Suggestions on processing? - DPChallenge Forums

08/04/2006 03:54:11 PM · #1

I really like these. Any suggestions to give them some punch?

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

08/04/2006 04:13:00 PM · #2

By more "punch" do you mean something like this?

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

08/04/2006 04:17:46 PM · #3

You seem to have been able to bring out more detail. How?

modurn

Canon EOS-40D

08/04/2006 04:20:16 PM · #4

The first one I would crop down, focusing on the head of the seahorse since thats where all the detail is. The background is indistinct and distracting. The tail of the seahorse kind of starts to blend into the background and also isnt very interesting. Dont be afraid to crop, I use to really hesitate to crop my pictures cuz I was always afraid I was cutting off something important.

The rule (guideline) of cropping is to help focus in on the most important aspect of a picture, if a crop would help do that then crop, if it wouldnt then dont.

In the case of the seahorse its head and eye are what draw me in, you dont want my eye straying from that getting confused by dark and muddled shapes in the background.

Once you do that, making sure that eye is sharp and crisp is the next thing I would do, eyes are the window to the soul, even for inhuman ones, the sharper the better IMHO.

Also, one of the best pieces of advice that anyone ever gave to me is "fill the frame". Cropping this picture will help you fill it with the seahorse which is what I think you want in this case anyway.

Message edited by author 2006-08-04 16:22:43.

modurn

Canon EOS-40D

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

08/04/2006 04:27:49 PM · #5

One more quick point. Since I really had to work on becoming comfortable cropping my pictures, I figure an example would help. This is the original picture I took, that I really really liked:

I didnt see anything wrong with it. But someone (on this site I forget who) convinced me that tightning up on his face, especially the eyes, would really improve it. So I tried it out, and this is what I got:

And I think its a much better picture. His eyes seem to burn right thru you, and I am amazed by the detail I can see now in his fur and face that I didnt see before. And as you can see I ended up cropping out more than half the image. I also broke the rule of thirds, which I had followed in the original image.... which just goes to tell you that in photography, rules are made to be broken.

Message edited by author 2006-08-04 16:30:21.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

08/04/2006 04:28:52 PM · #6

I used a technique I've most often heard called "Contrast-enhancing Unsharp Mask" ... basically you apply the USM filter at a low percentage, but very high diameter and threshold of zero. In this case I used these settings (in Photoshop 5):
Percentage: 16
Diameter: 64
Threshold: 0

If I want less of an effect I'll use 12/48/0. The specific numbers are arbitrary on my part; anything in the same neighborhood should work ... you just have to play around to see what works for a particular image. Check out what it does to a dull-looking landscape : )

By comparison, if I was just going to apply "regular" USM to this image (at the 640-pixel size) I'd use settings something like:

66-88%
0.6-0.8 dia
TH = 5-7

I don't like over-sharpened images, so I watch the edges carefully for any halos.

08/04/2006 04:47:09 PM · #7

Thanks guys! :)

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

08/04/2006 04:53:16 PM · #8

Originally posted by modurn:

The first one I would crop down, focusing on the head of the seahorse since thats where all the detail is. The background is indistinct and distracting ...

Also, one of the best pieces of advice that anyone ever gave to me is "fill the frame". Cropping this picture will help you fill it with the seahorse which is what I think you want in this case anyway.

I'd agree with you to a point, but it depends on the ultimate purpose. For example, as a stock image, perhaps intended for a poster or card, that extra "distracting" negative space can be desirable ... the designer can always crop the image.

08/04/2006 04:57:14 PM · #9

Excellent point Paul. Actually I did submit it to a stock site and it was accepted as is, but I just thought it might be jazzed up some.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

08/04/2006 05:05:33 PM · #10

So what does the "-prog" part of your username stand for?

08/04/2006 05:08:22 PM · #11

It actually stands for programmer. When I went to school for programming they had us use our initials and then the program you were in to use the lab computers. It was just easy to remember and so I stuck with it. I've been using it for years now.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

08/04/2006 05:11:12 PM · #12

That's a great reason ... I actually have some current passwords which were first created in 1980 : )