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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> My pictures are so dull....
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 10/07/2005 08:28:17 AM · #1
Can someone help me? I just bought a new lens (the Tameron 28-75mm 2.8) and I have the 50mm 1.8 and I love the lenses, and I am shooting in low light, so I know that's part of the problem...but, my pictures just look very dull. I'm not that great with photoshop and I feel like when I mess around with the pictures, they actually LOOK messed around with....if I post an example, can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong??

Thanks!!
 10/07/2005 08:31:47 AM · #2
post away someone will help you!
 10/07/2005 08:58:21 AM · #3
Let's see if this works...I've never posted a picture before...I'll post the before and after edit...

BEFORE
//JRoPhoto.smugmug.com/photos/39031919-M.jpg

AFTER
//JRoPhoto.smugmug.com/photos/38753852-M.jpg

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:08:36.
 10/07/2005 08:58:52 AM · #4
did it work?

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 12:59:10.
 10/07/2005 09:01:16 AM · #5
Negative.....
 10/07/2005 09:01:53 AM · #6
How do I do this? It won't let me post pictures in my portfolio...
 10/07/2005 09:04:21 AM · #7
Though I haven't seen them yet - but if you haven't already, I would try increasing the contrast and brightness levels for a (likely) quick fixer-upper.

Edit to say: I tried loading them in a separate window by copying and pasting the addresses, but nothing showed. No picture, and no 404 error. Not sure what happened.

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:05:59.
 10/07/2005 09:05:37 AM · #8
ok, try them again, I think I fixed it...

I can post edit them, but they always look edited...I feel like I'm doing something wrong when I take the picture. I'm not using a flash because I hate how blown out everything looks with a flash...


10/07/2005 09:05:39 AM · #9
When I go into your gallery and try to look around it keeps requesting a password....that may have something to do with it.



Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:07:44.
 10/07/2005 09:07:11 AM · #10
Not sure how you did that, but THANK YOU!!!

comments and suggestions welcome!
 10/07/2005 09:09:01 AM · #11
Fixed that...no more passwords!
 10/07/2005 09:12:29 AM · #12
Still not fixed. I get a blank page
 10/07/2005 09:17:23 AM · #13
I can't see your pics either jrose. Do yourself a favor, buy a membership here and post to your portfolio. You've got a great camera, good glass. Take another small step and become a member here. Help is on the way!
 10/07/2005 09:19:30 AM · #14
I don't get it...they work when I click them.

I was a member and never posted my pictures. I was going to wait till I got a little better and then re-join...I know it's not expensive and worth it if you love the hobby, but I just wasn't entering challenges or really using my money's worth on the site.

I'm sorry I don't know how to post links to pictures...if someone could help me, I would appreciate it...otherwise I'll try a different photo forum.

Thanks anyway...

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:22:49.
 10/07/2005 09:33:14 AM · #15
I can get to your site. Let me know which pictures you're talking about and I'll see if I can link to them
 10/07/2005 09:33:44 AM · #16
I was able to view the photos ok. The wedding, Italy and animal album etc.
 10/07/2005 09:35:50 AM · #17
Make a gallery in smugmug and call it "Evaluation" and make the gallery public without having a password. put the photos you want us to see in that gallery....the one they are in requires a password and we can't see them....
 10/07/2005 09:35:56 AM · #18
sometimes the links work for me, sometimes they don't

If you're not planning on paying for membership + portfolio, try hosting the images on photobucket. I've never had a problem with them, and its free. I usually create a thumbnail to post direct into the forums, and a link for the fullsize image.

Edit: and you don't get problems with passwords

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:36:47.
 10/07/2005 09:41:24 AM · #19
ok, I set up a photobucket account....sorry, can you walk me through how to post it now? I see tag, url and photo as my options in photobucket.

Thanks





Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:48:43.
 10/07/2005 09:44:55 AM · #20
Click the link and when you get a blank page just hit your refresh button and you'll see the image.

About the dull pics, yes the first image lacks that punch that photographers are always looking for and it is all because of lighting, what you need is some diffused flash or someone beside you holding a reflector and bouncing some light onto your subjects, this will make a huge difference in your images by helpint to seperate your subject(s) from the background and adding a little dimension to them.

Now as far as post processing your probably trying too hard, I opened your first image up in photoshop and used the Shadow/Highlight adjustment on it and it has been improved substantially and it only too a few seconds, have a look. I think you just need to spend a little more time learning photoshop and you will discover just how powerful it is and how easy it can be to retouch your images.

Don

P.S. If your still having problems posting images let me know and I'll host them for you.
 10/07/2005 09:48:59 AM · #21
I got it

Message edited by author 2005-10-07 13:55:10.
 10/07/2005 09:54:52 AM · #22
I think you're right....therer is just so much to learn in photoshop, and sometimes I don't know what it is the picture lacks. For example, I wouldn't have thought to use the shadown highlight adjustment...
I think I'm over editing and it's making the photos look horrible.

Thanks for your input.
 10/07/2005 10:00:08 AM · #23
The lady kinda bent over in the front of everyone reminds me of Sasha Alexander from NCIS
 10/07/2005 10:08:15 AM · #24
I think the issue is that you have a lot of light in the background, but not enough on the subjects. donfanatic mentioned how to correct this. Another approach would be to move to another position so there is no bright lights behind your subject (and preferably a lot of light on them). One other issue is that the shadows are not well defined, so the image looks flat.

I tried a little more processing, but definitly overdid the contrast and saturation. see //www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=241181
first, I set the brighness and contrast up and gamma slighlty down, then increased saturation. I then dodged the left hand side of the persons who were second from left and on the far right. Also, I dodged the chest of the person who was bent over. (this brought out the lighter parts) I burned the shirt of the third person from the left and the neck and pants of the fourth person from the left. (this made the darker parts darker, so the clothing looks more textured) I also burned the woman looking in the mirror and her reflection. The woman on the right looks more 3-D if you burn her shirt; that's a choice you have to make. Note that you should sharpen the picture after you do everything else to it.
 10/07/2005 01:52:34 PM · #25
I retouched this photo a second time so I could share the process with you. I've put together a little tutorial for you to look at, I hope it helps.

Don
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