Opinion wanted on bokeh

[Meanderthal]

Thank you. I'm no longer monitoring this thread.

Greetings. First post in this forum. I'm trying to learn a bit about post-processing. As an exercise, I rescued an image shot with Canon 70-300 on XT. The image was soft, needed heavy cropping, and the subject had a shadow across its face. The result is technically rather weak - but has been a show-stopper when showing to friends as part of a slide show. The background bokek is disturbing to me - unless the image is viewed at a reasonable distance. Your opinion would be welcomed: should the background be blurred to eliminate the very fine pattern that makes me dizzy? Or is it just me?

[krb]

I don't know if additional blur would help it but you may want to try making it darker so that the highlights are reduced and the subject stands out more.

[Meanderthal]

Thank you, Ken. Something like the attached? It's a crude job with the burn tool, but lets me see that your suggestion is most helpful. Advice on how to work around hair would be appreciated.

[krb]

Originally Posted by Meanderthal

Advice on how to work around hair would be appreciated.

Very carefully?

I'm still learning, but one thing I've found is that you see every hair that gets covered/deleted while you're "painting" but the next day when somebody else is looking at it they are not going to notice anything so long as you don't overdo it.

[Meanderthal]

Good point, Ken. A comforting thought: the ultimate measure of image quality at the amateur level is the emotion that the image elicits. I thoroughly enjoy myself at concerts by the local semi-professional symphony orchestra. There is joy and immediacy in the performances, and I don't notice faults as long as they are not gross. Which they never are.

I guess I have been lurking POTN so long, reading expert opinions, that my perspective on my own potential needs readjustment .

Should I need leads on working on "The Hair of the Dog", I'll post it in another forum.

[krb]

Originally Posted by Meanderthal

Should I need leads on working on "The Hair of the Dog", I'll post it in another forum.

You should be able to find info on working "hair of the model" in either the post-processing forum, the people talk form or the glamour/nude talk forum.

[Meanderthal]

OK, Ken, I'll browse the PP forum and, when ready, seek further advice there. Your company here has been appreciated.