Chrome dome

I had lunch today with one of the inspectors I used to work with before I retired. I went to the construction project he was working on and took this impromptu shot. Is the glare from persperation on his head too distracting or understandable considering the conditions?

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/66040953@N03/9​973125336/

I think without the glare it would look fake like a model shoot so I think it helps make the picture as a real person working.

peeaanuut wrote in post #16330092
I think without the glare it would look fake like a model shoot so I think it helps make the picture as a real person working.

Thanks for the comments. That was my thought too, that the 'glow' went with the circumstances and was acceptable. I just wanted to find out if I was the only one that felt that way or not.

I think you could easily tone it down with a couple adjustment layers so that it's clearly still there, but less noticeable. It's really blown out. I like the picture.

Q-Man wrote in post #16330148
I think you could easily tone it down with a couple adjustment layers so that it's clearly still there, but less noticeable. It's really blown out. I like the picture.

Thanks. Because it is blown out, I think trying to tone it down any more with adjustment layers will only cause the white area to go grey...although I haven't tried it.

Try bringing the blown out area down using the highlights slider as far as you can go and see what it looks like. And that's the old recovery slider in the basic tab if you're using LR4, not the tone curve which tends to give it the greyness you talk of.

RAW tends to hold a lot of info, the blown out area may not be as bad as you think.

Dr.Monocle wrote in post #16330849
Try bringing the blown out area down using the highlights slider as far as you can go and see what it looks like. And that's the old recovery slider in the basic tab if you're using LR4, not the tone curve which tends to give it the greyness you talk of.

RAW tends to hold a lot of info, the blown out area may not be as bad as you think.

Thanks for the comments. Unfortunately, the highlights slider is all the way to the left already. I use CS6 for all my edits.

I've sent him a copy of the photo and he seems pleased with it so I suppose that's all that matters...and, I'm not too embarrased to have my name on it either.

Nice shot, worth trying to save...

IMAGE LINK: http://s1259.photobuck​et.com …dome_zps30dc8b3​f.png.html

^ That looks terrible. Original is way better

I feel like the chrome in the original is too much and Tmoore's edit is too much in the other direction so here is a middle ground approach. Fixing blown highlights must be one of the more troublesome aspects of post-processing. I'm not sure that I have improved the shot or not.

Qbx wrote in post #16335559
I feel like the chrome in the original is too much and Tmoore's edit is too much in the other direction so here is a middle ground approach. Fixing blown highlights must be one of the more troublesome aspects of post-processing. I'm not sure that I have improved the shot or not.

I think your edit just might be the "Goldilocks" version in that it's not too much or too little glare. I think next time, I'll just have him throw on his hard hat or better yet a baseball cap.

Against my better judgement, here's a shot he took of me at that time. At least it shows the advantage of wearing some kind of head gear in that kind of sun...oh, and of not shaving ones head too.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …66040953@N03/10​022626794/

lol yeah hats work well!

I tried a little PP on your original image. I guess its better than blown highlights but not as good as a hat.

Grizz wrote in post #16336230
lol yeah hats work well!

I tried a little PP on your original image. I guess its better than blown highlights but not as good as a hat.

That's the best, most natural edit to be sure. I'd be interested in learning your technique if you're willing to share.

Gene, the glare is a bit distracting but not enough to ruin the picture. A bit of fill flash might have taken away the obviousness (is that a word?) of it.