Tear me apart - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/19/2005 04:40:01 PM · #1

1st attempt at burning & dodging:
[url= deadlink by now ]

(Original submission)

Message edited by author 2005-03-23 14:01:12.

lyta

Canon EOS-40D

03/19/2005 04:59:32 PM · #2

I like it. Love the subject and the soft focus, the use of white, grey and soft black. Good job with B&D in my opinion - I'm a clutzy person when it comes to anything beyond basic editing . . ane even then . . .

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

03/19/2005 05:20:06 PM · #3

Originally posted by gloda:

1st attempt at burning & dodging:

(Original submission)

It's good, but I'd suggest putting some highlights back into the eyes so that it doesn't look as though there's a hole in it's head, and also use a larger brush for the inside of the cup, as I can see streaks.

Sonifo

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

03/19/2005 05:45:34 PM · #4

This is adorable. I like the focus and lighting but I don't care for the wrinkles in the sheet. Try a posterboard for the background.

03/19/2005 06:17:09 PM · #5

You'll have to forgive me for this, but I couldn't resist going in the other direction, on the eye...

Robt.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/19/2005 06:31:29 PM · #6

Now here he is back from his trip with Alice...

Robt.

moodville

Nikon D100

03/19/2005 06:33:57 PM · #7

Originally posted by bear_music:

Now here he is back from his trip with Alice...

Robt.

I'll take two of whatever he is having!

soup

Canon EOS-30D

03/19/2005 06:34:46 PM · #8

that's sort of what i was thinking...

Leica 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario Elmar-T ASPH

03/20/2005 03:39:27 AM · #9

Just my crack at it...was bord.

Steph

Jinjit

03/20/2005 04:17:40 AM · #10

Originally posted by atsxus:

Just my crack at it...was bord.

Steph

This is gorgeous!!!

As for the rest of the edits, personally I prefer the original over them :-)

MAK

Leica CL

03/20/2005 04:51:11 AM · #11

Originally posted by atsxus:

Just my crack at it...was bord.

Steph

This would of done great in the LIGHT ON WHITE challenge

tyt2000

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

03/20/2005 05:03:16 AM · #12

Originally posted by atsxus:

Just my crack at it...was bord.

Steph

Thats a ribbon right there...

03/20/2005 11:06:57 AM · #13

Thanks for all the input so far. I think what atsxus made of my shot is gorgeous, and might have scored much higher than it did. Alionic's comment made me laugh as I submitted the original for Light on White :)
It seems I was going for the completely wrong effect with the doging and burning in this. Atsxus, maybe you could tell me what you did with it? Just dodging or some other adjustments?

puma

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

03/20/2005 11:12:56 AM · #14

bear_music when you did that with the eyes she looks mean and evil. I love it

03/20/2005 12:09:36 PM · #15

Originally posted by puma:

bear_music when you did that with the eyes she looks mean and evil. I love it

Slective color adjustment layer, black range, lighten black until the tones reverse.

Robt.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/20/2005 12:15:14 PM · #16

Originally posted by gloda:

Thanks, everyone...I didn't do much...

Basicall, I used the Dodge tool to try to blanch it out as much as possible. Particularly on the eye to bring out some depth.

Then I used the paint brush with white at 20% opacity and just kept going over it, along with the edges of the cup.

I auto adjusted to check to see that there were no hidden dark areas, and then undid the Auto Adjust and went back over certain areas.

Burned in some shadows on the rim of the cup so they didn't disapear completely, and that's it!

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

03/20/2005 12:31:37 PM · #17

What a very cute image. The composition is excellent, but I feel the original was way too yellowish.

I played with it a few minutes. I simply moved the Color Balance away from Yellow to Blue, then desaturated the major yellow spots. Dodge the ears ad burned the eyes a bit. Sharpened too I think. Just my take on the photoshopping of this image:

03/20/2005 12:55:04 PM · #18

If an effect like atsxus' is desired, with a pure white "disappearing background", then a selction should be made of the teacup & rabbit, and then the background worked on again with selective color adjustments to fade it out. However, it's important to balance that with complementary adjustments in the inverse selection, so the brim of the cup does not disappear into the background.

