High School Program Cover v. Thoughts?

[austincabot]

So I'm working on this cover for a high school football program and wanted to get peoples opinions on it before I spend any more time on it. I've got a few small things I need to do ( like getting rid of the white around the player on the rights head), but I like the direction it's headed. What do you think?

http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/public/31119/Cover1Workup.jpg

[teo-bingus]

Personally I don't like the empty stands or the dark skies.
I would also prefer more athletes, unless these are the team captains.

[MJPhotos24]

Are they ghosts? Thats the first thing that jumped out to me...

[austincabot]

Personally I don't like the empty stands or the dark skies.
I would also prefer more athletes, unless these are the team captains.

They are the team captains. I wish I could have shot with people in the stands, but I took what I could get. I thought about cropping them out, but the school just got a new stadium this year and wanted part of the cover to incorporate that.

Here's the original:

http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/public/31120/IMG_0288.jpg

[TheChemist]

very soft. see about reshooting.

[tim1960]

I agree with TheChemist. I'd reshoot and try something else. The first one just doesn't do it for me either.

[docfav]

I agree also. Open up your fstop to get a bigger DoF. I had this problem many times until I figured it out (with some help from these forums;-)).

I do love the concept.

Doc

[SoccerRef]

I like that you took what you had and made it work.

Yes, it could be re-shot, and yes, the photo isn't the greatest, its soft and somewhat ghostlike (looks like you only had one flash to work with...)

BUT, you used the photo you have to make a respectable cover. I like it because it's different. But you are right, you need to loose the halo on #3.

[LoneWolf2]

here's a quick edit, maybe this would work?
I saw your image editing ok button thing, so hope you don't mind.

(imageshack killed the colors more than likely)

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/5766/footballnb5.jpg

[austincabot]

I decided to change directions. This is what I've got now:

http://www.aww-kittah-aww.com/up/public/31183/ORHSCoverDraft2.jpg

[LoneWolf2]

It still looks like there's a white cast over the whole photo.

[digadv]

Photo is gone - please reupload!

[BassBiggieD]

#65 and #66 have there arms down and look very placid (should have them all pose like #44, look big, shoulders back hands on hips)
reshoot, more depth sharper
i like your PP tho, i see where you were going with it

[pigtailpat]

Austin -

I like the concept, but execution needs help. You're working with a poor original, so it's likely you will need to reshoot. If you find you cannot reshoot, then you should try dodging those faces on the original so they can be seen clearer (but not ghostly), and try a hi-pass sharpening method to help with the softness of the image. When you do your selective coloring on the stand, skies, try not to include the people, because the first try above really looks very overdone, creating that ghostly - halo effect. Leave the people normal so that there is more contrast, because I think what has gone wrong is that the coloring (and processing) includes the people for a very unusual, overdone effect.

Good luck.

Pat

[austincabot]

Ended up with this.

http://http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b395/guitarboy8892/TWHSCover1Final5-Ray.jpg

[manutd101]

Can't see it :(