Before and After #62

[AngryCorgi]

This game is to help those of us who are trying to learn new tricks when it comes to editing.

Here's the breakdown of the game. I will post a picture that I choose, resized to exactly 1024 pixels maximum on the long side. Outside of being resized it has to be unedited...meaning no adjustments to any levels, it has to look like it did as it came out of the camera.

The game will last 48hrs and whoever can produce the best edited image (as judged by me) will be picked and it'll be their turn to post their unedited picture for all of us to take a crack at.

The participants must have their "Image Editing OK" turned on and they must provide at least a simple breakdown of how they edited the image, some entrants are a little vague on this point, please give us all details so we can learn and share tips. For instance if you use the unsharp mask tool or Smart Sharpen, provide us with the adjustments you used so others can try them out.

You can post multiple images, but the first image you post will be the one that is judged - all other images will be considered for knowledge and tip use only.

Also, please keep all comments, be they positive or negative, to yourself until after the game has ended.

If you happen to be the winner of the game please start the next one with the title of the game and the following number. For example…the next game should read (Before and After #63).

This is all about having fun so have at it!!!

This will end on Monday, May 26th at 11pm (EST).

I thought these guys might have some potential, so let's see if you guys can make them shine! ;)

[Lee123]

Post processing isn't my strong point, but thought I would give it a go.

Added Levels layer:
Moved white point to the toe of the histogram
Adjusted center slider to taste.

Added Color balance layer:
Added a small amount of Magenta

Added Hue/Saturation layer:
Increased master level to +7

Added Curves layer:
Set the Black, gray and white points.

Finished with an UnSharp mask:
Amount: 32%
Radius: 2.0
Threshold: 1

http://coloradomazdaclub.com/forums/uploads/1211602108/gallery_2_166_205690.jpg

[ZeroOne86]

-High Pass sharpening layer with an overlay setting
Sunshine and pro contrast with Nik Software
-Hue/Saturation
-Photo filter
-Burn layer filled with black on mask with a soft light setting and filled the deers coat and the log
-Cropped
-Slight vignette
-Border

[BitterSweet]

- cut out the one on the far left and attached her closer and erased all the parts I didn't want in the picture.
-cropped and cloned out stick on the right side
-added contrast
-did a skylight filter
-added color
-sharpened
-added slight vignette and border.

[suzyb]

Cloned out the rear animal and tree.
Cropped.
Noise reduction.
Sharpened.
Added the vignette.
Duplicated then used the hard light blend mode.
Added the border.

[theflyingkiwi]

here is my attempt.

by using marks select the deers in the forground from the background.
creating a flog by using the paint bush on about 50% and a big soft brush
created the rays of light by painting a heavy brush from the top right hand corner outwards and then applying the radial tool to it, again going from the top right hand corner.
using the dodge tool to burn tool to darken areas around the ground some areas in the background.

[Ocron]

- Adjusted WB and exposure in ACR
- Cropped
- Shadows/highlights (+1 shadows, +10(?) highlights)
- Created a copy and used some seletive color, contrast adj and noise reduction. Put this layer on top at @50% opacity.
- Sharpened details/blurred background more with Noise Ninja
- Heavy vignette and frame

http://ocron.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p688187549.jpg

[SilverHCIC]

The picture already had great detail, so I didn't do much this time. Decided to go with a wider (pano) crop and stay with a simple edit:
1) Increased canvas size & cloned background to replicate scenery.
2) Removed branch in front of rear animal and replaced legs.
3) Cloned out stray branches to clean up the grass.
4) Hi pass filter @ soft light blend.
5) Burned/dodged selective features to bring out more detail.
6) Bumped contrast (+17)
7) Re-cropped to move group of animals slightly off-center.
8. Added quick border.

[AngryCorgi]

Ok. This is my first time judging anyone's work, so it was a lot harder than I would have thought. Props to everybody, they were all good edits, IMO.

Silver, I feel I need to comment most on your edit because particularly liked the concept of your idea a lot. And you did a great job of cloning/creating the extended right; I see no seams. The only reason I couldn't pick it is because the sense of void on the right is too prominent. I know it may have been nearly impossible, but this idea would have been awesome, IMO, extending the left side rather than the right and showing a false left to the rock wall and log. Actually, I thought maybe even sneaking a stalking lion peeking out of the shrubs on the right would have been neat too (maybe silly to some) as it would bring something to fill that void. Creative edit though, Silver! Keep up the great cloning work! ;)

Bittersweet, nice shot and good cloning effect.

Suzy, I really liked the tight crop and vignetting...I ultimately had to think a while between yours and the winners a lot! It was tough to decide.

Kiwi, I'm giving you the win!

First, I am a lighting effects whore (when its done realistically) and I love your implementation on this one! Second, I think you found a good balance of bringing up the foreground animals' saturation, while keeping the background animal in the fog. The only thing that I might change at all on your edit would be to try and diminish the black-glow of the foreground animals some. Sunlit fog just works in a natural setting so well, IMO. ;)

Again, great job everybody.

[BitterSweet]

Thanks for the comment AngryCorgi.

Congrats Kiwi. I was thinking of doing the same ideal just like i did in the lion b&a that was up but because of the lack of tree tops I had no clue of where to but it so good job on figuring that out.

Looking forward to the next one.

[Permagrin]

congrats kiwi :)


Great edits everyone. I was stumped this week, but really enjoyed all your renditions.

[suzyb]

Congrats Kiwi and thanks for the comments Corgi!

Tracey, I really liked the color on yours and great idea moving the far one closer. Makes for a nice grouping.

Ocron, I liked how "velvety" the animals turned out in yours.

And if you've noticed how I have to say "far one" and "animals", it's because I have no idea what these things are. :oops:

[BitterSweet]

Congrats Kiwi and thanks for the comments Corgi!

Tracey, I really liked the color on yours and great idea moving the far one closer. Makes for a nice grouping.

Ocron, I liked how "velvety" the animals turned out in yours.

And if you've noticed how I have to say "far one" and "animals", it's because I have no idea what these things are. :oops:

Thanks suzyb. You did great on cloning out that on behind the front one.

Lol yeah I have no clue what they are either but I was guessing the "far one" is a female just because it doesn't have horns.

[ZeroOne86]

Congrats Kiwi and to everyone else.

[theflyingkiwi]

thanks AC and everyone else, I am kinda speachless :)

I really like the edit of Suzy's, it did take me a minute to figure out what had change, and that's because it's a good edit.

I think that all photos submited was all well done.

[SilverHCIC]

Congrats to all !!... I have been too busy to participate lately, but I have been examining the edits. ... All I can say is WOW. There are some fantastic techniques that are being shared here. Can't wait for the next one !!;)

[SilverHCIC]

Silver, I feel I need to comment most on your edit because particularly liked the concept of your idea a lot. And you did a great job of cloning/creating the extended right; I see no seams. The only reason I couldn't pick it is because the sense of void on the right is too prominent. I know it may have been nearly impossible, but this idea would have been awesome, IMO, extending the left side rather than the right and showing a false left to the rock wall and log. Actually, I thought maybe even sneaking a stalking lion peeking out of the shrubs on the right would have been neat too (maybe silly to some) as it would bring something to fill that void. Creative edit though, Silver! Keep up the great cloning work! ;)


^^^^^
BTW, Thanks for the comment regarding the cloning. ... I have been working to improve my cloning by performing it in multiple layers to avoid obvious seams, etc. ... I agree with you that extending the left side more than I did would have been the ticket. ... But that would have required more time than I had to spend on this. --- As it is, replacing the deer's legs after removing the branch and extending the big log to the left took a bit of work. But it was fun!!