Input in PP? 3 Y/O shot

kidzmom

Okay folks...Just trying to get things right and doing a lot of playing. Not sure how these shots feels pp-wise. I'm looking for a clean look, not too overprocessed..not too warm, not too cold. Just fresh and vibrant--don't want plain and borning either (lol). Before I process any more I'm looking for some input. The first one is the most processed- 2 versions. I ended up adding some contrast, fill and brightness..slight sharpen over entire image and curves adjustment in #1b...then I added a very very light texture (scratched wood) but layer masked the little one. I burned the edges a teensy bit also. What can I do to make this shot really stand out? I'm ready for tough critique people. :wink Not really sure if the colors are right for this shot (after the curves adjustment). I shot in RAW and adjusted WB with the dropper in post but maybe too warm? Shot with natural light on a perfectly overcast day all using the 50 1.8 lens--fairly closed at 3.2.

Shots #2 and #3 are with minimal adjustments--borning pp perhaps but maybe better than the look of 1b? Is the clean look working?

#1a


#1b (The most manipulated...texture, curves etc).



#2 I loved her hat


#3 I know it is too centered...but for pp sake. Not really anything major as far as pp goes (contrast and blacks up, sharpen, warmed up a tiny pinch and voila).


Thoughts on pp please!!!

Caspian

# 1 is my favorite. It has a high key feel without being over done. The color in her eyes, hair and lips really stand out. It looks processed, but not too processed.
# 2 The monitor I am on right now is not color balanced, but it does not look like you did as much with the color. Can't tell if it is levels or saturation, but the color looks a little flatter than #1. #2 is still nice and if you hadn't shown us #1 it would be my favorite.
# 3 I like the idea, but the hat draws my attention from the face. It looks like your plane of focus may have been on the hat and not on the eyes.
# 4 Is a nice straight on shot. I like the contrast of the hat and sweater against the dark background. The hat really helps isolate her face from the bg and the colors in her eyes, hair and lips is nice. The colors in her face look warm and natural.

I think #1 is kid's studio material and is very nicely done.

pwp

My 2 cents:

When processing photos of young children (teens and older are a different story), I always prefer to go warmer than cooler. I know that a lot of 'togs in my area like the trendy, under-exposed, cool cast on their kid photos, but to me, it leaves a fresh, vibrant, smiling little one looking a bit like they are on the verge of hypothermia.

kidzmom

Thanks Caspian and Pwp for the input. Caspian..I was hoping 1 would come off well and I'm glad you liked it. I think 1a is probabally better than 1b then??

Pwp, just curious whether you'd consider these cold or warm? If anything I was thinking too warm? I guess it really just depends on what you are used to seeing...just wondering how others viewed these? For me..with 1a and 4 I was expecting to hear that these were too warm....

pwp wrote:

My 2 cents:

When processing photos of young children (teens and older are a different story), I always prefer to go warmer than cooler. I know that a lot of 'togs in my area like the trendy, under-exposed, cool cast on their kid photos, but to me, it leaves a fresh, vibrant, smiling little one looking a bit like they are on the verge of hypothermia.

ladytx

Out of 1a and 1b I prefer 1b. The darks in 1a seem too much. The blacks in the hair seem un-natural and the shadowed eyes I am not fond of. Overall the contrast seems too much. I like 1b but just a tad more contrast around her nose to help define it just a bit more. I like the tone of this one. Less red and more smooth.

Really nice exposure on the hat in 2.

Nice exposure on 3. Very nice photo in all.

pwp

1A is definitely the warmer of the two, but both look fairly natural to me. #2 seems a little cool and underexposed, so bringing the curves up might make the coolness more pronounced. I really like the tone of the last one, as it seems the most natural, but you could even bump the warmth a slight bit more, IMO.

Caspian

I didn't pay close enough attention to the numbering you put on the pictures. My favorite is 1a. The one I called 2 is your 1b. Sorry about the confusion.

adbsgicom

Nice shots! I like the luminance level in 1b, but think you're too far to the green side there. Things may be a bit too magenta in 1a, but 1b went too far the other way IMO. I'm agreeing w/ Caspian that I would have preferred #2 being focused on some part of her (like her nose or eyelashes). I like #3, though I get the idea of making the shots of the young children less contrasty, so don't put too much stock in my liking it.

kidzmom

Thanks so much all for the input! Very valuable. Caspian..I completely understood your references based on the context of the comments. I appreciate your thoughts! Lady tx. I hadn't noticed the hair color at the tips at all until you brought it up. I went back and tried to figure out and I found the culprit---the scratched wood texture! Once I turned off the texture and layer mask it was gone. I need to find some textures that are more neutral. Thanks again for your temp thoughts Pwp and also on the tones Andrew. I too am a fan of #3...def too centered, perhaps too much contrast but I still love it. The texture just threw everything for a loop color-wise for the first 2. I probabally prefer 1a and will rework it to bring down the magenta...and most likely just remove the texture or find a new one. Thanks again all. Any thoughts on where to get decent textures for free?

adbsgicom

Deviant art seems to be a favorite place as it has been mentioned in quite a few times.

pwp

I the textures free on shadowhouse creations!! He has a little bit of everything. Soft for babies and little ones, and stronger ones for the fiestier of our critters.

http://shadowhousecreations.blogspot.com/

kidzmom

Thanks Andrew and PWP for the texture links. I have both bookmarked and when I get some time I look foward to playing