really need your help so c&c plz

Here's the deal. This weekend three of my friends are having birthdays, so I decided to give them my photos framed as a original gift from the heart. So here are the three photos that I choose to give them. I want to know what you think about them and maybe a way to improve them even more. I am not that good in photoshop yet, so any advice is so much welcome. They are all shoot in RAW so that I have many options in pp.

I like the first the most. I have given it a tighter crop, some unsharp mask (large radius, low %) and a tiny bit more saturation to give it a bit more punch.

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I would let your friends decide, although it's probably late for that. Have you shown them your work? Have they expressed any preferences? If they have, give them photos that they like. If you are out of options, the first or second would make nice wall-hangers. The third has some technical deficiencies that make it a poor candidate: the face is back lit. So it is dark and lacks detail. The background is distracting.

thx 4 c&c so far hopefully there will be some more.

I agree with Joedlh on this. Giving photos to friends who might not like the one you picked then creates an uncomfortable obligation for them to hang something in their home they really might not care for. It would be far better to either do a shoot just for them of something they like, or give them a small signed unframed print that they can put in their album. I like the feather one. Leave it to them to ask for a larger print for their wall if they so choose at a later time.

I second what SwingBopper said.

SwingBopper wrote in post #6664964
I agree with Joedlh on this. Giving photos to friends who might not like the one you picked then creates an uncomfortable obligation for them to hang something in their home they really might not care for. It would be far better to either do a shoot just for them of something they like, or give them a small signed unframed print that they can put in their album. I like the feather one. Leave it to them to ask for a larger print for their wall if they so choose at a later time.

is it not like that with every gift.?? you can allways pick a wrong gift. I try to give them something that is unique and special. something that took a lot of love to create. I put this thread so that I recive some help with postprocess, beacouse I am not that good with photoshop yet. I might be wrong but I don't know...I'll think on what you said.

#1 is nice, but the reflection of the moon is washed out. I would consider a crop that removes the reflection.

#2 and #3 are very artistic - like them. It will be good to attempt B&W version of #3 and see how that looks.

I love #2. That black makes everything like it's suspended in nothingness, yet there's enough texture here and there to make it present.

I vote for #2!

For me, there's too little going on in image #1. My eyes are a bit confused where to find the point of interest. The white reflection on the right bottom corner is a tad distracting.

Just my 2 cents

I would retake myself...as Swing mentioned, take a photo of something that will move them, a subject that is near and dear to their heart. I am sorry, but these just don;t say" Happy Birthday" to me

I like #1 but what is it a picture of? The city where you and your friends are from? Does it have some meaning? I would prefer to see you give them something of meaning OR let them choose a picture themselves.

Number 2 for me, I think it is wonderful.

spooch wrote in post #6666702
is it not like that with every gift.?? you can allways pick a wrong gift. I try to give them something that is unique and special. something that took a lot of love to create. I put this thread so that I recive some help with postprocess, beacouse I am not that good with photoshop yet. I might be wrong but I don't know...I'll think on what you said.

It's not like that with every gift because most gifts don't carry an "obligation" to display it every day on your wall. Some gifts you eat, some you use up and discard, some you keep in drawers and wear them from time to time, etc... I am sure that if you find a picture you like but needs some PS work someone here will do it for you (many offer to fix an image if you privately email them a large version).