Practice Portrait: Comments welcome

ltdesignphotovideo

Ok work has been extrememly slow lately so I decided to take time to work on my photoshop technique. I'm a subscriber to Communication Arts magazine and I love their photo annual that comes out at the beginning of the summer. I highly recommend it. It's mostly commercial photography but there are other things in it as well. They have great photos. I entered, for the first time, into the competition this year but didn't get into the annual. I have studied the photos in the annual and am trying to find a "look" that I may use to enter again next year and possibly be published in the annual. I see certain techniques that are used varying from the old Kodacolor look to that of almost an illustrative technique from several past annuals, as well as this years annual. I can tell a lot of the photos have had work done. I don't like to do a lot of digital altering but it seems a lot of that is done now. Comments welcome on this photo. I want to know if it works or not. I like it for what it is but I like untouched photos better. Please let me know what you think. It would be very helpful. I'm trying to develop a style with my photography. I have a style with my graphic design but not with photography. Thanks everyone!! :clap

-t

lynnma

I like it.. I like the colors, the "starkness" of it. Couple of things popped into my head when I looked at it.. one was no face, the other was the blur is a little to obvious on his bare arm and you've got some kind of black smudge on his left shoulder, perhaps from cloning or patching. I quite like the "blown" out white look and the feel of it.

ltdesignphotovideo

I took out the blur. I think this looks better. You? THanks for the comments.
-t

ltdesignphotovideo

I told you I was bored at work. I have had way TOO MUCH TIME TO PLAY. I like the other picture better though.
-t

JimM

Can you post the original of the first one? I think the blur is still too harsh.

ltdesignphotovideo

This is the original. I sharpened and toyed with it for the first one. The second one I posted of the same picture I took out the blur. I thought it took away from it rather than add. The batter swinging was just another attempt at the selective color process. Ok, enough of my babbling, here's the original.

adrian_k

the guy swinging the bat is a super shot and the PP work isn't obvious except there's a nasty halo down his back. It's the muscle definition that makes it.

the first example (w/ blur) doesn't work for me - too heavy handed.
The second one is better, the high contrast works. However, because you can't see his face I don't think it'll get published in a magazine. (I may be proven wrong of course - you can never tell what's in the judges' minds )

ltdesignphotovideo wrote:

I told you I was bored at work. I have had way TOO MUCH TIME TO PLAY. I like the other picture better though.
-t

ltdesignphotovideo

I like the fact that you can't see his face. I think, artistically it's neat. I don't think it would get published as an advertisement but CA magazine does judge the raw photo for what it brings to the table. I will enter again next year and if I don't get in then what have I lost? Nothing. It never hurts to try. Thanks for the great comments and feedback.

ltdesignphotovideo

Here's another picture with the same effect.

arthill

ltdesignphotovideo wrote:

Here's another picture with the same effect.

: Well images are all a matter of taste after all. I like the effect on this one and the swinging batter but I actually prefer the original of the catcher. Go figure.

ltdesignphotovideo

I like raw photos as they are more so than digital art. I was messing around in photoshop and thought this was a different approach to the typical. I like both the original of the catcher and the selective color shot.