Candids

lizzard_nyc

Hi all,
I wasn't sure if I should post these here since they are candids and not studio type shots.
I'm learning to process shots differently and also working on proper framing etc, even for the candids--any c&c is helpful as I rarely post in "People" and have much to learn.


1.



2.



3.



4.


5.

NeilL

Hi Liz!

It's so nice to see you trying ideas. It gives me a lot of benefit too!

If it were mine I'd crop #1 one third keeping the top R corner, then maybe a very soft vignette, something a little antique.

I like #2 the best of them. I would prefer a little more DOF, so the eye R and mouth were slightly more in focus. The crop is excellent, but the cushion corner is a bit hard to interpret at first, and a bit distracting. How about burning it a touch in the R bottom corner? I'd also just clone out the little pale line inside the bottom eyelid on the iris of the eye L, make that line clean.

I'd like some more contrast and clarity in the people in #5, and dimming of the background, to make them stronger. The expression on the woman's face is a nice capture. I recognise her from another photo you posted, I think. The white frame is good.

Hope you don't mind my mixed crit.

Neil

lizzard_nyc

NeilL wrote:

Hi Liz!

It's so nice to see you trying ideas. It gives me a lot of benefit too!

If it were mine I'd crop #1 one third keeping the top R corner, then maybe a very soft vignette, something a little antique.

I like #2 the best of them. I would prefer a little more DOF, so the eye R and mouth were slightly more in focus. The crop is excellent, but the cushion corner is a bit hard to interpret at first, and a bit distracting. How about burning it a touch in the R bottom corner? I'd also just clone out the little pale line inside the bottom eyelid on the iris of the eye L, make that line clean.

I'd like some more contrast and clarity in the people in #5, and dimming of the background, to make them stronger. The expression on the woman's face is a nice capture. I recognise her from another photo you posted, I think. The white frame is good.

Hope you don't mind my mixed crit.

Neil

Thank you Neil for your detailed reply.
I tried to rework #1--Just to make sure you recommend her rear and hands out of the photo basically and made more into a square shot?
Also I tried to use an antique frame which was pretty good but then I went too far and added some texture and ruined it. Also you say antique vignette, you have an example? I am familiar with antique frames or borders, but not vignettes , and well I like the sound of it and want to know more

#5 was shot from inside the condo out and was very dark, I made it too light I think--will try and find a happy medium. The lady is my mother in law--quite the character, so yes I'm certain you have seen her before--I think your mini challenge, a Thanksgiving shot:)

and as far as the close up shot #2--not sure what you mean by burn in? you mean using the burning/dodging tool--and would I burn in the shadows, medium tones, or highlights . Like I said, still learning--Also what would the burning accomplish? little did you know you'd have to give me a lesson by replying hu?

I will rework those three images--but hoping for your reply for guidance first.
Thanks Neil.

toddb

like the candids
Nice work -- and please keep posting the candids. My favorite pics when it comes to kids. My favorite of your group is 4 -- the skateboard. He just looks so thoughtful. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

bfjr

#4

D'Buggs

bfjr wrote:

#4

I too, but don't see any benifit from about the bottom 1/4 to 3'rd. IMO, it just detracts from the subject and I'd square it.

I quite like 3 - It's full of warm-n-fuzzy, feel good, fellings.

NeilL

lizzard_nyc wrote:

Thank you Neil for your detailed reply.
I tried to rework #1--Just to make sure you recommend her rear and hands out of the photo basically and made more into a square shot?
Also I tried to use an antique frame which was pretty good but then I went too far and added some texture and ruined it. Also you say antique vignette, you have an example? I am familiar with antique frames or borders, but not vignettes , and well I like the sound of it and want to know more

#5 was shot from inside the condo out and was very dark, I made it too light I think--will try and find a happy medium. The lady is my mother in law--quite the character, so yes I'm certain you have seen her before--I think your mini challenge, a Thanksgiving shot:)

and as far as the close up shot #2--not sure what you mean by burn in? you mean using the burning/dodging tool--and would I burn in the shadows, medium tones, or highlights . Like I said, still learning--Also what would the burning accomplish? little did you know you'd have to give me a lesson by replying hu?

I will rework those three images--but hoping for your reply for guidance first.
Thanks Neil.

New day. New thoughts?

Re #1 I still think here is too much empty space rear-side, especially left of her head - the big trunk is not so interesting. I think you need to keep all her long hair, and also part of her back to make her posture understandable. But the hands are pretty perfectly cropped, I think. There is something "Victorian" about her appearance and expression, so I thought an oval vignette, after cropping, but barely noticeable, might help focus attention on her face and push back the distractors both sides of her head.

Re #2 I was talking only about burning a little a small area of the corner of the cushion which is next to his left eye, really just the bottom right corner of the image. The cushion corner is a light color in the image and attracts the eye, but it is not an important element, so it is distracting. If the right corner of the image where the cushion is were darkened slightly with the burn tool it might lessen its distraction.

Re #5 You did a nice job recovering this shot. I would try a contrast boost, a clarity filter (the kind that's designed to cut through haze) and the linear contrast in curves, all adjusted to your taste.

Best wishes.

