Better before or after?

[Ferco]

Hi there; took this a while back and am just setting up my new website with gallery and I was wondering if I could improve it at all- like the little lights here and there (possible dust and stuff).

http://i5.pbase.com/o6/17/730417/1/72002153.Lr84p7n3.moonnonedit.jpg

So I went onto Photoshop and used the Clone Stamp tool to try and get rid of the blemishes... I'm not sure if it worked- last time i tried it looked so bad; I had gone over the top but this time I tried to keep it to a minimum:

http://i5.pbase.com/o6/17/730417/1/72002383.GwLWORGV.mooneditoneforum.jpg

Please say which one you prefer and why, also with any ideas for further improvement would be more than welcome. Thanks for looking.

[Ferco]

Ok I just loaded two photos and I can't see anything, this seems to be a growing problem on this forum after it was updated for improvements... and other people I BELIEVE are suffering the same problems?

--edit-- Ok can see it now

[D. Craig Flory]

Sorry, it's too dark. The sheen on the water is just about all that shows. I like the image and would like to see more detail brought out.

[goforphoto]

The image is to dark and the detail is lost. I can not tell that you have done anything to the image. If you captured this in RAW I recommend bumping the exposure up, and maybe trying one of canon's picture styles such as twilight.

[D. Craig Flory]

The image is to dark and the detail is lost. I can not tell that you have done anything to the image. If you captured this in RAW I recommend bumping the exposure up, and maybe trying one of canon's picture styles such as twilight.

Much better ... that brought out the beauty of the image !

[Ferco]

nice- I should have said what I did was to remove the small lights in the air and the small little bits here and there... goforphoto how did you do that!? would love to see some instructions? lol Would using the brightness in Photoshop do the job? Thanks for all the help and the feedback.

[goforphoto]

Do not use the brightness and contrast to adjust from dark to light. You should use a levels layer and slide the center sldier to the left to lighter the midtones, and to the right to darken the midtones, and by using layers you do not change the original image untill you flatten the layers.

[D. Craig Flory]

Do not use the brightness and contrast to adjust from dark to light. You should use a levels layer and slide the center sldier to the left to lighter the midtones, and to the right to darken the midtones, and by using layers you do not change the original image untill you flatten the layers.

I agree. Always make a dupe layer and work on that OR add an adjustment layer. If you ever have an image you need to brighten a lot ... try using Screen in the blend modes of the layers palette. You use it on a dupe layer and NOT the original layer.

[goforphoto]

Amen brother Flory!
You don't scrape a blimish of your skin with a knife you cover it up by putting something overtop of it.
Get the idea Ferco?