Panoramic

[tigerphoto]

I'm working on this composition and I need help with a couple of things. First the main photo that I have is printing dark so I need to be able adjust it so that it will print correctly. Second how can I make the images in the composition blurry like the background? Is there a way to measure the amount of blur that I need to apply ?Also let me know what you think about my composition it was my first one.

[philbach]

Well I am an amateur and I do like your composition. Its fun and energetic. I think you blurred the background a tad too much. Less blurring may be better. As for the other characters in various positions if you put all of them on a separate layer then you could blur all with the same amount of blur. If on that same layer you apply a layer mask then the one character in the background closest to the camera you could paint the mask with a light gray to maker her less blurred.

Now though what you could do is copy the layer and apply a black layer mask to that layer and blur the layer using a G Blur filter. Then using a white brush on the mask you could paint the blur back onto the characters in the background.

[holgaman]

Hi Tigerphoto,
Fun picture. It doesn't look too dark on my monitor. Might just be a matter of monitor calibration and getting a custom printer profile made. Alien Skin Bokeh does a really nice, realistic job of blurring. Assuming you added the other bodies on a blank layer, you could apply the blur in increasing amounts on separate copy layers to make the depth more realistic, adding a black layer mask to each and painting in on the parts you want to effect. As for the amount, it's probably just trial and error.

[tigerphoto]

how can I calibrate my printer w/ my software?

[holgaman]

Hi Tigerphoto,
You can get software to do your own printer calibration, but I haven't had much luck with what I've used. There are a lot of places that will make custom printer profiles for you, the only one I've used is Inkjet Art -
http://www.inkjetart.com/custom_profiles/

There is a lot of information there about how to print out the targets and how to use the profiles. They're really picky about how the targets are printed and sent in, but they do a great job on the profiles. The prints are dead on. I'm having a new one made for my Epson 2880. They're $25.00 each, a pretty good deal if you shop around.

You can also download free profiles from printer and paper manufacturers websites. Each profile is specific to one paper. Epson has free higher-end profiles for some of their better desktop models (2400, 2880, etc), but they only apply to Epson paper - of course. These can be quite good actually, but a custom profile is better because it is specific to your printer. Printers of the same model may print slightly differently.

Let us know how you come out with the blurring of the photo, we'd love to see the results.

[0lBaldy]

An easy method might be to just use the Gaussian Blur on a copy of an insert then the Shft+Ctrl+F command to fade the blur to the desired level... OR after the Blur on the copy, lower the opacity on the copy, blurred layer till it blends nicely..

(Don't forget to ground the additions with shadows)

Great concept!! Good job thus far!!

[jlgray1204]

Great concept! not too dark on my end either.
Concerning your question: Please don't blur the background too much. You may lose some of your detail and I would hate to see you lose that beautiful smile on all of your mini-graduates. That smile, to me, gives them all a sense of sameness and thereby it's wonderful originality.
Perhaps instead of a lot of blur, you could add a colorcast to those graduates matching the building (perhaps just a little (very little) gaussian blur and an underexposed layer with appropriate opacity). This way you maintain that smile and only skew the depth of field slightly, rather than the harsh contradiction you have currently.
Just my $0.02

[rjbdg01]

The first question is, did you use photoshop to do this. The next question is are each of the smaller figures on their own layer (either individually or together). If you they are individual layers, then combine all the images into one layer and then use Guassian blusr (to match the surrounding blur). If they are already on one layer, just blur using regular photoshop tools. If you are using another editing medium... sorry can't help

[tigerphoto]

Thanks for all the feedback. The photo isnt dark when I'm looking at it on the screen only when I print it. As for the mini grads they are all on seperate layers and yes I"m using photoshop. Is it necessary to blur the minigrads to have them mess into the photo more, or am I ok to leave tham as I have them.