LittleBit

[charly]

It's time I had some criticism on my pics. Have been shooting everything in sight and deleting most. But I figured I'd let you look at some and tell me what they need!
Thick skin on...

Little Bit's a 12 month old paper shredder...
http://ourfamily02.net/2004-jan-WEB_blured_cropped_040108_7.jpg

G2 & 420EX

charly

[charly]

CRAP...guess the site is down again..

[Warman]

very nice dog with a good expression and nice catch on the light.
I would however like to see him more sharp and of course the background must go.

[ijohnson]

This picture needs to be a lot more sharp and I agree about the background. Backgrounds are the hardest thing to do for me when considering a shot. I have about 1000 great pictures with stupid backgrounds.

[stopbath]

Little Bit looks a little bit distracted. Did someone almost drop some food?

Cool looking office shredder you got there.

Yes, the floral wall paper is distracting and would be best replaced by plain or a neutral pattern. (Don't repaper the whole room though! Just that spot :))

Hmmm... you could keep the background if the doggie had a little bonnet on! :)

[charly]

Ok...you guys are making it hard on this PS moron... :?
This is one thing I did(took 2 hrs!). It's different but kinda loses something. I'm still seeing it as a photo album shot I guess.
http://ourfamily02.net/2004-jan-step1.jpg


Maybe next I'll try to select the wall paper and paint it another color or use a texture or something...Editing gives my a headache :shock:

[stopbath]

Try just adding a touch of blur to the back ground. Careful not to add halo or other artifacts. A blur is bonus in that light balance and reflections are already there...

Could also tinker with the saturation, but you could end with funny reflections if the background is reflected in colour but the background has different levels of saturations...

[ijohnson]

I think you need to try again. This might be a good photoshop project but you can't get around the fact that the dog is not in focus and is WAY too soft.

Otherwise, I agree that the background needs to be blurred. The problem now is that the dog is out of focus and the background is crisp. Not ideal portrait results.

[Kell]

I really like it. That's really an expressive puppy you got there. The original background adds too much of distraction, but you seem to be getting there with the editing attempt. :)

[charly]

Ok guys here is the final edit. I found out right away it takes much practice (as does taking a good photo) to use ps effectively! These couple of edits were only simple select and fill stuff. I'll keep at it though.
I sharpened her alittle. I thought she was in focus in the original image and sharp so I softened it up some in the first couple of pics. Also I didn't straiten up this image..she looks slanted some.
Hey...I'm about as 1 dimensioned, black and white as you can get :( , so I'll put more emphasis on composition.
http://ourfamily02.net/2004-jan-step2.jpg

charly
btw..I thought I save as 640x480. I'll have to check on that.
OH.. THANKS for all the help!!

[ijohnson]

This is much, much better. I thought it was over but you saved it.

[stopbath]

That's the fun of editing, can go back and start anew!

The final edit is much sharper, but I'm not sure on the back ground. It looks added. It repeats very noticably, and there is some fringing around the hair of Little Bit.

She does look tilted, but I thought her pillow was piled up... No biggie, but leveling it off might make it more appealing.

The sharper nose and eyes are much much better! :)

To get rid of the fringing, use a background of the same tonality (colour and value) as the original, or use feathering to make the edges of the shape go transparant.

[SWPhotoImaging]

Now go rent a wallpaper steamer and fix that awful wall!

[charly]

Alright...I promise this is last edit :roll:
I'm easily challenged as you can see but I'll stop here and try a better composure on the next one.
Couldn't seem to feather the edge of her fur and the background (a ps pattern). I selected her using the wand and about 50% tolerance. It's close enough for basic editing 101. Then I made a free transform layer, rotated it to the grid and cropped it.
http://ourfamily02.net/2004-jan-step3.jpg
Now I see the point of GOOD COMPOSITION and GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY! DUH..Requires less editing!!

As for the wallpaper..the little woman says you guys have no taste! The woman is a wallpaper maniac, but since she contributes to my photog habit I'll leave the issue alone..I'm not as ignorant as I look :shock:

THanks for the help, :D
charly

[stopbath]

Alright...I promise this is last edit :roll:
I'm easily challenged as you can see but I'll stop here and try a better composure on the next one.
Couldn't seem to feather the edge of her fur and the background (a ps pattern). I selected her using the wand and about 50% tolerance. It's close enough for basic editing 101. Then I made a free transform layer, rotated it to the grid and cropped it.
http://ourfamily02.net/2004-jan-step3.jpg
Now I see the point of GOOD COMPOSITION and GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY! DUH..Requires less editing!!

As for the wallpaper..the little woman says you guys have no taste! The woman is a wallpaper maniac, but since she contributes to my photog habit I'll leave the issue alone..I'm not as ignorant as I look :shock:

THanks for the help, :D
charly
Good progress! The background still looks a wee bit odd (due to the texture itself), but can't really tell that it's been actually added.

Leveling her out worked well too!

I agree I have no taste. None at all! :wink: Can't let a bunch of photographers decorate your house! :shock: