C&C on this edit please

I'm trying to decide if I have overdone the processing on this one, would like some advice. I think it has turned out well, but just wanting some opinions of what you guys think?

SOOC:

I like the way you brought down the exposure of the sky but I would have left the white dress alone. You want the dress to be very white but not blown out and looking at the histogram nothing it wasn't blown out.

I think the edit is good and enhances the image nicely.

Personally, any adjustments beyond where you are at right now is probably unnecessary. That's speaking from personal experience, I have a hard time leaving "good enough" alone too.

I really like your edit. I wish it was wider and took in more of the environment. They aren't facing the camera so they become part of the landscape, so I'd love to see it be a grand shot

I agree, this is finished now, just the right amount of detail brought back in the dress and sky.

How did the client like the photo after the edit?

DThriller wrote in post #17668969
I like the way you brought down the exposure of the sky but I would have left the white dress alone. You want the dress to be very white but not blown out and looking at the histogram nothing it wasn't blown out.

have to disagree. before the edit, the dress was really blown out. the edit brought back the details; you can actually see the ruffles now. and the bride's dress is the most important part.

Id argue that the dress is the most important part to make look white not dirty. I would think most brides would look at this and say "... My dress wasn't dirty was it?". I'm not understanding why you think the dress is blown out in the shot. Look at the histogram - none of the highlights are clipped.

Images are meant to have highlights and shadows. The classic rule of "your eye goes to the brightest part of the photo" works in you favor on this one.

Your original image is fine there is no reason to think you need to spend time doing HDR editing on it. Have a little confidence in your image.

Edited is better. Dress isn't blown in that one. It doesn't look dirty. The pose and composition are what let this shot down which you can't fix in post.

dress in image one was blown right out....The second image is better....If the images werent together no one would question the white of the second image.....


The only question I have is sky/cloud immediately over brides head....I would have touched that part upo by lightning it up to get rid of the deeper color cast....Apart from that image 2 its a good colorful wedding shot

DThriller wrote in post #17671948
Id argue that the dress is the most important part to make look white not dirty. I would think most brides would look at this and say "... My dress wasn't dirty was it?". I'm not understanding why you think the dress is blown out in the shot. Look at the histogram - none of the highlights are clipped.

Images are meant to have highlights and shadows. The classic rule of "your eye goes to the brightest part of the photo" works in you favor on this one.

Your original image is fine there is no reason to think you need to spend time doing HDR editing on it. Have a little confidence in your image.

yes, images are meant to have highlights and shadows and it is the lack of shadows in the dress that make the dress a blown out white mass in the original image. it's blown out because there are almost no details in the dress in the original image. a histogram is all well and good, but looking at the before image, the lack of details is unacceptable. quite noticeable even to the untrained eye, I suspect. Women spend thousands of dollars for a dress with ruffles or other details and they expect to see them in the images. There's nothing dirty looking about this dress.

Thank you guys for the lively feedback.

My main problem with the image was worrying that it would have too much of the HDR look to it from over-processing, which after sitting on it for a couple of days I know that I need to pull back on some of the editing.

I have not shown the couple yet, I am still working through the rest of their wedding before meeting with them, but I feel like they would be pleased with even the first one, and more pleased with the second.

The dress may be a touch off-white, I'll need to see if I can bring back some of the whiteness, but in my opinion the dress was completely blown in the first example.

As for the pose, this is certainly not the best of the set, nor did I hope it to be, just another look. To be honest, this may have been their best side at this point in the day, the photos from the front just showed exhaustion and overheated (it was about 100 degrees when this was taken). I'll post more from the set when I get done working through them.

Other than the couple facing away from the camera, what would you guys change with the posing and the photo in general? I couldn't move them because of obstacles/clutter just out of frame to the left and right. I'd love to know what I can improve for next time. Thanks!

Maybe have them look off into the distance to the left to bring a little more face of the bride. Or have her rest her head on his shoulder/arm.

Honestly, I don't think the pose is that awful.

The original was lacking in the midtones and the highlights in the gown were blown out. You do a good job of bringing back some of the midtones and you definitely recover the details in the gowns. Nice post processing.

You certainly brought the detail back but it looks sort of dark. I like my edits to be bright...but that is jut me