How's this look for an 8X10?

[jbridgman]

Finally got into Photoshopping some of my pictures, and this is the end result of one of them (took blemishes out, converted to black and white, cropped, etc.):

Me and my wife
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/electech98/People/IMG_4236_revised3_8x10.sized.jpg

How do you think this would look in an 8X10 frame? Do I need to adjust anything in the image? What do you think of the concept of leaving the color in the eyes and on the rings?

[fitz]

no image....

edit

i would just leave it B&W and maybe even play with the levels/contrast a bit seems a little grey to me...could be the lighting in my office though.

[Vetteography]

I think you photoshopped it a bit too much, it's so pale it is invisible! :D

[jbridgman]

Hm....I can see it just fine...let me redo the link.

[cactusclay]

If you guys are doing the atkins diet, I think you should stop now. Just kidding :lol: Actually I was having problems earlier. If you need help, let us know.

[jbridgman]

can you see the image, cactusclay?

[Dirty Shirt]

nope. Can you post the link or add it as an attachment.

[cactusclay]

No still no image. Are you posting directly or from an outside source?

[Dimitry]

I think it'll do fine as a simple black and white. Don't need to add color to the eyes and the ring imo. good shot otherwise. definately deserves place on the desk or wall within a frame. :)

[JaertX]

I think it'll do fine as a simple black and white. Don't need to add color to the eyes and the ring imo. good shot otherwise. definately deserves place on the desk or wall within a frame. :)

completely agree.

I like the shot, but I don't like the colored areas. doesn't work on this picture.

[Ballen Photo]

This is GREAT! I like the selective colorization on this B&W. :D
-Bruce

[jbridgman]

No still no image. Are you posting directly or from an outside source?

Hm...maybe my photo hosting place (www.fotop.net) doesn't allow hotlinking anymore. Oh well, I posted the direct link to the photo in my first post.

[cgratti]

I think you photoshopped it a bit too much, it's so pale it is invisible! :D
The colored eyes creep me out.... just go with the straight B&W

[cactusclay]

Nice composition. I like everything but the eyes.

[jbridgman]

Thanks for your comments so far.

Here is the original pic in color:
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/electech98/Website_linking_items/IMG_4236_revised2_8X10.sized.jpg

Here is the original pic in B&W with no colorization of eyes or rings:
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/electech98/Website_linking_items/IMG_4236_revised_B_W_8X10.sized.jpg

And of course, the B&W with colorization of eyes and rings is in my first post.

Which, of the three, would be best for a framed picture?

EDIT: by the way, I think I got linking to work correctly from my photo hosting site. Can you all see the pics OK?

[jbridgman]

The colored eyes creep me out.... just go with the straight B&W

Heh, that is a reaction I am certainly NOT trying to get from anyone! :)

[Dante King]

I think that just BW is best. Its a lovely capture that says alot on its own. Think it should be left that way.

[jbridgman]

I think that just BW is best. Its a lovely capture that says alot on its own. Think it should be left that way.

Thanks for your comments!

[Sam]

I think you should print and frame the black and white version.

[jbridgman]

Well, it seems like the general consensus is to frame the B&W (with no colorizations). I think I will do just that, and leave the one with the colorizations as my computer wallpaper. Thanks again for your suggestions all!

[LadyHawk]

What a good looking couple you are! I think a little bit of her bra strap is showing which is no problem, but I would clone away the little buckle piece showing. Also, for portraits like this, it helps to put some distance between you and the background so it is more out of focus. The bush behind you is a little distracting. This is just my 2 cents for what it's worth... it's still a great photo!

[MrChevy]

Nice shot. I like the selective color!

[Huckaback Photo]

Jbridgman
What you have is a cracking portrait shot in my view
the small coloured areas pulled down the image slightly, but often if the image is strong enough it should still work fine.
Often we see pictures that have been over done in photoshop, this is not the case with your portrait, however there was some work needed and of course all is possible now unlike my darkroom days.

