First Post

[kellyj]

This is my first post on POTN. This is a photo I took in 2004 with a Canon G1. I have recently upgraded to an XTI and am looking to improve my skills. I have also began using Photoshop Elements and am wondering what improvements could be made to this photo. There have been no modifications to this photo other than resizing it to 800x600. Any comments/criticism would be appreciated.

[|)\/8]

Nice photo, has more potential though. Many here will gripe about the horizon not being straight. Aside from the horizon issue I think you could use a little more color saturation. If you want an example you will have to enable "Image Editing OK".

[Glenn NK]

I agree.

I really like this image; it reminds me of my late father who was an avid fisherman. In his later years, he took an aluminum lawn chair where ever he went fishing, and he always wore a hat much like that. Thanks for the memory.

I think you have an eye for composition and content. It's an inviting scene that draws the viewer in.

[Broncobear]

welcome to potn, nicely composed photo

[Canon30Dguy]

The photo definitely needs to be straightened, but with that being said...

I absolutely love this photo. There is just something about that I really really like. One of the better ones here on POTN in my humble opinion. And I don't mean that lightly. Great photo.

[chauncey]

Why post an old image as you had to have improved in 4 years. Lets see some new ones.

[PETERSYMES]

Chauncey has a point.

[freebird]

Welcome to the Forum. This shot has alot of potential in PP. If you allow Image editing, we can show you some edits if you would like.

Chuck

[kellyj]

Thanks for all the comments thus far. How do you enable imaging edit as suggested by others? I will also be posting some more recent photos for review.

[freebird]

You would have to update your profile by clicking on " User CP" at upper left, then allow Image editing in your options.

Chuck

[kellyj]

Imaging edit enabled. Thanks

[Bill Boehme]

I really do like this picture. I think that you have a great eye for composition. A few technical details may not be perfect, but they can easily be overlooked. The important thing is you have a very good eye for presenting a picture that tells a story.

[Jon]

Why post an old image as you had to have improved in 4 years. Lets see some new ones.If you'd bothered to read the post, OP's starting to work with PhotoShop Elements and would like some suggestions for improving the shot with PSE. Please review the POTN Rules and remember, if you can't be helpful, be quiet.

[chauncey]

My humble apologies as I misread your post. Going to be hard to improve as the sun flare dead center can only be burned over or cloned out. Neither choice would turn out well IMHO. Otherwise it is a nice shot.

Again, sorry for being curt!

[Bill Boehme]

Using Adobe Camera RAW in conjunction with layers and masks in Photoshop is one of my favorite tools for tweaking images. I am not a PSE user, but I believe that you can do the same thing.

In very general terms, I output the image from ACR as a smart object to Photoshop, create one or more additional layers, and then edit each of these layers in ACR to work on specific areas of the image for each layer. Back in Photoshop, I apply a mask to each of these extra layers and then "paint" the areas that I want to show through for each layer. A useful book that details the steps in doing this is the "7 Point System for Photoshop" by Scott Kelby. I think that a lot of the techniques in this book can be applied to Elements.

Here is the result of using this technique on your image. I should mention that there is not a unique result of applying these techniques to an image -- the final results are in the hands of the user, so the user has full freedom in choosing his desired result.

[Dramatis]

Love the picture! Sky needs some more "Oomph!" to it, imo. I tried to edits, the latter building upon the changes made in the former.

Edit with Hue & Saturation, a little dodging on the fisherman, and USM
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t152/AFewBoltsLoose/ByTheSea-NoGradient.jpg

Edit with the above plus Gradient

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t152/AFewBoltsLoose/BytheSea-Gradient.jpg

[Belmondo]

The picture is excellent as shot. The G1 was a very good camera, but it's several generations old right now. I probably wouldn't fiddle with it much if at all. Sometimes, it's better to leave things alone.

As to how best to utilize the tools in PSE with your XTi, I'd definitely shoot RAW, learn how to use layers and masks, and go from there.

As your shot best illustrates, though, a good image will make up for a lot of post processing. Yours certainly does. NIce job....G1 or not.

[fromthebleachers]

I actually like that OOC shot too much PP IMHO is a good thing either
But hey im just learning I do know it is all very subjective