Self Portrait.

pepper44pepper44 Registered Users Posts: 170 Major grins
edited October 1, 2006 in People
I haven't posted anything here in about a year, and since then I've gotten married and had a baby.

Anyway, I'm still working on my photography skills and my photoshop skills as well.


Here's a self portrait of me and the baby:

97902745-M.jpg


What do you think? I need to learn more about black and white conversion...
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Comments

  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2006
    I think it's a beautiful shot. I like how you've blacked out the bottom part of the image.

    Is your arm holding up the camera to get the shot? I wondering if there's a way to clear that out from behind your head, because then it would really emphasize the tenderness of the kiss. Either that, or let the arm drop. Maybe use a timer if that's the hand holding the camera?

    Also, you could brighten it a bit. This might come from monitor differences, but it looks quite dim to me. But that might be the mood you're going for.
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  • stephiewilliamsstephiewilliams Registered Users Posts: 168 Major grins
    edited September 25, 2006
    I really love the photo and the way the lighting really seems to focus on the baby. I do think the conversion needs a little bit of work. This is what I do and I have had some real success with it thus far...

    Convert your photo to Lab mode...click on channels and delete the a and b channel....this will convert the photo to black and white. Convert the photo to greyscale and then back to RGB or CMYK whichever you had it on. Then adjust the contrast up by about 2 to 3...

    See if it works for you :)
    Stephie
    "AMATEURS try till they get it right, PROS try till they cannot possibly get it wrong."

    Gallery - http://stephaniewilliams.smugmug.com
  • pepper44pepper44 Registered Users Posts: 170 Major grins
    edited September 27, 2006
    Thanks for the suggestions! I got rid of the arm and changed around the black and white a little. I think it looks a lot better now.
    98418396-M.jpg

    Comment and critique still welcome...
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  • ChrisJChrisJ Registered Users Posts: 2,164 Major grins
    edited September 27, 2006
    Cool shot, Pepper, and I like the revision, though I might have left in a tad more detail in the shadows (just a nit). Very tender.

    Congratulations!!! On the marriage and the baby! Hope you get enough sleep to take some time for pictures!
    Chris
  • gpphotosgpphotos Registered Users Posts: 266 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2006
    cool shot.

    the black in the lower left corner kinda leaves a void...maybe a tighter crop to feature you and the baby a little more...kinda like the first one....maybe move you and the baby down and to the left just a touch on the canvas.
  • JimMJimM Registered Users Posts: 1,389 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2006
    Stephanie, this is a great conversion technique. Thanks.
    stephiewilliams wrote:
    I really love the photo and the way the lighting really seems to focus on the baby. I do think the conversion needs a little bit of work. This is what I do and I have had some real success with it thus far...

    Convert your photo to Lab mode...click on channels and delete the a and b channel....this will convert the photo to black and white. Convert the photo to greyscale and then back to RGB or CMYK whichever you had it on. Then adjust the contrast up by about 2 to 3...

    See if it works for you :)
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  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited September 28, 2006
    stephiewilliams wrote:
    I really love the photo and the way the lighting really seems to focus on the baby. I do think the conversion needs a little bit of work. This is what I do and I have had some real success with it thus far...

    Convert your photo to Lab mode...click on channels and delete the a and b channel....this will convert the photo to black and white. Convert the photo to greyscale and then back to RGB or CMYK whichever you had it on. Then adjust the contrast up by about 2 to 3...

    See if it works for you :)
    I've got some photos from a wedding last Sunday that I want to convert to B&W (both for some selective colorizing and for straight B&W) and have been looking for a simple conversion technique that would still allow for either high contrast or for full tone rendering. This looks like it will fill the bill. Ii'' post a couple when/if I get any worthy of seeing the light of day.

    Thanks for throwing that out there.
    Scott
    My Photos
    Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
    Equipment List - Check my profile
  • OrvSalOrvSal Registered Users Posts: 461 Major grins
    edited September 29, 2006
    Nice, very tender moment captured. I prefer a bit more detail like the first shot has but with some more post proc. I like and use the same B&W conversion, sounds like it is from Scott Kelbys book on PS. Much better than just desaturating it.
    Have a great day!
    Orv

    Thomson, Ga. USA
    www.Osalisburyphoto.smugmug.com
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited September 29, 2006
    Nice to see you back!

    Congratulations on all the wonderful changes.

    I love the shot.
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  • Scott_QuierScott_Quier Registered Users Posts: 6,524 Major grins
    edited October 1, 2006
    stephiewilliams wrote:
    I really love the photo and the way the lighting really seems to focus on the baby. I do think the conversion needs a little bit of work. This is what I do and I have had some real success with it thus far...

    Convert your photo to Lab mode...click on channels and delete the a and b channel....this will convert the photo to black and white. Convert the photo to greyscale and then back to RGB or CMYK whichever you had it on. Then adjust the contrast up by about 2 to 3...

    See if it works for you :)
    Stephie,

    This technique worked very nicely for me. Check out this thread and tell me what you think.
    Scott
    My Photos
    Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
    Equipment List - Check my profile
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