Tear it up

I am doing my best to get away from using presets so much. Tried this using manual adjustments. Mainly looking at sharpness and making sure things aren't blown out or off looking in color. Please provide feedback on what you see and what could be done better.... its the only way I can learn.

5D MarkII
135mm f/2.8
f/2.8
1/80 sec
ISO 3200
M Mode

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/tomowensby/6817​274320/
Luci1 by twowheeledtripod, on Flickr

Exposure, WB, focus look pretty good to me.

I'm almost scared to say it, but it looks dark to me. I don't see any pure whites and the overall feel is too dark. Histogram is heavy left and nothing much on the right. I think it could use a levels boost and I'd work on the eyes in any event to brighten them.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Used levels to WB and bring up the mid-tones, lightened up the eyes and sharpened them some.

I like yours better than mine. Nice edit.
but it may be too contrasty. I redid mine, filled in the blown out area on the left shoulder and sharpened the whole face. I'm really interested to find the right brightness.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Nice QBX, I tried to stay within the overal "darkness" of the original which is why it might look too contrasty, but really like yours overall, maybe if the background was a little darker on yours?

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Yep. I think that is the best so far. However I wonder if that bright diagonal behind its head should be toned down. Maybe that's its tail.

If we are looking at the light brown, white spot on the middle right, that is fur coloring on it's side...

Under exposed but the White Balance is fine for this subject (though maybe a small magenta tint).

I would try and bump down your ISO. That picture has quite a bit of noise. Thats just my opinion though.

Roush611 wrote in post #14050713
I would try and bump down your ISO. That picture has quite a bit of noise. Thats just my opinion though.

First thing I though, too.

Tom O. wrote in post #14047142
I am doing my best to get away from using presets so much. Tried this using manual adjustments. Mainly looking at sharpness and making sure things aren't blown out or off looking in color. Please provide feedback on what you see and what could be done better.... its the only way I can learn.

5D MarkII
135mm f/2.8
f/2.8
1/80 sec
ISO 3200
M Mode

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com/​photos/tomowensby/6817​274320/
Luci1 by twowheeledtripod, on Flickr

The only thing I would do is crop it a bit tighter. If you were going for the environmental portrait look, I think you did very well. The other edits seem a bit over the top and remove the environmental aspect. As for the noise....I seriously doubt it would be an issue in most prints.

Woolburr wrote in post #14054803
The only thing I would do is crop it a bit tighter. If you were going for the environmental portrait look, I think you did very well. The other edits seem a bit over the top and remove the environmental aspect. As for the noise....I seriously doubt it would be an issue in most prints.

What's the environmental aspect & environmental portrait? When I think of those terms I think outdoors.

I appreciate all the feedback.

I think there are a few things I need to/could do, primarily, I believe I need to get my screen calibrated as some of these edits look blown out to me especially the first one by tmoore323. That is not a knock to the edits, purely an observation that my laptop screen may need some serious tweaking.

How many of you that replied are using a calibrated monitor? The only reason I ask is so I can verify my train of thought with the blown out portions.

I agree on the noise. I was not happy to see that BUT it was done in very low light and at an ISO that I would not normally shoot at given a choice.

Tom,
I am viewing this at my work computer and I am also seeing the same problems with the edits that you are.. the edits by tmoore323 look very blown out, the first one looks almost bluish/gray and another one looks like it is to highly saturated or too much contrast. So I am not so sure it is only your laptop because I am seeing the same thing with the edits. To be totally honest I really like your photo and maybe just a little more lightening up on it as it looked just a tad dark but otherwise I think it looks awesome.

I wonder why I am also seeing the edits looking odd as well

Tom O. wrote in post #14057133
I appreciate all the feedback.

I think there are a few things I need to/could do, primarily, I believe I need to get my screen calibrated as some of these edits look blown out to me especially the first one by tmoore323. That is not a knock to the edits, purely an observation that my laptop screen may need some serious tweaking.

How many of you that replied are using a calibrated monitor? The only reason I ask is so I can verify my train of thought with the blown out portions.

I agree on the noise. I was not happy to see that BUT it was done in very low light and at an ISO that I would not normally shoot at given a choice.