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12/27/2006 11:40:05 PM · #1 |
Okay, my DPC scores are seriously weak lately. I don't know what the deal is, because I was not doing too bad there for a while. Can you help me with THESE? I've got one that I entered the brown challenge and ended up with a 3.8. I re-edited it this evening -- is it any better? Worse? Can you fix it and tell me what I'm doing wrong?
The other two are just for fun. The poinsettia I edited myself, the Christmas Cactus I haven't even attempted yet. I just need someone to help me get out of my slump. Any comments, suggestions, or even tries at editing would be SO helpful! Thanks!
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12/27/2006 11:42:37 PM · #2 |
| I think your new edit is much better. The submission just isn't very interesting. The new crop helps attract our eyes. |
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12/28/2006 08:49:46 AM · #3 |
Okay, that helps. Now, what about the others?
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12/28/2006 09:27:26 AM · #4 |
I think dynamics plays a role in things as well. I tilted the image 9 degrees which lends it some movement. I also burned a down a few things things that could have been deeper and dodged a few things that I thought need some down play. Some desaturation to even the tones out a little which also flattened down the shine under the left eye.
I'm no expert but I hope the changes, while not perfect, make some sense.
Message edited by author 2006-12-28 09:59:37. |
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12/28/2006 10:58:13 AM · #5 |
Your Christmas Cactus - stylized - (great subject) - as vertical with a bit of a crop; colour correction w/some desat and warming; heavy NeatImage; contrast increase; and sharpen. |
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12/28/2006 12:36:31 PM · #6 |
Can someone explain NeatImage for me? Someone mentioned that I used too much NeatImage on my Brown entry. But I don't even know what it is, so of course I couldn't have used it!!
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12/28/2006 12:38:31 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by SquishyB:
Can someone explain NeatImage for me? Someone mentioned that I used too much NeatImage on my Brown entry. But I don't even know what it is, so of course I couldn't have used it!! |
Neat Image is essentially the equivalent of what you did with noise reduction and despeckle. You've removed nearly all the detail from her face and made it smooth in a way that looks unnatural. |
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12/28/2006 12:39:45 PM · #8 |
Is it a separate program, function, or just a series of corrections done in a certain way?
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12/28/2006 12:40:41 PM · #9 |
It's a separate program but one that can also be run via Photoshop plugin.
//www.neatimage.com/
Basically, it just removes noise. But it's also one of those things that people get all gung-ho about when they first find out about it and tend to go overboard. Too much neat image is a fairly frequent occurrence and probably why someone assumed that's what you'd used.
Message edited by author 2006-12-28 12:41:47. |
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12/28/2006 12:42:10 PM · #10 |
Is it worth having, or should I just stick with what I've got?
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12/28/2006 12:43:33 PM · #11 |
| It can be useful when used properly and in moderation. The standalone program is free so you won't lose anything by downloading it and trying it out. :) |
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12/28/2006 05:29:49 PM · #12 |
Cool. Thanks. Anyone else willing to take a stab at my pictures?
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12/28/2006 09:08:41 PM · #13 |
Bump! Any help would be so good!!!
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12/28/2006 09:14:08 PM · #14 |
The shot you entered into Brown was doomed because brown was not the predominant color. I assume the brown eyes were what you were trying to showcase. Cropping down and showing one of them, in great light, in perfect focus would do well. Look at all the eye shots on the site here. Emulate.
The plant shots, your messing around shots, are also examples of images that would tank in a challenge. A big leaf, dead center in the frame, blown highlights on the side, etc, etc. No good. Cropped down so just the pattern of the veins in the leaf are on display would do somewhat better, though then it starts heading into Abstract Land and that's not a great place to be on dpc either.
Not sure what help you are seeking exactly, so hopefully that is some halfway decent advice. If you are concerned about getting good scores, start combing through the challenges and figuring out how to emulate the shots that score well. That is working very well for lots of other people and will work well for you too. |
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12/28/2006 09:54:47 PM · #15 |
Thanks for the advice. I just keep taking shots that I fully love and am so proud of, then they bomb in the challenges, and it totally crushes me. So any advice anyone is willing to give to boost my spirits and my scores is great. I appreciate all of you that are willing to help.
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12/29/2006 10:00:20 PM · #16 |
One last bump before I'm ready to give up altogether...
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