My lovely daughter - DPChallenge Forums

09/02/2003 12:17:31 AM · #1

Would any of you be so kind as to give me some feedback on this picture of my daughter? I really like it but I'm new at this and so far have been really bad at going with the flow as far as good photos go.

By the way, she'll be 11 on Thursday.
Thanks, Lisa

09/02/2003 12:20:51 AM · #2

Here's the link to the larger size, I don't know how to attatch it to the thumbnail :)

Kelly2

09/02/2003 01:04:46 AM · #3

C'mon, is it really that bad? The silence is deafening...

tarique

Nikon Coolpix 5700

09/02/2003 01:28:47 AM · #4

Originally posted by lisaseiwert:

C'mon, is it really that bad? The silence is deafening...

Most of them must be sleeping in the western hemisphere...

For whatever it is worth - Myself just pretending to be a photographer. The picture technically OK but the composition and posture are too bland.

May be a part of her arm or both her arms bit more of her torso so that the "cut off" feeling could be avoided. Possibly she was reading when you clicked her - part of that book...

Her hair appear to be lovely but are getting lost in the background. If I were to change just one thing then I would want it on a lighter background which outlines her hair and displays it texture.

09/02/2003 01:32:32 AM · #5

Thank you so much for replying! I'll take any critique I can get. I agree with your comment that her hair blends in, it was a spur of the moment shot. However, I've noticed on other pictures that light backgrounds tend to really wash out her skin tone. But that could just be my photo-taking skill (or lack thereof) :)

tarique

Nikon Coolpix 5700

09/02/2003 01:39:26 AM · #6

Originally posted by lisaseiwert:

However, I've noticed on other pictures that light backgrounds tend to really wash out her skin tone.

Try playing around with the F stops on lighter background

bruster54

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

Canon EF 100-300mm f/5.6

09/02/2003 01:42:33 AM · #7

Lisa...I like the angle, but a touch more contrast would make her jump out of the picture. And either moving her left arm totally out of the shot, or more into it would help. The small patch just above her head is distracting. The sharpness and skin tones are wonderful. It is a different approach than most, and for that you get a thumbs up for doing something a little different! Keep on truckin'!

09/02/2003 01:42:39 AM · #8

I wish I could! Unfortunately, my cheap little camera doesn't let me change F stop. Just aperture and focus.

tarique

Nikon Coolpix 5700

09/02/2003 01:49:25 AM · #9

Originally posted by lisaseiwert:

I wish I could! Unfortunately, my cheap little camera doesn't let me change F stop. Just aperture and focus.

Unless I am grossly mistaken F == aperture :)

09/02/2003 01:51:13 AM · #10

Oops! I meant ISO... it's almost 5 in the morning here and I've been up all night. I can't change aperture.

09/02/2003 02:23:24 AM · #11

I had a quick look at it in Photoshop... you have to do SOME post-processing, even if it's auto-levels or auto-contrast.
I adjusted your levels so that the entire tonal range is used, and got rid of the extreme shadows so that the background is more black without any detail. I adjusted the curves, and played with the colour balance to try to remove the colour cast in the photo. Finished off with a bit of sharpening.

And here's the result with Gaussian Blur applied (radius about 30) and then the opacity reduced to about 40%

There's still loads that could be done with it though, and I agree that her left arm needs to be cloned out.
Hope this is useful!

09/02/2003 05:30:13 AM · #12

Wow Bobster! Those look great! I just got Photoshop Elements this weekend and I'm still just barely scratching the surface of how to use it. These are great examples of what you can do with it! Or Photoshop 7, which I was to cheap to buy...

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

09/02/2003 06:04:01 AM · #13

What do you mean radius 30 Bobster? If you do 30 pixel radius you will not see any details.Are you sure?

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

09/02/2003 06:07:21 AM · #14

pitsa, If you apply the blur on a duplicate later then make the opacity reduced to about 40%, you can still see the original sharp image underneath.

Message edited by author 2003-09-02 10:07:38.

shutterfly

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM III

09/02/2003 06:18:13 AM · #15

I think it needs to be rotated 90 degrees clockwise :-P

09/02/2003 06:30:36 AM · #16

Originally posted by pitsaman:

What do you mean radius 30 Bobster? If you do 30 pixel radius you will not see any details.Are you sure?

Absolutely sure, I like my soft focus with a wide radius. You can see details because I lowered the opacity.

09/02/2003 07:31:43 AM · #17

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:

Originally posted by pitsaman:
What do you mean radius 30 Bobster? If you do 30 pixel radius you will not see any details.Are you sure?

Absolutely sure, I like my soft focus with a wide radius. You can see details because I lowered the opacity.

Wow !
Thanks Bobster and Konador for the education, it is making huge difference,I just tried on several portraits!

09/02/2003 08:45:34 AM · #18

I did the same thing 30/40%

Rose
Duda

09/02/2003 08:57:11 AM · #19

Originally posted by pitsaman:

I did the same thing 30/40%

Rose
Duda

Duda's a great pic...
bit too much blur for me though,
did you sharpen before the blur? You can go a little over the top so that you're still left with some sharpness afterwards.

09/02/2003 09:13:52 AM · #20

But this is illegal for challenges?

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

09/02/2003 09:18:24 AM · #21

Originally posted by pitsaman:

But this is illegal for challenges?

Nope, it's possible to fade blur without using another layer.
In Photoshop, after you've applied the blur, go to edit -> fade Gaussian blur. I can't see why this shouldn't be allowed.

RHoldenSr

Canon EOS-5D

09/02/2003 09:34:11 AM · #22

BobsterLobster

Great tip, I tried the 30% Blur and 40% opacity and it works great on some portraits I have.

One was from Canon, it was a sample portrait for the new EOS 10D so I do not think I can post it here.

Where did you come up with this?

Do you have more neat tips you can share for portraits and etc?

Calvus

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

09/02/2003 09:46:15 AM · #23

Originally posted by BobsterLobster:

Originally posted by pitsaman:
But this is illegal for challenges?

Nope, it's possible to fade blur without using another layer.
In Photoshop, after you've applied the blur, go to edit -> fade Gaussian blur. I can't see why this shouldn't be allowed.

To fade the effect is the equivalent of applying a semitransparent layer, and does not apply the effect in "Normal mode" as the rules describe. I would request a specific ruling from the admins as to whether an otherwise DPC-legal filter can be applied with the "fade" setting before submitting.