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08/10/2004 12:48:18 PM · #1 |
Hey all. Sorry to load two more up. Reading the tutorials and checking out other wondeful photographs on dpchallenge, I've gone back and tried to learn a little more about post-shot editing. Other than contrast and lightness, I haven't really done anything but crop my photos. For my test run, I tried two photographs of my friend Craig after his bachelor party in the keys this summer... I'm using, by the way, Macromedia's Fireworks program. I'd love to have Photoshop, but it's not in the fiscal budget right now... Let me know how these are technically. I picked two photographs I believed to be relatively plain (in full color). Are they still pretty plain? Or does this editing give it a kick? I'm pretty much blind to them. Thanks in advance!
Fishing
Hangover
- thanks again!
- bacchus
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08/10/2004 04:21:11 PM · #2 |
You are on the same track as me, bacchus. Can't afford expensive software on a gardener's wages. But I have started experimenting with hue & saturation, quite pleasing results too!
If these were full colour they would be snaps like everyone takes, with editing they have changed. Normally you would just look and say great snaps, now it's a double take...like, how is the sea blue but everything else is b&w. Likewise 2nd shot. Could become a new fad in DPC. |
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08/10/2004 04:26:50 PM · #3 |
Honestly, they seem plain to me.
What was your purpose for using the selective desat?
I found the successful uses of this technique are using it highlight an object, or color, or a focal point, neither of which I see in your photos.
One of my favorites, from dsidwell.
Check out the challenge we had a couple months ago. Good luck, and good trying. A great effort. |
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08/10/2004 04:33:14 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by Wolfie:
If these were full colour they would be snaps like everyone takes, with editing they have changed. Normally you would just look and say great snaps, now it's a double take...like, how is the sea blue but everything else is b&w. Likewise 2nd shot. Could become a new fad in DPC. |
Problem is it's so old a fad it's now on the "cliche" list, so you need to be very judicious in its use for challenge entries ... make sure it has a real purpose and positive effect, and isn't being done "just to make it different."
These are excellent first tries, and given your choice of photos to work with, I think you made sensible choices in how you did it. Also remember that once you learn how to control images like this, you can use the same techniques to change as well as remove colors. |
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08/10/2004 04:36:17 PM · #5 |
Bacchus,
I think your techniqe for the effect is fine, but these are two examples of why I think selective desaturation is not usually a good thing. In my unedcuated opinion, I think that the color remnants in a selective desaturation should bring my attention to the photographer's intended subject. In both of your examples, it pulls me away from the subject... Maybe i'm in left field with this idea, but it's how I see things :)
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08/10/2004 04:38:18 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Bacchus,
I think your techniqe for the effect is fine, but these are two examples of why I think selective desaturation is not usually a good thing. In my unedcuated opinion, I think that the color remnants in a selective desaturation should bring my attention to the photographer's intended subject. In both of your examples, it pulls me away from the subject... Maybe i'm in left field with this idea, but it's how I see things :) |
That is exactly what I thought when I viewed the pics b4 reading your post John...
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08/10/2004 04:43:48 PM · #7 |
Thanks for the comments!
Movieman, the only purpose (really) for the two I've done so far is to learn how to technically do it. I'm not experienced at all in doing this kind of post-shoot editing. And, I feel, if I can get a grasp of what's possible, then my eyes may be more attuned to potential shots when out in the field. You know? I'm definitely not thinking these are two great photographs. They're basically just snap shots I'm using as playing fields to figure out the technology.
I like dsidwell's shot you posted here. And the desaturation really kicks this photograph into high gear. It may also look great in full color, but the desaturation really brings it to a new level. That's what I'm wondering about and curious to experiment with. The ordinary possibly becoming extraordinary through selective desaturation. In the two photos I posted, you're right - I'm not really highlighting a thing or a single color (really, just two shades of one color in each photo). The only real 'why' is to figure out how to do selective desaturation.
As far as the desaturation goes (technically), is this on par? Or is it a bit too sloppy? The bars on the boat, for example, aren't desaturated. But does that show? I quickly found in these attempts that blur marks would manifest by fuzzing the bottom layer. There's a line between transparency and opacity I'm trying to figure out here, technologically, when dealing with multiple layers. I guess my thinking is that if I can get the technological process under my belt, then I may be able to specifically take photographs with selective desaturation in mind. Rather than just grabbing two uneventful snapshots and desat'ing them!
Thanks to all for the responses!
Message edited by author 2004-08-10 16:46:25.
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08/10/2004 05:02:33 PM · #8 |
Remember, bacchus, we don't have the resources or experience some others do and to us this is ground breaking technology! Just find your own path and keep trying, I still think the pics I get from my camera are state of the art!! I still think colour pics are great!
In fact, I just love photos and clicking away! |
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08/10/2004 05:40:13 PM · #9 |
As has been said I think this technique works only when it's used to highlight some important aspect of the image allowing the rest to recede just a touch from the viewers attention.
It should not be used to try and rescue a poor or bland image.
I do appreciate that your images above are purely a learning curve for the technique but I do that an equally important aspect of this technique (to the skills of performing the processing itself) is the skill of selecting the right image to use it on.
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08/11/2004 01:16:20 AM · #10 |
| I work exclusively in Photoshop CS. but the effects you are after are easily obtainable in almost all versions of Photoshop. I do selective desaturation on most of my portraits. What I leave behind is usually in the red and yellow channels to retain some remnant of skin tone and hair color. In most cases these channels are desaturated to some extent but most other color channels are removed completly. This is more pleasing to my eye giving me somewhere between color and B&W. The tern duo-tone often applies to my portraits. As far as this technique being "cliche" keep tweeking your images as you chose until you find a style that suits [i]you[i]. |
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08/31/2004 09:20:21 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
I work exclusively in Photoshop CS. but the effects you are after are easily obtainable in almost all versions of Photoshop. I do selective desaturation on most of my portraits. What I leave behind is usually in the red and yellow channels to retain some remnant of skin tone and hair color. In most cases these channels are desaturated to some extent but most other color channels are removed completly. This is more pleasing to my eye giving me somewhere between color and B&W. The tern duo-tone often applies to my portraits. As far as this technique being "cliche" keep tweeking your images as you chose until you find a style that suits [i]you[i]. |
It would be nice to see some. |
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08/31/2004 09:29:03 PM · #12 |
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08/31/2004 09:32:51 PM · #13 |
This was done using an advanced legal technique...I used the magnetic lasso tool to select the watermelon and then inverted the selection to desat the rest of the image.
edit: I have PS 6 and a point-n-click camera, so the equipment and software were not the top of the line... it can be done effectively without spending megabucks.
Message edited by author 2004-08-31 21:34:03.
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08/31/2004 09:41:35 PM · #14 |
I make two copies of the photo, then I make one copy sepia toned or black and white and layer it over the other copy. From there I use the lasso tool to remove all the areas that I want to have the orginal color showing on.
I have tried and tried to desaturate but I just can't seem to master it with PSP.
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