What kind of Process do you prefer ?

Hi Everybody,

Could give me your opinion on the photo you prefer ? I tried to edit this photo in several ways, but I'm not sure of which one I prefer...
I will embed all the photos in a different answer so you can like the photo of your choice.

By the way if you have any recommandation or critique, it is welcomed !

Here is the firt one :

Photo from Tristan29photography's gallery.

Here is where I stopped editing, before check how it would get with a Colore Efex Filter

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …uevilly/posts/g​2WSoefrx62

Please Like only One of the following pictures to tell me which one do you prefer - Tristan Quevi...

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …uevilly/posts/E​GdLf81CasW

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …uevilly/posts/S​pt2dj9o7X3

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …uevilly/posts/G​2Eni5iZFzs

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

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I like the very first one that you posted.

But there's one thing that I would change. . At the top, it is darker than the rest of the frame. . I would want it so that the bottom is the darkest part, so that it anchors the composition. . And the top that is now dark, I would prefer to have lighter, about the same as the middle. . That way, the area surrounding her head isn't dark, and therefore awkward looking.


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Yes thank you for the wise advise. I will try to compensate the post processing. There was a rough with a strong shadow at the top explaining it is darker.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18602835
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I like the very first one that you posted.

But there's one thing that I would change. . At the top, it is darker than the rest of the frame. . I would want it so that the bottom is the darkest part, so that it anchors the composition. . And the top that is now dark, I would prefer to have lighter, about the same as the middle. . That way, the area surrounding her head isn't dark, and therefore awkward looking.


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I think Tom has hit it.

I liked the first one too, but there was something I felt not quite right but didn't know what it was. When I read Tom's remark, I knew what it was.

If you adjust it, please report.

1st one and what Tom said.

truecolors wrote in post #18603074
1st one and what Tom said.

Yup. Agree.

Hello Tom and Chris

I listened your objective critiques, and to finish the thread, here is the Final Result with the adjustments.

I don't usually use PS to edit portraits, I think we must get the right shot in camera or not. then LR is enough and people's energy largely compensate everything. Exeptionnaly, I wanted to go a bit farther in post processing because this place was very strong!

Thanks everybody for the advises.


Here is the original RAW all settings set to 0:

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …y/posts/9Wrcp6q​SAtY?hl=fr

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …y/posts/EDgQjGq​FVCd?hl=fr

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …y/posts/iEU9eoV​w8S9?hl=fr

Tristan Quevilly (tristan29photography) - Google+

I looked at your website and wow. You have a lot of stunning photographs, Tristan. I can tell by your photographs that you do love Colombia and her people.
They are that good. I like photos that tell you something emotionally or have a way to pull you in.
Thanks so much for sharing. It amazes me how much talent is here on this site. I just love this forum.

Thank you so much for your nice comment ! Yes I do love Colombia, it is really a wonderful country for its nature and people.
Yes I'm discovering this forum and it is really nice to meet other passionated photographers. It is much more social than the "social medias"
All the best !

IMO, where is no point of adding this much vignetting. Top of the head is affected to the point it is barely visible.

kf095 wrote in post #18607909
IMO, where is no point of adding this much vignetting. Top of the head is affected to the point it is barely visible.

This was discussed earlier in the thread:

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18602835
At the top, it is darker than the rest of the frame. . I would want it so that the bottom is the darkest part, so that it anchors the composition. . And the top that is now dark, I would prefer to have lighter, about the same as the middle. . That way, the area surrounding her head isn't dark, and therefore awkward looking.

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I wonder why you think that the OP added vignetting; it seems rather apparent that the darkness across the top of the frame was part of the original scene, not any kind of vignetting that was intentionally added by the OP. . The OP's comment, quoted below, seems to confirm this:

Tristan29photography wrote in post #18602913
Yes thank you for the wise advise. I will try to compensate the post processing. There was a rough with a strong shadow at the top explaining it is darker.

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Just to be fair, in the original RAW file there is "no" darkening of the bottom 2/3's of the left and right side and no apparent darkening at the bottom. In the final edit there is significant shading on both sides and the bottom 1/3 (1/2?) of the frame. I don't think it inappropriate for kf095 to question what actually does give the appearance of full-frame PP vignetting.

Best,
Mark

Personally, I don't like the vignetting in this photo at all. I think that because she is positioned so far left frame and there's a lot of negative space to the right - and the fact that it's a stunning background - I don't see the purpose of vignetting. Is there enough detail in the shadows to process the upper vignetting out completely? The RAW shows the least vignetting and I think that's the most pleasing to my eye. I'd try to mask her hair and reverse gradient the exposure, perhaps with contrast and shadow adjustments too, on the background to show it in its full glory.

Tristan29photography wrote in post #18603565
Hello Tom and Chris

I listened your objective critiques, and to finish the thread, here is the Final Result with the adjustments.


Here is the new edit. I tried to be less agressive in the subject's contrast as well, But I think I need to step back to get a more natural look on the young boy's skin.

IMAGE LINK: https://plus.google.co​m …y/posts/iEU9eoV​w8S9?hl=fr

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It is still darker at the top than it is in the middle.

I wonder why you aren't able to make the top of the frame just as light as the middle is - I mean, make it as if there had never been any shadow at all over the top part of that background. . If you did this, then her dark hair would be surrounded by a lighter background all the way around, which would be the most complementary way of presenting this image.

The way it still is, the top of her head just muddles into the background, instead of standing out from it ...... which of course is not a favorable way to present your subject.


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