My first serious attempt at PP!

[coolmonk]

After looking at numerous PP photos on this great forum, I decided to give it a shot with a recent portrait attempt of my nephew. Let me know how I did.

Before
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3193/img2039originalle9.jpg

After
http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/4628/img2039zl0.jpg

[pagefile]

Nice work but you need to get more of the shadow under the left ear and shoulder. Other than that I think you did a good job on it.

[ABrownPhoto]

well, you certainly made the photo 99.98% better! not to "dogg" your original, but to "praise" your PP!

I too found the areas mentioned by PAGE to need some attention, but you REALLY did an awesome job!

Keep it up!

[fstop212]

really nice job.

[coolmonk]

Thanks for the comments guys. Originally I wasn't sure whether to remove the shadow completely or leave a little there. Looks like I'll have to re-edit the photo and do without the shadow then. Thanks!

[coolmonk]

Here's another one of my neice...

Before
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/5121/img2045originalkz0.jpg

After
http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/8972/img2045zw1.jpg

[jjmucker]

good job man. so how did you do it then? :D

especially the second one. how did you get around the hair like that?
thanks

[Rhinotherunt]

WOW! you put a lot of time and effort into these! I used to do this... Then learned to take the image in the camera the way I wanted it.

[coolmonk]

jjmucker, I can't really write down the steps I took because it wasn't a consistent editing process. To get around the hair, I basically made a layer copy of the image, brushed the background, burned a little, and then used the eraser tool to clean things up.

Rhinotherunt, I wish I could take the photos this good straight out the camera but I don't have any lighting to help except my Speedlite 430EX.

[Rhinotherunt]

Rhinotherunt, I wish I could take the photos this good straight out the camera but I don't have any lighting to help except my Speedlite 430EX.


What ya need is a nice sharp prime and you will see leaps and bounds in image quality. The 430 is a great piece of equipment. I would recommend getting a Canon 35 2.0 / 50 1.4 / or 85 1.8. If funds are tight get a Canon 50 1.8. Put the camera on AV with Aperture at 2.5 and adjust the ISO to get decent shutter speeds. Start with ISO 800. The flash will do the rest and try to bounce if possible.

[Rhinotherunt]

Oh, getting the subjects away from the BG helps as well. The shadow in the first would not be there with some distance added.

[Titus213]

Cute kids. The edits are pretty good - and time consuming I'll bet. In fact the improvement you've managed in that first image is quite amazing, I like it. I love editing photos so that doesn't bother me but as Ryan mentioned, move them away from the background and you won't have to deal with those shadows.

I would also suggest cranking up your f-stop a bit to sharpen up the image. The kit lens generally improves dramatically up in the f7.1/f8.0 range. Run the ISO up a bit if you need to. If the ceiling is low enough point the flash straight up are just a bit forward of straight up.

[pagefile]

Nice work on the one of your neice.