Before & After #234

[sparkin]

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 72hrs 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 & After #235".
This is all about having fun so have at it!!!

This round ends Thursday. November 19th at 9am eastern time.

[reisset]

- Crop the image,
- Add warm filter
- Modified contrast
- Burn the tree
- Dodge de squirrel

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn125/reisset/lxn5924v.jpg

[NigelD]

Select squirrel put on own layer
Transform/flip
Curves adjustment layer
Sharpen and flatten

[MarineManiac]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e363/cabbage2003/b_and_a.jpg

[bdbox]

adjust H/S to change the tone
a new black mask layer with blur
create crosshairs on the top

http://www.cctvdiy.com/upload/BA234.jpg

[chrisa]

Cropped
curves for contrast
unsharp mask
http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n147/chrisa62401/attachment-7.jpg

[spitfire23bc]

GIMP:
Sharpened
Saturation +20
Curves
Border, coloured from moss
Blurred edge between picture and border
Resized

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i234/spitfire23bc/ba234_edit.jpg

[Lore]

CS2 - Levels, Contrast/Brightness, Color Balance, Curves x's 2, Channel Mixer, 8x10 Crop, Dodge, Sharpen Tool, Liquify Tool, Vignette

http://www.eideticmemories.com/ba234.jpg

[Saphire]

Levels
Curves
Brightness/Contrast
Unsharp mask

[sparkin]

Well it must be judgment day.

The picture itself was a pure fluke. The squirrel came around the tree, looked at me as if to say "what you looking at ?", and then scampered away. It can't have held the pose for more than a couple of seconds, so it's maybe not surprising that the composition of the original is crummy. Anyway, here's my thoughts:

reisset The crop is very similar to the way I originally cropped it.

NigelD Your use of the mirror image gave me an idea for my own attempts at this one (see below).

MarineManiac As with reisset, very similar to my own cropping, but with the head more on the thirds.

bdbox What more can I say!

chrisa The sharpening and contrast are great.

spitfire23bc Sharpening and saturation definitely help, not so sure about the border though.

Lore I think yours came closest to what I have tried to do with this one with regard to everything but the crop. For me there's too much dead space on the right.

Saphire Maybe a bit on the dark side for me.

In the end this was a toss up between Lore and chrisa, but I'll go with chrisa to win.

[sparkin]

For what it is worth, here is my own best attempt so far (below).

In addition to much the same stuff that chrisa, Lore and others did, I faked an in-focus tree on the left by cloning the right-side tree, flipping it horizontally (thanks for the idea Nigel), tilted it a bit and blended it in. I then shifted the right-side tree in a bit so that when cropped the squirrel would be framed by the trees. I tried to put a blue cast to the sky behind using 'clouds' in CS3, and attempted to make it look like the sun was burning through using a simulated lens flare.

[Lore]

Congrats chrisa! Well Done :cool:

sparkin... did you notice the 'stink eye' and subtle 'snarl mouth' my squirrel is giving ya? I should have put a nut in his hand too as if he were about to chuck it at the camera ;)

I had fun with that one, its a GREAT shot. :cool:

[sparkin]

sparkin... did you notice the 'stink eye' and subtle 'snarl mouth' my squirrel is giving ya? I should have put a nut in his hand too as if he were about to chuck it at the camera ;)

I had fun with that one, its a GREAT shot. :cool:

I didn't see that, but I did wonder what you'd used the liquify tool for - I'm guessing it was for that snarl and eye, right ?

[chrisa]

When I looked at all the entries I noticed that there was a noticeable difference between the color on each one. Are our monitors all that much different? Do we all assume that our own monitor is correct?
Just an observation, I think mine looks neutral, but the others have a color cast on them.

[Lore]

I didn't see that, but I did wonder what you'd used the liquify tool for - I'm guessing it was for that snarl and eye, right ?

if you go back and forth between anyone of the faces & mine, both eyes are squinted... yes the one more so than the other & yea liquified the mouth to snarl mode ;)

When I looked at all the entries I noticed that there was a noticeable difference between the color on each one. Are our monitors all that much different? Do we all assume that our own monitor is correct?
Just an observation, I think mine looks neutral, but the others have a color cast on them.

