How can I improve this shot? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

07/13/2006 01:24:51 PM · #1

I'm getting ready to delete many photos that have less than 50 views.
This is one of my favorites, for whatever reason, and I don't want to remove it because it will get lost on my harddrive never to be seen again. I could reshoot. What would make this a stronger shot?

Any input would be appreciated.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

07/13/2006 01:29:12 PM · #2

Two things that jump out at me are:

1) blurriness of the gate
2) non-vertical line of the gate

For 1) you could close the lens down more to get a deeper DOF.

For 2), if the angle was intentional I'd go more. As it is it looks like a mistake (to me anyway).

BTW, the spider web in the upper left adds interest and the exposure seems right.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

07/13/2006 01:35:22 PM · #3

thanks, the blurriness...not intentional, the angle...was.
Maybe exaggerate it even more is a good point.

Message edited by author 2006-07-13 13:36:06.

DjFenzl

07/13/2006 01:36:24 PM · #4

I would cool down the color of the wood a desat it quite a bit. Straighten the verticle of the door frame and get rid of the bright cracks in the top of the door.

agreed - the spider web adds a lot of interest (gives it a Charlottes Web sort of feel)

here's a quick mock up of what I suggested:

jpochard

Canon EOS-40D

07/13/2006 01:44:21 PM · #5

Left you a comment. I agree about the angle, but to try and straighten it here, you'd probably loose the web in the crop and that would be a shame.

This would be a fun one to work on a reshoot.

The other thing is maybe the harsh line of the shadow on the right where there is light on the gate and then blackness. I wish we could see a bit more detail there instead of such a contrast.

That barn offers you some great shots!

07/13/2006 01:45:31 PM · #6

Originally posted by Megatherian:

thanks, I like the desat.

07/13/2006 01:50:25 PM · #7

That's a pretty awkward version to work from: I'm sure the original would give me more scope. I have squared up the left doorpost, and that helps a lot. The rest is some serious contrast masking work to bring up shadow detail, and that brought me into noise country (unavoidable from thsi small original), but here's a general idea of some potential, depending on the original:

Robt.

07/13/2006 01:57:00 PM · #8

Wow. You need to put these side by side and do a tutorial. Simply amazing with what you started with...
Thanks!

07/13/2006 02:10:11 PM · #9

Originally posted by Marjo:

Wow. You need to put these side by side and do a tutorial. Simply amazing with what you started with...
Thanks!

1. Cntrl-alt-tilde contrast masking from original BG, set to multiply brights and screen darks.

2. Flatten image, contrast mask again for darks only, set to screen again.

3. Rotate to make left side of gate frame vertical, which makes the convergence on the right side look more intentional.

4. Polygonal lasso tool to capture the dark areas upper right, adjust levels to gain more detail.

5. Polygonal lasso tool to add the sky to the above selection, neat image the combined selection to reduce excessive noise.

6. A little burning on the bright gatepost (could clone or brush some color onto the washed-out part but didn't this time)

7. Hue/Sat adjustment layer, desaturate and lighten both green and cyan, gets rid of the color on the rope and some of the green in the shadows.

8. Add some "focus magic" sharpening.

That's about it, 10 mins tops, just a quick stab at it. Show me the original if you want me to try and see what's really possible; mail's in profile.

Robt.

07/13/2006 02:14:26 PM · #10

Thanks, Robert. I need to seriously attend some hands-on workshops.
It's like you're talking a foreign lanquage. :) I would need to look on my old 'puter for the original. This photo's pretty old. I'm going to dig it up and try to follow the detailed steps you provided. Thanks, again.

07/13/2006 02:17:15 PM · #11

Originally posted by Marjo:

Plan a visit to Cape Cod and I'll give you a seminar. You buy the food, I got the guest room :-)

R.

07/13/2006 02:31:43 PM · #12

Very tempting. Buying food wouldn't be a problem. I love food. Over the years, my top three priorities in life have changed a bit and shifted on the scale, but food has always remained as one of my top three. What's the photography forecast for October?