good but could be much better

windoze · January 2, 2005

ok, here's my question ( i tried posting on dpreview.com but the server seems way to slow ) I know that this image is not a bad image....but to me - it looks "washed out"..... i use paint shop pro and i dabble with the basic auto fucntions..... i dont know how to make a image "pop" to stand out. I could also suffer from an uncalibrated monitor ( thats more difficult to understand than post processing ) :scratch Anyway - i like my image but IT COULD BE BETTER - RIGHT?
im enclosing the exif data ( maybe my problem is I dont understand how to take a picture ) :dunno
Photograph DetailsDate Taken:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Digitized:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Modified:2005-01-02 00:57:55Make:CanonModel: Canon EOS 20D Size: 2166x2103 Bytes: 804985 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 246mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.002s (1/500)Flash:16Exposure Program:Aperature priorityExposure Bias:0White Balance:manualColorSpace:sRGB

gus · January 2, 2005

My go at it...but be aware that i eat out of tin cans under a bridge most of the day.

gus · January 2, 2005

Humungus wrote:

My go at it...but be aware that i eat out of tin cans under a bridge most of the day.

Hmmm...no different

Ann McRae · January 2, 2005

Hi Troy

This is a great photo as is.

I've been doing much more PP with PSP9 lately (now that the 20d is in my life -

).
My routine is starting to be:
1. check color balance - I have started using "set black & white points" instead of auto color balance. It can really make a difference.
2. check and play with the histogram (adjust brightness/contrast - histogram). This will help with exposure issues.
3. then I play with contrast, saturation and sharpness.

These are tricks I've picked up recently, I think they make a difference, even when used in tiny amounts, and I've even started applying them more regularly to 828 photos.

Did you know that there is a sharpen brush in the brushes palette, and you can selectively sharpen bits of photos - eyes for example!

I like you tiger, but give some of those adjustments a whirl - and remember, the undo button is right there too.
ann

windoze · January 2, 2005

Thanx Ann - I will try your suggestions... for some reason my image looks beter on this forum than it looks on smugmug.com or maybe im just too tired right now... anyway - thanx! I see a lot of other tiger posts and mine kinda looked to me to be "hazed" and not sharp - but then again i was shooting through glass....

troy

Ann McRae wrote:

Hi Troy

This is a great photo as is.

I've been doing much more PP with PSP9 lately (now that the 20d is in my life - ).
My routine is starting to be:
1. check color balance - I have started using "set black & white points" instead of auto color balance. It can really make a difference.
2. check and play with the histogram (adjust brightness/contrast - histogram). This will help with exposure issues.
3. then I play with contrast, saturation and sharpness.

These are tricks I've picked up recently, I think they make a difference, even when used in tiny amounts, and I've even started applying them more regularly to 828 photos.

Did you know that there is a sharpen brush in the brushes palette, and you can selectively sharpen bits of photos - eyes for example!

I like you tiger, but give some of those adjustments a whirl - and remember, the undo button is right there too.
ann

windoze · January 2, 2005

well at least you tried!
Im thinking I should take a course in phot processing, but I dont wanna go back to school!!!!!

troy

Humungus wrote:

Hmmm...no different

gus · January 2, 2005

windoze wrote:

well at least you tried!
Im thinking I should take a course in phot processing, but I dont wanna go back to school!!!!!

troy

I considered that but its much more interesting running screaming through this place making a mess of everyones desk :roll

windoze · January 2, 2005

From somebody over on dpreview.com
Somebody over on dpreview.com applied feathering and a S-shape curve ( whatever those things are )

and came up with this. See this version seems to pop!!!

troy

windoze wrote:

ok, here's my question ( i tried posting on dpreview.com but the server seems way to slow ) I know that this image is not a bad image....but to me - it looks "washed out"..... i use paint shop pro and i dabble with the basic auto fucntions..... i dont know how to make a image "pop" to stand out. I could also suffer from an uncalibrated monitor ( thats more difficult to understand than post processing ) Anyway - i like my image but IT COULD BE BETTER - RIGHT?
im enclosing the exif data ( maybe my problem is I dont understand how to take a picture )
Photograph DetailsDate Taken:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Digitized:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Modified:2005-01-02 00:57:55Make:CanonModel: Canon EOS 20D Size: 2166x2103 Bytes: 804985 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 246mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.002s (1/500)Flash:16Exposure Program:Aperature priorityExposure Bias:0White Balance:manualColorSpace:sRGB

David_S85 · January 2, 2005

Hi Troy.

