see if you can help with this pic?

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

12/10/2005 07:58:30 PM · #1

I can't seem to make this pic stand out...I think it is just ok. I really want it to stand out. This is the one I am giving to his mom to hang in her beauty shop with my cards. I am not looking for the easy way out...just trying to learn more with photoshop.
Thanks
Barrypic

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

12/10/2005 08:08:11 PM · #2

I edited a version of this image and then thought about it. If you are going to display this with your card as a sample of your work, it should be something that YOU are able to produce. Not what someone else produces for you. You'll only hurt yourself that way.

That said, the image needs added contrast and proper levels to make black, black. There are many tutorials on this site that can help you achieve a well balanced black & white image.

I wish you luck. Its a very nice shot, just needs some processing.

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

12/10/2005 08:13:22 PM · #3

I agree with you....I want to know how to make it better. I just thought you guys might show me in ways I am inexperienced with.
Thanks for the tips.

jpochard

Canon EOS-40D

12/10/2005 08:17:46 PM · #4

That blown out sky was very distracting to me. I wish I could give the guy a bit more room, but I went with this crop.

I used levels and brought up the white and blacks some. I lightened around the face a bit, increased the white level and contrast a bit on the eye, sharpened the face area a bit using usm, cloned in some stripes on the shirt where they seemed too blown out (still not great, but I was working with a small file), brightened a few places in the hair to highlight the highlights :)

Added small border and I think that's it.

Apple iPhone 5

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

12/10/2005 08:23:13 PM · #5

If you have the original in colour, then create a channel mixer adjustment layer in PS, and set to 'monochrome', then play around with the three channels to change the feel of the shot.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

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

12/10/2005 08:25:27 PM · #6

Originally posted by jhonan:

If you have the original in colour, then create a channel mixer adjustment layer in PS, and set to 'monochrome', then play around with the three channels to change the feel of the shot.

Yes, I did notice you'd set the color to grayscale, rather than using channel mixer (or similar technique) to create b/w. Grayscale leaves a very flat, dull image with no pop.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

12/10/2005 08:40:08 PM · #7

original in color

Here is the original.
I did not know that I was making them into black and white the wrong way.

wavelength

Nikon D300

12/10/2005 08:55:01 PM · #8

color try:

If you like it, I'll go through listing the steps.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

12/10/2005 09:02:27 PM · #9

Looks good but she wants it in b/w.....Can you list the steps you take to convert one to b/w?

wavelength

Nikon D300

12/10/2005 09:11:19 PM · #10

Originally posted by alixmiles:

Looks good but she wants it in b/w.....Can you list the steps you take to convert one to b/w?

You mean list the steps in color and then BW conversion?

I copied the background to a new layer. I selected an area around his face/chest/upper left arm, inverted and copied that to a new layer also. I blurred the first layer a little, and blurred the second layer a lot. Set the blending on both to hard light. Flattened the image. Dodge around the face a little. Tried some things with the blown out sky, but either you need to digitally replace it, or crop it out IMO.

Black/White conversion is up to you. This is just a soft glow effect, but in a non-circular fashion and burning the colors a little.

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

12/10/2005 09:13:56 PM · #11

I meant...how do you convert them to b/w? I have just been using the desaturate command to do it. How should I do it?

Apple iPhone 5

12/10/2005 09:14:03 PM · #12

Some dodging around the face/hair. Curves adjustment layer to increase contrast.

Then 'Channel Mixer' adjustment layer set to 'monochrome' and the following values;

Red: +46, Green: -6, Blue: +64

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

12/10/2005 09:27:52 PM · #13

Hi Alix,

Agree with previous posters that the blown-out sky is a problem. My take on it was to crop some of it out, but not as severely as jpochard's take. I then added a "Soft Edge" to add a similar effect to the other side to balance it out a little better. This is just one way to handle it - you'll have to decide what you want to do. In any event, you should crop it out or cover it up some other way.

I started with the color version. Auto-adjusted levels, then contrast, then exposure, then color balance. All auto adjustments there, to keep it simple for you. Then I cropped it, leaving enough room so you could print a 4x6 for yourself if you wanted. I noticed in your original post the title had 11x14 in it, so you'll have to adjust for the crop factor more precisely when you give it to your friend.

Then I converted to black and white. My software does this automatically without converting to grayscale, so I didn't have to set any channel mixer values. Jhonan gave you some good numbers. If your software doesn't have that function, you could desat and then go back and adjust contrast for a better result than just the plain desat. Then I dodged the face so it better matched the hands. There is a good tutorial on dodging/burning here: How to Dodge/Burn in Photoshop

Lastly, I added the soft edge border effect just to show you an alternate way to handle the blown out sky. Another thing you could do is frame it with a mat that has an oval shaped center.

Edit: typo

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 21:28:57.

NstiG8tr

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

12/10/2005 09:31:17 PM · #14

I think you should keep the color version. Why does everybody like B&W?
I think it's fine for some things but for most not. Just my opinion.

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

12/10/2005 09:49:02 PM · #15

Thanks a bunch guys.....I too like the color version of this better than b/w.......a1275...I like your version too.

Thanks again for the help everyone. I did learn something new from this post about how to make a correct b/w change.

Thanks

procyon

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

12/10/2005 10:46:11 PM · #16

Here's my try:

//actarus.info/pp/Chase.html

Message edited by author 2005-12-10 22:52:50.

procyon

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

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

12/10/2005 10:59:20 PM · #17

I forgot that a slight 1º rotation to the left wouldn't hurt as it would straigten the wall lines vertically.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

12/10/2005 11:21:08 PM · #18

here is what I came up with after playing with it

wavelength

Nikon D300

12/10/2005 11:28:27 PM · #19

Is that "this is it, I'm done" or do you want comments on the new version also?

Zal

Nikon D200

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

12/10/2005 11:45:28 PM · #20

The main problem I had with it, Barry, was your B&W conversion--it made the skin tones look gray, muddy, and generally unattractive.

Here is my whack at it:
Click here

I converted to B&W using the channel mixer, using only the red channel (100%, green and blue at 0%). Finished up by playing a bit with the levels and contrast and cropping the left a bit. You'll see that the skin tones are much brighter.