Your critique please..

[Algarve Images]

This was shot in Spain at the Sunday in in Fuengirola, there was a Peruvian type twosome, panpipes etc and i got this shot of one of the singers during a break. The background was horrendous so spent all afternoon cutting around feathers etc...deep joy!
Would like anybody's opinion bearing in mind i'm still on crutches and i was a bit wobbly
regards,
Gary

[dianemcken]

Hi Gary,

Awesome picture, great detail and colour. But I am not sure about the black background. His hair disappears and he looks like a face coming out of the darkness.

Thanks for sharing
Diane

[Algarve Images]

Thought i'd post the original background to give some idea of how it started out, it would be great if somebody has an alternative take on it
I worked on an original file size (69 MB) for the first time, previously i just worked compressed jpeg's, but so much detail is lost doing that and i wanted to print this one large, now i realise i need loads more ram...
For anyone interested the 100% crop (big file) is at:
http://moonfizz.co.uk/images/portfol...661-Edit-5.jpg
regards,
Gary

[Algarve Images]

Thanks Diane,
the original version for print shows the detail more precisely, too much disappears in the compressed version shown here, the nuances in shades are lost at 100kb, original is 69 MB, there is a link to a crop here
I am looking at several backgrounds as i have 3 or 4 more shots to work on. Another problem i came across was that i found out a conflict in colour management between CS3 and Painter, then realised also that my "save for web" in CS3 had been altered somehow to "uncompensated colour" ...jeez! so much stuff always goes wrong or am i just negative today?
regards,
Gary

[dianemcken]

Hi Gary,

I don't think you could have a "negative" day, you always sound so upbeat in your postings.

Oh my, that background was bad. I like the blue colour in the upper left corner, it would bring out the turquoise stone highlights in his headpiece and necklace.

The cropped picture is fantastic. I like the look in his eyes...very proud.

Diane

[Algarve Images]

Hi Diane,
funny you should mention the blue in upper corner as i was thinking at first to select turquoise as the bg. In this shot below there is more of the turquoise as a solid colour, possibly it could work better, but i opted for a darker colour just to be safe... really good that , dark bg/black hair...lol, o.c.d kicked in a little early yesterday
I know, i'll go polish my car for two days then everything will make sense again
regards,
Gary

[kapalika]

i really prefer the turquoise one, he looks more exotic then

btw. how is the weather at the Spain/Portugal cost? I still have snow behind my window..it sucks..

cheers

[Algarve Images]

Originally Posted by kapalika

i really prefer the turquoise one, he looks more exotic then

btw. how is the weather at the Spain/Portugal cost? I still have snow behind my window..it sucks..

cheers

Awww!
snow is so beautiful to photograph, but i can understand if you have no choice, the pic below is about an hours drive north and a treacherous drive in winter, i was up there for New Year and had great fun learning how to ski, actually i spent more time in the horizontal position than vertical...
The coast today was around 20 degrees and it's a bit windy, but just about survivable lol

[Algarve Images]

Got so wrapped up about discussing the weather i completely forgot the question doh!
I agree turquoise does look the business, what puts me off is the hours no, days lol of airbrushing an extremely large D3 file, but, heck, it's all practice for the big day whenever it arrives or whatever it is?
The file below is another background disaster from the same day, but for me i do like the angles...

[kapalika]

i like the picture below,
although it reminds me about south park flute band episode
good luck with backgrounds!!!

[plantphoto]

Nice image,
I also think the background needs some work the black does not seems to work.I think it needs breaking up with some texture or personally I'd look for an appropriate brooding sky to drop in.
Just my 2 cents.
Cheers,
Simon

[MsT]

how does he see with all that over his eyes? I think I agree with the background being a little dark. I found this plugin I'm yet to use it as its expensive but I have retoucher friends who say its just amazing for intricate masking.What takes a day, like your feathers, can be done super quick with their "fluid mask". Has anyone had any more experience with it?

http://www.vertustech.com/fm_overvie...uid+mask+Exact

[plantphoto]

I have had fluid mask for over a year and it is the best masking software available.
However don't expect to load it up and get perfect masks as it will take time to master.
I did a video on masking a few months ago and used (as I still tend to do) channels and various other tools within photoshop because I find it quicker.One day maybe I'll have time to give fluid mask a better go.
Cheers,
Simon

[Algarve Images]

Yikes! 99 quid MsT,
i'll download the free trial when i have time, thanks for the link, it's true when they say 99% of the time is spent on 10% of the image
Have scanned my limited image bank for "brooding skies" and come up with a big zero, lots of sunshine and palm trees though lol!
What ever i do can wait until the weekend, or manana as they say here...
regards,
Gary

[Algarve Images]

Well i just recieved an email from this group asking if we could get together and do something when they produce their next album!
They saw the unadulterated ones with the naff backgrounds, but they could understand how it would look, re-shot at a more suitable location, so am keeping fingers crossed and yes taking random images in the street does sometimes generate leads.
Meanwhile i gotta do something with what i have here, i have been procrastinating far too long lol.....
Gary

[Algarve Images]

Ok this is the first time i am happy with a background for these indians, not too dark and the hair contrasts nicely i think, it was a compromise really of what existed and cloning and blurring that to get a uniform colour, then neutral density filter and history brush...
regards,
Gary

[Algarve Images]

I think it was Simon who suggested a "brooding sky" so last week when it was looking like rain i snapped a picture of sky from our garden and a bit of the mountains, just got around to finishing it this weekend and today added the final touches, a tiny bit of fog at the bottom, i'm pleased to have completed it as the file was huge, thanks again to Simon for the suggestion,
regards,
Gary...

[Algarve Images]

Here goes again, Gary...

[mepaulus]

Awsome , thats a fabulous background , i always seem to think of dark mountains when i think of indians , must be something from my childhood lol.That is a great pic ,I ca,nt critique anyone as i do,nt class myself experienced enough but if i get half as good as that i,ll be happy and just wanted to say well done.

[plantphoto]

I'm a little biased but it looks great !
Simon

[dianemcken]

Definitely Awesome !

Diane

[Algarve Images]

Thanks everybody,
and of course the weather down here for giving me the right bg, it's now turned back to relentless sunshine once again, definitely have some work from this band when they get around to producing their next album...
warm regards,
Gary

[plantphoto]

Gary,you should come and live in the Uk..plenty of moody skies and occasional sunshine!
Simon

[Algarve Images]

Originally Posted by plantphoto

Gary,you should come and live in the Uk..plenty of moody skies and occasional sunshine!
Simon

Ha Ha!
i like more than "occasional sunshine" lol

[Lamouzinga]

Very impressive!! Can see how the feathers would of taken ages to edit out background....end result is awesome!!! Well done