Normally I don't do too much PS on images except a little tweaking to "optimize". I have an image I rushed this morning, taken through the windshield of the van, that needs help and I've been trying to correct it a little with no luck. I haven't liked any the results from the corrections I've tried to make and need some suggestions. I know you can't make a bad image good but I'd at least like to make it a little better - it's a cute memory.
Thanks!
(Moderator - I know this is a nature forum but I have no clue which forum to ask for this kind of help and I know you guys might be able to help. You can remove this post or I can if I'm too off topic but can I get suggestions as to which forum and or a website that would be appropiate to post questions like this, thanks.)
Laurie,
I think this is fine. We'll call it man and nature. We've got trees, wildlife, an SUV, what else could we want? This is a great picture. It reminds me of the time I decided to start carrying a camera all the time. I drove through Starbucks one morning. When I was exiting the parking lot, I looked over and saw that a car had driven through the wall in front of the store. Right above the car were the words "Starbucks, Drive-thru" Of course I had no camera with me. It seems you didn't make the same mistake and have a great moment to show and not just tell people about. Here's a re-post with a few changes. I cropped to a 4:5 ratio and straightened the image, tweaked the curves a little, that is about it.
I don't know of any off-topic topics here - aren't we all a part of nature? Your main problem with this photo is that large patch of ugly white sky that draws attention away from the dog. If you could tone it down or replace it with something darker that would help a great deal. Then you could brighten up the dog and the post and the menu, then set your black point and you would be in much better shape. The bright red taillight is also a bit distracting - perhaps tone that down a bit. It is a cute photo but there is a lot going on that has nothing to do with your main subject - your main goal is to brighten up that dog and make him stand out more, although kind of tough to do with a big white SUV right there. And if you get really crazy you could change his reflection in the mirror so that you could see his face - that would add quite a bit of interest. It is a fine snapshot as is, unfortunately a lot of these types of images will only remain snapshots due to bad lighting and other distractions that you have no control over (hence the name snapshot), just as they were intended to be...
Posted by Tim Buchanan on July 16, 2007 at 10:20 AM
Well - I hacked it up pretty good! After a straighten, crop, and color correction, I implemented some of Tim's suggestions and came up with this....
Yup, that reflection makes it! Could you come work on some of my images?
Posted by Tim Buchanan on July 16, 2007 at 2:22 PM
Tim E: I'll add a dog reflection to any of your images you like - free of charge!
Johnny: There are, of course, many ways to fix color problems, but in this case I just added a curves layer and used the mid-tone color selection tool to select the gray of the pavement.
Discussion
5 repliesThanks!
(Moderator - I know this is a nature forum but I have no clue which forum to ask for this kind of help and I know you guys might be able to help. You can remove this post or I can if I'm too off topic but can I get suggestions as to which forum and or a website that would be appropiate to post questions like this, thanks.)
I think this is fine. We'll call it man and nature. We've got trees, wildlife, an SUV, what else could we want? This is a great picture. It reminds me of the time I decided to start carrying a camera all the time. I drove through Starbucks one morning. When I was exiting the parking lot, I looked over and saw that a car had driven through the wall in front of the store. Right above the car were the words "Starbucks, Drive-thru" Of course I had no camera with me. It seems you didn't make the same mistake and have a great moment to show and not just tell people about. Here's a re-post with a few changes. I cropped to a 4:5 ratio and straightened the image, tweaked the curves a little, that is about it.
Johnny: There are, of course, many ways to fix color problems, but in this case I just added a curves layer and used the mid-tone color selection tool to select the gray of the pavement.