest.
Anders

anders · #9 01-22-2006, 12:56 PM

I have tried the suggestions out on the second photo which I think is the most difficult to succeed. The crop is not perfect (I'll redo it !) but I have made a colour (without green casts I hope !) and a BW version using colour mix and gradient. They can certainly, as suggested, come out even more but this is what I managed today. Thanks again for the comments and suggestions.
Anders

Kraellin · #10 01-22-2006, 01:09 PM

anders,

yes, i like the first one best also.

re the compression, you did just fine. save for web will give about the right compression for this site. i was referring to the fact that any compression lowers the image quality and that with the image dimensions you used, i could reduce those dimensions and thus lose less image quality when i compressed. it's always a trade off, though.

also, posting it to more of an 800x600 (or 600x800), it's just easier to view when on a web site. less scrolling and more of the image in view at one time.

i look forward to seeing any art renditions you might do.

craig

palomino · #11 01-22-2006, 04:07 PM

I know what you mean about wanting to preserve the presence that the fog has -- it adds a very ethereal quality to these shots. I tried to increase the contrast in curves without losing that misted woods feeling. Very nice shots, BTW.

-Kate

anders · #12 01-22-2006, 04:19 PM

Thanks ! I think that you are very right in what you have done with the second of your attachments but in the first I see the very dark zone down to right creating a lack of harmony in the picture.
In fact, I think that the best that could be done to that picture is to decrease, not increase - the contrast but in the same time increase the overall presence of the various parts of the picture , which is a contradiction. For me this is exactly the challenge of that photo. More colours could be an answer, but there is very little to play with.
Anders