Please need some C&C

KMW

Hi,
I wanted to ask some opinions. I am in the process of building my portfolio and want to make sure I am not over editing some of the colored photos. I used color curves to increase midtones and contrast on the first 3 colored photos in the gallery. The original photos looked a little underexposed and washed out. My monitor is not calibrated. I adjusted it by eye and want to make sure I am not editing photos that don't need to be edited. I still have several more to edit so I want to make sure the first few look good before I edit any further. Thank you in advance.

Kath

http://kmw.smugmug.com/gallery/2869004#154020618

ShannonHeat

Wow, beautiful work !

KMW wrote:

Hi,
I wanted to ask some opinions. I am in the process of building my portfolio and want to make sure I am not over editing some of the colored photos. I used color curves to increase midtones and contrast on the first 3 colored photos in the gallery. The original photos looked a little underexposed and washed out. My monitor is not calibrated. I adjusted it by eye and want to make sure I am not editing photos that don't need to be edited. I still have several more to edit so I want to make sure the first few look good before I edit any further. Thank you in advance.

Kath

http://kmw.smugmug.com/gallery/2869004#154020618

heatherfeather

Looks great to me! Love your stuff, and she is quite a cutie!

KMW

Thank you ....both of you for your comments. This was my second photo shoot with a child other than my own. I have been photographing my own 2 year old and I thought he was a challenge. She would not sit still for a minute so I'm surprised I got any decent photos out of this. My first photo session was much easier. My 10 year old niece loved being photographed. Anyway it's nice to know my monitor seems pretty accurate. What you see is what you get....not 100% but close. I feel confident making this gallery public once I'm done edting. Thanks again.
Kathi

wxwax

IMHO, #8 has the best skin tone.

saurora

wxwax wrote:

IMHO, #8 has the best skin tone.

#8 does have nice skin tones. Your 3 edited shots are much cooler and contrasty removing most of the skin coloration. Also the eyes are much darker and the detail in the iris is beginning to be lost. Were the first 3 shot in the shade? If so, that might explain the coolness compared to the rest of the shots. You might want to edit #8 and post here for comparison. In my eyes, it's not that far off, just a little over-exposed. Cute shots by the way.

KMW

Thanks for your comments and suggestions..The 3 edited shots were shot in the shade. Do you think I should remove the contrast layer from the 3 of those? It was the midtones layer that brightened them up but with that alone they look a little faded. When I selected contrast in color curves, I selected the smalled amount by sliding the bar to the left. I also used unsharp mask..On number 8 both of you said the skin tones look good but it is a little overexposed? I'll try to figure out how to fix that and repost later on tonight. Thanks for your advice.
Kathi

Seneca

I think your portfolio looks great. I see you are big fan of natural lighting...so am I. I just got my studio lights last week and I have a lot to learn about lighting. You know anyone can take a picture...but I've learned that lighting is everything in your photos.

Good job...beautiful child.

KMW

Seneca wrote:

I think your portfolio looks great. I see you are big fan of natural lighting...so am I. I just got my studio lights last week and I have a lot to learn about lighting. You know anyone can take a picture...but I've learned that lighting is everything in your photos.

Good job...beautiful child.

Thank you Seneca...I do love natural light but I also use fill flash when needed. I am learning how important lighting is though. I am planning on doing several practice photo sessions with different babies and children then taking the best from each and combining into one portfolio gallery.

KMW

saurora wrote:

#8 does have nice skin tones. Your 3 edited shots are much cooler and contrasty removing most of the skin coloration. Also the eyes are much darker and the detail in the iris is beginning to be lost. Were the first 3 shot in the shade? If so, that might explain the coolness compared to the rest of the shots. You might want to edit #8 and post here for comparison. In my eyes, it's not that far off, just a little over-exposed. Cute shots by the way.

Hi,
I darkened #8 slightly. For some reason I am unable to save the file smaller than 185kb to upload to the forum so I will send it to the gallery instead. Could you please tell me if it looks better? Another question about the 3 edited shots...do you see any pixelation? I just don't want them to look pixelated with too much contrast or sharpening. Thanks for your help.

wxwax

KMW wrote:

On number 8 both of you said the skin tones look good but it is a little overexposed?

No.

3 is, though.

wxwax

KMW wrote:

My monitor is not calibrated. I adjusted it by eye

Editing by eye on an uncalibrated monitor is a hopeless exercise.

Go by the numbers, instead.

KMW

wxwax wrote:

Editing by eye on an uncalibrated monitor is a hopeless exercise.

Go by the numbers, instead.

Thank you...I will bookmark that link and learn to go by the numbers. The way I adjusted my monitor was by comparing some prints I ordered through Smugmug. I tried to match my monitor as close as possible to the prints. I know it's not exact but I'm hoping it will work for me until I am able to purchase calibration software. I also found a link that allowed you to calibrate by looking at a square and adjusting it til the gray in black square was barely visible. Is that a way to truly calibrate? Or should I still purchase calibration software?

wxwax

KMW wrote:

Is that a way to truly calibrate? Or should I still purchase calibration software?

No.

Yes.

The on-line chart is better than nothing. But it's not even close to what you'll get from good calibration software. You don't have to spend a lot, either. A lot of folks have had luck with the Pantone Huey (but not everyone.)