Robt.

03/20/2005 12:59:36 PM · #19

Originally posted by bear_music:

I find that on most images, this one included, very little or no dodging/burning is required if global adjustmnents are properly used. In this particular case, as Jacko points out, the main problem is an overly-yellow cast to the entire image, probbaly a white balance problem in shooting.

The following version uses NOTHING but a selective color adjustment layer and a click of USM to finish. Adjustments are to remove yellow from the white and neutral fields, and then to go back in after image is neutralized and adjust black levels in white, netral and black, plus a little warming of the red field to bump the nose a tad. Note in aprticular how there's now a little definition in the eye, courtesy of the black field adjustment.

If an effect like atsxus' is desired, with a pure white "disappearing background", then a selction should be made of the teacup & rabbit, and then the background worked on again with selective color adjustments to fade it out. However, it's important to balance that with complementary adjustments in the inverse selection, so the brim of the cup does not disappear into the background.

Robt.

I like yours, bear, but my goal was to remove the creases in the fabric that was used as a backdrop. Also, I was going for the effect of having the cup "disapear" or fade into the background. I think it gives it a softer feel to it, and makes the bunny stand out more.

03/20/2005 01:51:13 PM · #20

Jesus...you're all great in photoshop. I just read Robt's guidlines and didn't understand half of it. I guess I'm too used to move in the basic editing area that I never really tried a lot of the stuff that really improves pictures a lot. I guess I still have to learn a lot.
I'm going to try and follow Robt's suggestions. I'll post the results, I'm sure you'll have some more tips for me :)

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

03/20/2005 02:12:31 PM · #21

Atsxus,

"I like yours, bear, but my goal was to remove the creases in the fabric that was used as a backdrop. Also, I was going for the effect of having the cup "disapear" or fade into the background. I think it gives it a softer feel to it, and makes the bunny stand out more. "

In a case like that, it's almost always better to maintain just a hint of separation between the subject and the BG. It's a very delicate line. Regardless of whether it is intentional or not, when you "lose" the rim in the BG most people perceive this as a flaw. As far as "losing the creases" goes, yes that's a valid approach and very appealing. I just feel strongly you need to maintain that hint of separation.

But I'm just one voice, and a very opinionated one as well...

Gloda,

Good luck with it. What I describe is actually among the easier photoshop adjustments in the arsenal, so you should be able to pick it up easily.

If you need more help with using selective color, just lt me know.

Robt.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

03/20/2005 02:57:10 PM · #22

Originally posted by gloda:

1st attempt at burning & dodging:

(Original submission)

Quite a good effort, although I can see the lines where you have burned inside the bowl. Try using a bigger brush so the lines arent so obvious.

edit: (By the way this may have been said already, I didnt read the whole thread, hehe)

Message edited by author 2005-03-20 14:59:20.

03/20/2005 03:18:49 PM · #23

I'm not too fond of what I got out of it. It's not as good as any of the versions Jacko or atsxus or bear_music did. You can again see the strokes, even though I used soft, large brushes.
I tried to get Jacko's effect on the eyes and ears, Robt's colour adjustments and atsxus' softness. I think I failed mainly on the last one. I need some more practice :)
Any tips?

rblanton

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

03/20/2005 07:19:05 PM · #24

Compare it to your first attmempt, enjoy your progress and practice incessantly. Never forget the looking back and enjoying your progress part. Request honest appraisals from those who are forthright and talented. It will take a while but as you keep looking back, you will start to feel good about the progress you are making.. oh yeah, always keep an unedited copy of originals so you can go back and take another crack at photos once your skills are polished...forgetting to save those unedited originals is a frustrating experience. Ok, well, thats all the tips I can think of as I'm pretty much started learning to edit photos just a couple of months ago. This place is invaluable.