I request a critique, please - DPChallenge Forums

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

06/08/2005 12:23:03 PM · #1

I'm trying to focus on photoshopping some of my pictures. My amateurish job on this one needs a good critique. If anyone is up to it, please give it a shot. Don't hold back; I learn best from some of the most critical opinions. Thanks.

Here is the unedited straight from the camera shot:
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=187076

Here is my photoshopped version:
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=186873

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

06/08/2005 12:54:20 PM · #2

----- Original ------ Your edit ------- My edited edit ---
(steps coming in reply - I hit Post before I was ready)

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 12:57:57.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

06/08/2005 01:04:46 PM · #3

OOps - hit Post instead of Preview and posted it before I was ready to.

Your edited version looks a lot better in the Butterfly, but the background is a bit to harsh & yellow in my opinion.
What I did, in CS2, was to take your edit, and:
Shadow/Highlight tool, set to 0 shadow, highlight 10
New layer via copy
Hue/Saturation, Yellow, Hue +10, Saturation +10, Lightness -40
Hue/Saturation, Green, Hue 0, Saturation +10, Lightness -50
Select eraser tool, 100%, and erase over the Butterfly (carefully) to preserve the initial color of the Butterfly.
Layer, Flatten Image.
Image, Adjustments, Brightness/Contrast, Brightness -10, Contrast +10
Manual blur tool to smooth some of background.

This was only a 2 minute process really, but wanted to show some of the basic things to shift the yellow harshness to a deeper green, without removing the yellow from the butterfly itself.
Easiest way to see the changes, is to open each of the two edits in their own window (does by default anyway clicking on thumbnail) and then switch between the two in the taskbar.

Message edited by author 2005-06-08 13:24:34.

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

06/08/2005 01:39:46 PM · #4

I'm a big fan of shooting through leaves so these butterfly shots are good in my books.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

06/08/2005 01:57:08 PM · #5

That's a beautiful shot of the butterfly itself. Personally I don't feel your edited version is too yellow or harsh in the BG like Brad says, but it's a matter of taste. I feel his version is too down-tone in the background, takes away some of the airy feeling of the original. But they all work, even the original. Nice shot.

Robt.

sabphoto

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

06/08/2005 01:59:52 PM · #6

love the photoshoped version..good job

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

06/08/2005 11:17:06 PM · #7

BradP, thanks for the play-by-play. I'm still very much a rookie with CS; it is such an intimadating program. Every comment and explanation helps a lot. I appreciate your suggestions as well as Scott, Robert and Lori's kind words as well.

I'd still welcome anyone else who'd critique my photoshop "skills"

thanks

tsheets

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

06/09/2005 12:08:44 AM · #8

I'm no expert, but gave it a shot....

Basically, used the histogram tool (levels in PS??) to get rid of the extra unused area, boosted saturation +10 and an additional +10 on red channel. Very slight USM (.5, 60, 3), then softened the wing edges with softening brush at 15%. Also, cropped a little more off the bottom to remove the big blur spot in front (personal taste thing).

I don't think you did a bad job at all. The main thing, I think the greens are a little bright/yellow...again, personal taste.

06/09/2005 12:30:39 AM · #9

Originally posted by tsheets:

Tim,
The butterfly looks better with your saturation than mine. The green blob in front (and left) were the "through the leaves look" for effect. However, I like the lower front cropped away better, but I wish I had more above the butterfly to keep the "tall" look to the whole image. I went back to the original file, and the background is just too shadowy and dark to crop higher up. Thanks for the opinions.

DAL