I would have answered at DPR, but, well, you probably know my problem there these days.

The "S" curve (in curves) will roughly do the same as Clarify" in PSP - that is, to apply more contrast to the image, in small amounts.

First, though, I would do this... Look at the Histogram Adjust (as opposed to just the Histogram function. Histogram Adjust allows not just a look at the histogram, but to change it in all sorts of ways. No matter what you do there (play with it), I would limit the output to between 7 and 10 at the dark areas, and 244-248 at the bright areas. That way, if you choose to do any local contrast control afterwards (via Clarify, or S curve in Curves, or USM contrast control techniques) you won't be blowing out the whites or pinning the darks (since more contrast to make it pop will also stretch the histogram out even farther).

The viewer will focus on the tiger's eyes. Those need to be sharpest. Perhaps also darken the background a bit to make the tiger's face and body "pop" more.

PSP is very capable, and so are you as a photographer. You'll get comfortable with the interface and the tools soon enough. You can also customize the toolbars to a great degree, making it work for you even faster.

Dee · January 2, 2005

Dee's attempt

windoze wrote:

ok, here's my question ( i tried posting on dpreview.com but the server seems way to slow ) I know that this image is not a bad image....but to me - it looks "washed out"..... i use paint shop pro and i dabble with the basic auto fucntions..... i dont know how to make a image "pop" to stand out. I could also suffer from an uncalibrated monitor ( thats more difficult to understand than post processing ) Anyway - i like my image but IT COULD BE BETTER - RIGHT?
im enclosing the exif data ( maybe my problem is I dont understand how to take a picture )
Photograph DetailsDate Taken:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Digitized:2004-12-28 00:21:47Date Modified:2005-01-02 00:57:55Make:CanonModel: Canon EOS 20D Size: 2166x2103 Bytes: 804985 Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 200mm (guess: 246mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 0.002s (1/500)Flash:16Exposure Program:Aperature priorityExposure Bias:0White Balance:manualColorSpace:sRGB

A different take -- a contrast mask, sharpen over all, sharpen tool on eyes...

windoze · January 2, 2005

Thanx Dee - he now has that "pop" !

Thank you - thank you!
Your fix seems quick and very easy to understand!
He now looks like he going to pounce out at me!!!!

Thanx Again for teaching me!!!

troy

Dee wrote:

A different take -- a contrast mask, sharpen over all, sharpen tool on eyes...

Dee · January 2, 2005

What are you doing up so late

I'm getting ready to turn in, and you're 3 hours ahead of me, Troy it's 3:30 a.m.

Yes in this case the contrast mask is the quickest and easiest. Then I sharpened the image quite a bit more than I usually do, and then the extra sharpening for the eyes with the sharpening tool...

I use the contrast mask first -- sometimes I adjust levels first, then do the mask, I use a very high blur on the mask -- duplicate layer, desaturate, invert, set to overlay, most people like only a slight blur, but I can't seem to get the effect I want that way. Each photo is a little different.

Also you can duplicate the contrast mask and have two layers of contrast mask -- play with opacity on the layers -- sometimes that is needed.

The first time I tried to do a mask it took forever, but now I have all the key commands memorized and it goes quickly.

I'm glad you liked it.

GREAPER · January 2, 2005

I gave it a go too, just for kicks, slight bump in saturation and contrast, the brightened the eyes a bit.

good but could be much better

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