So going back to traditional printing days , firstly dodge and burn various areas to selectively improve the tones
the images bigest prob (some say bokeh ...depth of field ...background blur..etc )

sellect the background and use gausian blur and hey presto we are now using a 85 mm f 1.2 wide open (if you like) and suddenly the important part of image gains strength and more importance within the frame.
next clean up the whites .. eyes & teeth put a few high lites to hair.
also ..
better still have a look below. I hope you did not mind me working on your great image.
finally although we are in a digital age you can learn so much from older books on Black and White printing etc.
Regards
Martin (huckaback Photo)

My Gallery....http://www.pbase.com/huckaback_photo

[OceanRider]

i would leave everything BW, maybe the rings only, but the eyes and the ring together freak me out!

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Hm, I like the photo, but I think the color in the eyes is slightly........ weird.... give it this strange feeling. That's the first thing I'd get rid of. Make it all black and white, maybe leave the ring color, but nothing else. Or, convert it back to color. Looks like it'd be a great pic in color.

[jbridgman]

Jbridgman
What you have is a cracking portrait shot in my view
the small coloured areas pulled down the image slightly, but often if the image is strong enough it should still work fine.
Often we see pictures that have been over done in photoshop, this is not the case with your portrait, however there was some work needed and of course all is possible now unlike my darkroom days.

So going back to traditional printing days , firstly dodge and burn various areas to selectively improve the tones
the images bigest prob (some say bokeh ...depth of field ...background blur..etc )

sellect the background and use gausian blur and hey presto we are now using a 85 mm f 1.2 wide open (if you like) and suddenly the important part of image gains strength and more importance within the frame.
next clean up the whites .. eyes & teeth put a few high lites to hair.
also ..
better still have a look below. I hope you did not mind me working on your great image.
finally although we are in a digital age you can learn so much from older books on Black and White printing etc.
Regards
Martin (huckaback Photo)

My Gallery....http://www.pbase.com/huckaback_photo

I don't mind at all, and thank you for your comments. Before I order this picture to frame it, I will try your suggestions in PS (especially about blurring the background a bit). We'll see what I can come up with! :)

EDIT: by the way, good job on editing my pic!

[Huckaback Photo]

Hi Jeremy
I just looked at your photo album, nice images.
Now please don't take this the wrong way (as the G3 is good) but in my view you're more than ready for an SLR. digital (Canon of course)
sure compacts are great and certainly the quallity is often there, but on occasions can be restrictive.
Regards
Martin

[jaypie77]

Wow, you are a dead-ringer for my Turkish (ethnically Croatian) friend.

[jbridgman]

Hi Jeremy
I just looked at your photo album, nice images.
Now please don't take this the wrong way (as the G3 is good) but in my view you're more than ready for an SLR. digital (Canon of course)
sure compacts are great and certainly the quallity is often there, but on occasions can be restrictive.
Regards
Martin

Wow, thank you very much! I actually take your comments as a compliment. The only thing that isn't ready for a digital SLR is my wallet! :) After this coming week, though, we'll see where my finances are because I should be getting a promotion. Maybe then :D I would love a 20D!

[jbridgman]

Wow, you are a dead-ringer for my Turkish (ethnically Croatian) friend.

Heh, that's cool :)

[jbridgman]

Jbridgman
What you have is a cracking portrait shot in my view
the small coloured areas pulled down the image slightly, but often if the image is strong enough it should still work fine.
Often we see pictures that have been over done in photoshop, this is not the case with your portrait, however there was some work needed and of course all is possible now unlike my darkroom days.