Neil

lizzard_nyc

toddb wrote:

Nice work -- and please keep posting the candids. My favorite pics when it comes to kids. My favorite of your group is 4 -- the skateboard. He just looks so thoughtful. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you:)
Those are my favorite type of shots for children too.
#4 is a favorite of mine too:D . I think it will be one I revisit when he gets all grown up.

lizzard_nyc

bfjr wrote:

#4

Thanks Benjamin:)

lizzard_nyc

D'Buggs wrote:

I too, but don't see any benifit from about the bottom 1/4 to 3'rd. IMO, it just detracts from the subject and I'd square it.

I quite like 3 - It's full of warm-n-fuzzy, feel good, fellings.

hello there,
I just recropped it and will post the new version shortly--I am still working on getting the feel for proper cropping.

#3 is one my mother-in-law loved--I like seeing grandmother and grandaughter sharing a moment and I processed to remind my mother in law of her old photos of Cuba.

Thanks for commenting.

lizzard_nyc

NeilL wrote:

New day. New thoughts?

Re #1 I still think here is too much empty space rear-side, especially left of her head - the big trunk is not so interesting. I think you need to keep all her long hair, and also part of her back to make her posture understandable. But the hands are pretty perfectly cropped, I think. There is something "Victorian" about her appearance and expression, so I thought an oval vignette, after cropping, but barely noticeable, might help focus attention on her face and push back the distractors both sides of her head.

Re #2 I was talking only about burning a little a small area of the corner of the cushion which is next to his left eye, really just the bottom right corner of the image. The cushion corner is a light color in the image and attracts the eye, but it is not an important element, so it is distracting. If the right corner of the image where the cushion is were darkened slightly with the burn tool it might lessen its distraction.

Re #5 You did a nice job recovering this shot. I would try a contrast boost, a clarity filter (the kind that's designed to cut through haze) and the linear contrast in curves, all adjusted to your taste.

Best wishes.

Neil

Ok here goes

reworked #1 (maybe not quite what you had in mind, but that's the way the PP kind of went for me, so I went with it).




Reworked the image to work on the contrast.




3. Cropped.


Thanks for your advise all.

NeilL

Re #1, the crop is *very* much better. I would shave off a little from the right side now, and clone out the beak-shaped object that's intruding from the edge of the frame. Should be perfect then (in my eyes)!:D The edge treatment is interesting, I could begin to like it. Printed, and in the right frame, it might be effective.

Re #5, yes it looks much healthier now, don't you think?

Best wishes.

Neil

D'Buggs

lizzard; I grabbed and played with the skater-dude and think my earlier advise was wrong; a square doesn't seem to work. However, something in the 5x7 format seems to.... If it were mine, this is sorta how I'd go;


**image deleted**


Now understand, I'm still trying to grasp the 'theme' of this forum and may have generated this pic into something that isn't fitting.

What I've done;

- Crop
- HC sharpened (just a tad)
- Opened up the face (dodge) - Again, just a tad.
- Brought some detail out of the 'hardware', from under the board (dodge).


Trying out the square crop, I found everything too centered. Here, the eyes are on the 3rd and the 'flow' just felt right (MO).

Hope ya don't mind me using your work as a learnin' experience AND,,, I'll zapp this rendition once I know you've seen it.... If you want to keep it alive (for whatever reason), you'll need to use this post in a quote.

lizzard_nyc

NeilL wrote:

Re #1, the crop is *very* much better. I would shave off a little from the right side now, and clone out the beak-shaped object that's intruding from the edge of the frame. Should be perfect then (in my eyes)!:D The edge treatment is interesting, I could begin to like it. Printed, and in the right frame, it might be effective.

Re #5, yes it looks much healthier now, don't you think?

Best wishes.

Neil

Thank you Neil for all your tips----lol--how did I miss the beak?

I appreciate your input.

lizzard_nyc

D'Buggs wrote:

lizzard; I grabbed and played with the skater-dude and think my earlier advise was wrong; a square doesn't seem to work. However, something in the 5x7 format seems to.... If it were mine, this is sorta how I'd go;





Now understand, I'm still trying to grasp the 'theme' of this forum and may have generated this pic into something that isn't fitting.

What I've done;

- Crop
- HC sharpened (just a tad)
- Opened up the face (dodge) - Again, just a tad.
- Brought some detail out of the 'hardware', from under the board (dodge).


Trying out the square crop, I found everything too centered. Here, the eyes are on the 3rd and the 'flow' just felt right (MO).

Hope ya don't mind me using your work as a learnin' experience AND,,, I'll zapp this rendition once I know you've seen it.... If you want to keep it alive (for whatever reason), you'll need to use this post in a quote.

Don't mind at all--it's how I learn
NOw I will say this--I did not like my re-crop too much--maybe as you said it's because everything was too centered---the original shot was better balanced as far as the rule of thirds--but it had too much of the blown out white at the bottom--your crop takes care of that while still keeping the rule of thirds .
The only thing about your crop that I miss, is the empty space infront of his face--I liked him looking out into it--

I like how you worked with the dodging tool--I need to get better at that.

D'Buggs

lizzard_nyc wrote:

The only thing about your crop that I miss, is the empty space infront of his face--I liked him looking out into it--

That's one thing that I emphatically believe in; It's what YOU like. Not me, nor anyone else FTM... If we all strove in creating for someone else's taste-buds, everything would look the same (BORING...). I was just trying to serve up an option : )