OR some have a different idea of what color a Squirrel should be... more brown or more grey?

Indeed I see "on my monitor anyway" That there are those that are more brown, or have a more *green cast* or mine for instance has somewhat of a *blue cast* if it were compared to the brown ones... I see all the colors I would assume you do, but internet & other peoples computers & what they use or varying calibration is never going to be an exact science & I'd bet we will all see something different.

[sparkin]

When I looked at all the entries I noticed that there was a noticeable difference between the color on each one. Are our monitors all that much different? Do we all assume that our own monitor is correct?
Just an observation, I think mine looks neutral, but the others have a color cast on them.

This is a good point - they all look different to me too. For my own part I did bump up the saturation and faded in a bit of a neutralized layer, and then tried to put blue into the sky. Messing with colour is tough for me because I'm red-green deficient. You could probably make a similar argument for the lightness/darkness levels too because of differing gamma corrections.

[Kendoway]

Great work everyone - and congrats Chrisa!

Lore, I too missed the "snarl" so I had to scroll back and do a double take. Pretty funny.

Sorry I've missed another round all, life has simply been crazy (sigh).

[Lore]

Great work everyone - and congrats Chrisa!

Lore, I too missed the "snarl" so I had to scroll back and do a double take. Pretty funny.

Sorry I've missed another round all, life has simply been crazy (sigh).

*sigh* hopefully you'll be able to get back into it soon Chris... I've been having to pick up your slack & APPARENTLY my attempts at ridiculous edits like "angry stink eye squirrel" are done too subtly...

we NEED you back! :lol: ;)

Although lack of your humorous edits have prompted me to dive into the liquify tool as I have said I wanted to try time and time again :cool:

[Saphire]

Congratulations Chrisa, very natural looking.
Lore . I have just gone back to your I never noticed the snarl until I looked again, great look.
Mine does look very dark now I have re-calibrated my monitor, the reminder menu has been nagging me for weeks to do it but kept putting it off.

[hawkeye60]

Just for fun...

[Kendoway]

*sigh* hopefully you'll be able to get back into it soon Chris... I've been having to pick up your slack & APPARENTLY my attempts at ridiculous edits like "angry stink eye squirrel" are done too subtly...

we NEED you back! :lol: ;)

Although lack of your humorous edits have prompted me to dive into the liquify tool as I have said I wanted to try time and time again :cool:


LOL - Thanks!

Whats up with your avatar? It's changed like 3 times in the last 24 hrs (personally I liked the goat in the tree).

Hopefully I'll have some time over Thanksgiving to dig back into Photoshop. The Wife and I are SO HAPPY! We have not been invited anywhere for Thanksgiving, and we have avoided inviting anyone over here! The plan is to stay in our pajamas the whole day, make a small turkey breast, and drink 2 bottles of wine. Zero stress, zero responsibilities. :D

[NigelD]

Well done Chrisa - bring on the next one!

[Lore]

Whats up with your avatar? It's changed like 3 times in the last 24 hrs (personally I liked the goat in the tree).

Hopefully I'll have some time over Thanksgiving to dig back into Photoshop. The Wife and I are SO HAPPY! We have not been invited anywhere for Thanksgiving, and we have avoided inviting anyone over here! The plan is to stay in our pajamas the whole day, make a small turkey breast, and drink 2 bottles of wine. Zero stress, zero responsibilities. :D

LOL... ya... dunno... I've been fickle... I really need to hit a petting zoo & get a photo w/ a goat THEN I will be happy with my Avatar ;)


Yay to Zero stress turkey days, we are set up for one of those as well :cool:

[spitfire23bc]

Well done chrisa. Lovely work everyone!

spitfire23bc Sharpening and saturation definitely help, not so sure about the border though.

Nor was I, but I fancied playing around with it and it kept me entertained ;)

[sparkin]

Just for fun...

Now why didn't I think of that !