So going back to traditional printing days , firstly dodge and burn various areas to selectively improve the tones
the images bigest prob (some say bokeh ...depth of field ...background blur..etc )

sellect the background and use gausian blur and hey presto we are now using a 85 mm f 1.2 wide open (if you like) and suddenly the important part of image gains strength and more importance within the frame.
next clean up the whites .. eyes & teeth put a few high lites to hair.
also ..
better still have a look below. I hope you did not mind me working on your great image.
finally although we are in a digital age you can learn so much from older books on Black and White printing etc.
Regards
Martin (huckaback Photo)

My Gallery....http://www.pbase.com/huckaback_photo

OK, so I've blurred the background (I'll post the revised pic after I am totally done with it), but what would be the best way, in your opinion, to add highlights to various things like the hair?

[Huckaback Photo]

Real easy way for this just use the dodge tool with a soft edge brush and set exposure to 15% to 20%
set range to highlights or even midtones.
now you just need to pass the brush over any areas that already have the brighter bits , this more controllable with low % and several passes, if that makes sence.
when using this tool try a clean up of any other highlights teeth eyes etc.you could also use this at the smallest size to put a catchlight in the eyes, not that your image needs that.
swap to the burn tool & tone down the top and small amounts to bottom corners, don't know if you use the ....[ ] parenthesis (if i spelt it right) keys to change brush size but vary good.

Do you ever use actions, if so find an action called " DigiDaan B&W-2" to use for converting an image to Black & White the best I have found so far.
At this point I shall recommend a wonderful book .
The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers. by Scott Kelby isbn 0-7357-1236-0
us $39.99 simply the best.
Have fun
Martin (Huckaback Photo)

[holly1230_11]

nice shot. how do you put color in selected areas only? I've always wondered and have never succeeded in doing it.

[jbridgman]

Real easy way for this just use the dodge tool with a soft edge brush and set exposure to 15% to 20%
set range to highlights or even midtones.
now you just need to pass the brush over any areas that already have the brighter bits , this more controllable with low % and several passes, if that makes sence.
when using this tool try a clean up of any other highlights teeth eyes etc.you could also use this at the smallest size to put a catchlight in the eyes, not that your image needs that.
swap to the burn tool & tone down the top and small amounts to bottom corners, don't know if you use the ....[ ] parenthesis (if i spelt it right) keys to change brush size but vary good.

Do you ever use actions, if so find an action called " DigiDaan B&W-2" to use for converting an image to Black & White the best I have found so far.
At this point I shall recommend a wonderful book .
The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers. by Scott Kelby isbn 0-7357-1236-0
us $39.99 simply the best.
Have fun
Martin (Huckaback Photo)

Thanks for the suggestions. I was able to successfully lighten the eyes and teeth a bit using the dodge tool, but I just could not figure out how the burn tool worked. Whenever I tried to use it, it didn't seem to do anything. Oh well, I think I've got a good image now, and I'll post it when I upload it to my hosting site. Thanks again!

EDIT: here's the edited pic:
http://images2.fotop.net/albums/electech98/Website_linking_items/IMG_4236_revised_B_W_blurred_background_8X10.sized .jpg

[Huckaback Photo]

Are you working with a 16 bit image ( rather than 8bit) as the burn / dodge tools are not available to use,
sorry must be available as you used the dodge tool.
set a higher % just to make sure . set the shadow or mid, chect to see what colour is set foreground / background. black/ grey shade needed on B&W. as it is pos to burn using a colour burn. (with colour image)
if you are using layers the layer may not be active, so you could save a copy at that point. then carry on working buy using flaten layers, burn or dodge will then work.
Hope this helps.
Finally some else on here wanted to know how to paint back colour.
theres a great PS action think its called B&W paint back colour
sure it came from....
http://www.atncentral.com/

just so simple to use click the play button it automatically changes colour image to B&W and leaves the tool palette on paintbrush alter the brush size to suit and adjust opacity then simply paint back the area you need coloured.
Well aware we are getting into software on this people section but it so relates to above image.

Cheers hope all is useful
Martin

[jbridgman]

Thanks for the tips...I'll see if I can work it out with the burns when I get home tonight from work. Your tips have been very helpful for me in my journey to be more proficient in PhotoShop. :D