The Love of a fathers hand

brvheart

This photo caught me as simple, yet says so much. Thought I would share...

A father and son on the beach, the son picked up this broken shell, the father took his sons hand in his and explained the shell etc, i found it quite moving...

ziggy53

I love the premise of the original image. Do you mind if I try a different treatment (with explanation)?

brvheart

absolutely not, as long as give the explanation - I love to learn and what better way to learn then from those willing to help?

I look forward to seeing what you come up with Ziggy


Let me know if you need the original image in it's own size.

bhogle

I'd be interested in Ziggy's rendition too.

I'm not sure that the mono and sepia tone images work well here. There just isn't enough contrast. Could you make the shell more contrasty in those images?

The strength of the image is its simplicity. I think a vignette would add more to that sense of simplicity.

brvheart

well, I am new to all this PP stuff. I am using PS CS3 - I would love to learn to PP good. So to be honest I am not sure how to achieve the best look. I have in my mind what I want to see but no idea how to achieve it.

Are there any good online tutorials? I saw the link at the top just have not had a chance to look through it.

ziggy53

I am fairly pleased with this. It may show as very light on other monitors but it looks OK on mine. I will remove if you wish.



Here are the instructions. I used separate layers so this should be very compatible with older PS versions. I used the larger linked image.

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Duplicate Layer, twice (Background copy, Background copy 2)
Click off the Background Layer (bottom layer)
Choose Highest Layer
Filter - High Pass - 56 pix
Image - Adjustments - Invert
Set opacity to 30%
Merge Visible
Image - Adjustments - Contrast 25
Image - Adjustments - Levels (Highlights) 222
Now turn on the Background layer
Use the Eraser tool to erase the rock on the higher layer
With the higher layer chosen,
Filter - Distort - Diffuse Glow
- Graininess 0
- Glow Amount 1
- Clear Amount 9
Flatten the image (Layer - Flatten)
Choose the Rectangular Marquee tool,
Select a region to within 5% of the edges
Select - Modify - Feather 50
(or Select - Feather 50, on older versions)
Select - Inverse
Delete (key)
Deselect
Image - Canvas Size W6.5, H4.5, Canvas Extension Color - White

ziggy53

I think this is a bit better and final. I used the Dodge tool and a soft brush along with a low exposure, on the the shadows and mid-tones, to create a more selective softening of the vignette edges.

redleash

brvheart - It truly is a lovely image, with lots of emotion.

ziggy - I like your treatment a lot. I copied the instructions and tried it on one of my shots. Hope you don't mind! Great treatment!:D

Lauren

brvheart

Thank you all!

Ziggy - I love it! I am going to try your treatment so I can replcate and learn from it.

I would like some CC on this one as well. This was the original PP that I did but when I posted on a few other boards I was told it looked terrible and the original image was all that was needed. So I would like your guys feedback on this image and what you think I did right and what I did wrong.

ziggy53

brvheart wrote:

...

I would like some CC on this one as well. This was the original PP that I did but when I posted on a few other boards I was told it looked terrible and the original image was all that was needed. So I would like your guys feedback on this image and what you think I did right and what I did wrong.

...

I'm glad you liked my "interpretation" of "your image". I can't stress this enough. You had the insight to "see" and capture the image. All I did was to, hopefully, leverage the image's natural strengths.

There is no right and wrong. The image you just posted above shows that we thought in a similar way about the original image.

The first thing I did was to consider what, I felt, were the important aspects to the image. I think the subject for the original image is the small rock. I believe that the hands, both hands, are a frame and setting for the rock.

Now the odd thing, I felt, was that the hands provide the "story" for the rock. This is why you titled the thread as you did. This meant that the hands were integral to the image and I could not see a cropping opportunity for the hands because they are such an important element in the image. I did feel that the hands had dark shadows which competed with our attention of the color and texture of the rock.

Alternately, I felt the rock provides our focal point for the image, but a "bullseye" composition is rarely best for a dramatic composition.

With all this in mind I started exploring multiple options for processing, ultimately arriving at the final image as an acceptable interpretation for me.

I would suggest that the image you supplied above is similar but maybe it could have been even more emphatic of the rock to retain more of the rock's original attributes of color and texture. This would allow the rock a more dominant role in the image, allowing the bullseye composition to work better. The vignetting also helps to contain our vision and interest.

There are other possibilities so I suggest some exploration is in order.

ziggy53

redleash wrote:

brvheart - It truly is a lovely image, with lots of emotion.

ziggy - I like your treatment a lot. I copied the instructions and tried it on one of my shots. Hope you don't mind! Great treatment!:D

Lauren

Lauren,

I do hope that you share your image (in a different thread of course) along with any processes you discover to work.

brvheart

redleash wrote:

brvheart - It truly is a lovely image, with lots of emotion.

ziggy - I like your treatment a lot. I copied the instructions and tried it on one of my shots. Hope you don't mind! Great treatment!:D

Lauren

Lauren - did you ever share your image? I am very much wanting to see what you came up with