What do you think of this image?

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/13/2006 06:00:45 PM · #1

I was processing photos today and came across an image that would normally get tossed. There is something about it that I like.
It looks like a watercolor to me. I would like to know what you all think? Toss it or keep it?

justine

Canon EOS-50D

10/13/2006 06:29:00 PM · #2

left a comment 4 ya.

Nikon AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 200-400mm f/4.0G IF-ED

10/13/2006 06:43:43 PM · #3

Thank you so much,

Justine and

kawesttex for your comments! I see now what it is that I DON'T like about the image. hehe

I haven't had the money to invest in a good tripod yet so I had a cheepy crappy one that broke yesterday so I wont have one tomorrow. I don't believe there was anything around to use to stablize myself on. It's a strong incline there as well. we will see what tomorrow brings!

spydr

Nikon D850

10/13/2006 07:12:21 PM · #4

Justine and Ken are correct. A tripod will help out you want a sharper image.

Without the tripod you need to increase the ISO so that the shutter speed is at least greater than the local length. Even faster if the subject is moving.

Your image was 1/8 of a second @ 34mm using ISO 100 and F10. By increasing the ISO to 400 and opening the aperature to F7.1 the shutter speed would increase enough to be greater than the local length. The scene is shallow enough that F7.1 offers enough DOF for the entire scene.

It's important to understand why your image come out the way it do so that you can produce your own vision of the scene.

There is no rule saying that fall colors have to be in sharp focus. I would have PP the image like this-

I hope that me playing with your photo does not offend.

kawesttex

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

10/13/2006 07:39:11 PM · #5

I think the slower shutter speed with the leaves moving is worth a try, it's just that the trees would anchor the photo that it wasn't camera shake or an earthquake.

10/13/2006 11:46:47 PM · #6

Originally posted by spydr:

I hope that me playing with your photo does not offend.

Nope! I enjoyed seeing what you did with it.
I haven't done any processing yet because I didn't want to waste my time if it was worthless effort.

I have tried bring the ISO up before but it causes awful noise in most cases I have attempted it. Im the worst with math. I have been working with trial and error and not really 'got it' yet. Its so frustrating!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

10/15/2006 08:35:38 PM · #7

Here is the reshoot with a post processed version.

I created a second layer, added a gaussian blur, erased out the trunks and cloned out the branch.

I would like to know what you all think of these.
Thanks
T

BeeCee

Nikon D40

10/15/2006 08:56:30 PM · #8

I love the colours in the first much better than the reshoot. I agree with you about the watercolour feel, so I tried it with a coloured pencil filter.

I think it's a very lovely image that would look great on a greeting card.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Pentax

10/15/2006 08:59:26 PM · #9

ooo I really like that!

Artyste

Sony Ericsson W810i

10/15/2006 09:06:57 PM · #10

Had a nice monet feel to it.. also, reminded me of some scenery from "What Dreams May Come". (Great movie that).

I just strengthened the pastel look a bit, and added a bit of a diffuser to give it more of that.. watercolor paintered look.

Unfortunately, to get it to a reasonable file size, I think the compression wrecked some of the look.. it doesn't look as good here as it does in photoshop, but you get the idea.

Tools:
Selective Color - boosted black levels in black channel
Slight saturation boost
slight sharpen boost (35 in "Smart Sharpen" in lens blur)
Distort - Glass at a very small level, then backed off with "fade glass" tool.
very tiny contrast boost.

You can take this further if you like and boost the magenta/yellow levels as well to get a more colorful feel out of it.. but I think if you go too strong, you'll lose the soft look that really set this out in the first place.

Message edited by author 2006-10-15 21:07:48.

10/15/2006 09:28:53 PM · #11

Fantastic! I will follow those instructions and see if I can get the original somewhere close.
Thanks a bunches for all your help!