Well, I'm finally back... (imgs)

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DavidLake
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Well, I'm finally back... (imgs)

Post by DavidLake »

I have been sadly non-existent here for too long. And after re-cataloging all my images, I am starting to pick the few that I really like and PP them for the start of my new blog. Until I get around to organizing the Blog, I thought would share some shots with the fotografie group. Believe it or not these are 6 year old images shot with the Oly C750 (my first digital camera). Now I shoot with Nikon D3s and D300s - and my images definitely aren't thousands of dollars better - I can tell you that. So here are four images (straight JPEG from the the Oly followed by their PP versions that I just did today. It is amazing what some quick time with Lightroom and Photoshop can do to an image. These are the first digital images that I have and they are still some of my favorite. Hope you enjoy them. Many more to come - if you would like to see them :)

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Stany Buyle
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Glad you're back...

Post by Stany Buyle »

Nice, thanks for posting. The PP images have som kind of HDR look. There are a couple of interesting topics on this forum from Dr. Dusslier and other members about this PP technique. Dr. Dusslier often works with topas filter.
kindest regards,

Stany
I like better one good shot in a day than 10 bad ones in a second...
http://www.fotografie.cafe
RudyDusslier
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Re: Well, I'm finally back... (imgs)

Post by RudyDusslier »

Nice pictures. Like my friend Stany said they have a HDR look. I don´t know what´s your workflow, but the colors look oversaturated and the highlights are blown out. When you work in Photoshop, this problem can be solved with layers and masking the blown highlights out.

Greetings,
Rudy
James
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Re: Well, I'm finally back... (imgs)

Post by James »

Hi David,

Nice images but I think I prefer the unprocessed - I guess the oversaturated and blown highlights was a deliberate look, but it's not one I am a big fan of - well... I can't really complain about oversaturated colours actually LOL!

I'm interested in how you edited out the cars and parking sign in the first one though...
DavidLake
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Post by DavidLake »

Stany:
No HDR - remember these are 'lousy' JPEGS right from the 4MP Oly C750. I had no idea what I was doing 6 years ago. I often shoot HDR with my D3. These were just processed heavy for a certain look. Did the whole group in that fashion.

Rudy:
I don't have a workflow! Unlike many folks I don't have a set way to PP. In fact if I did these same shots tomorrow - they would likely all look different. For my wedding work, well for that I have a very specific workflow. Not sure where you see blown highlights. The first shot maybe in the lights of course. In the second shot you really should expect that in copper kettles - its the natural and right look when next to big windows - very real for the scene. For the third shot - that is fog (really heavy fog of Amsterdam). Not sure how to better capture fog? And the last shot well, here is the histogram for that one
Image

And here is a real HDR (handheld believe it or not) from my D3 and Photomatix
Image

James:
Yeah I normally prefer accurate colors, but I was in a gritty and heavy mood as far as the look I wanted to achieve. I used the clone and heal tools and some patience :) I also took out the blue flag and pole. The hard part was stretching the building down to the water and extending the doors and windows. It wasn't my best work. If this had been a 12MP file from one of my Nikons that I was going to print big, I would have done a better job. If you want to see some real work, check this wedding comparison PP I did a few months back. There are seven (sort of eight) major fixes, not counting color adjustment etc. listed after the images, see if you can find them...

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The fixes:
1. remove sign
2. change license plate to say 'married'
3. remove logo off limo window
4. hide (darken) bridal party in limo
5. remove groomsman
6. remove groomsman's foot under limo
7. remove groomsman's reflection from limo window
8. remove door frame of limo next to groomsman
(NPS, WPPI, PPA)
Duplo
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Hi David,

Post by Duplo »

While I must say that i am not a huge fan of the processing performed on the images originally posted.
Then I got to say that the PP work on that last wedding photo is extremely well executed IMHO.

My browser failed to load the orginal at first, so I was quite surprised when it finally loaded it.

Excellent work.
Thomas
"Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool"
DavidLake
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Thanks for looking...

Post by DavidLake »

I really like actual captures that are as close to the scene as possible. However, when you are sorting through your old images that you have personally seen hundreds of times, you get a little bored and start to tinker. And to my half the fun of shooting is the creation after the capture anyway.

Thanks for the props on the wedding shot. I could not get the groomsman into the limo and we were running out of time, so I just thought well there goes 30 minutes in Photoshop :)
(NPS, WPPI, PPA)
James
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Re: Well, I'm finally back... (imgs)

Post by James »

Great PP - I really need to learn photoshop or something at some point (and to learn to have patience!)
DavidLake
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Thanks!

Post by DavidLake »

I learned Photoshop the hard way - is there an easy one? But I will tell you that there are some great books to get you going, so it is not so daunting. And the web is full of great tutorials. I always google for tips when I am working and can't figure something out - although the new help in CS3 & CS4 searches the web and does a great job for you now.

The books by Matt Kloskowski - Photoshop Speed Clinic and Photoshop Layers are by far the best and easiest to follow.
(NPS, WPPI, PPA)
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