Crystal Garden take 2....

Hi all,

I posted this picture on the board last autumn, almost straight out of the camera (some level work and an unsharp mask applied, period):
http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ead.php?t=6098

Following advices that I received then, I decided to get back at the same picture and work on it as much as I can:
http://gallery.photographyreview.com...sort=1&cat=500

Other than the obvious crop, I applied 5 unsharp masks, selectively blurred areas with the water droplet tool, adjusted levels and I tried to bring down brighter areas with the density tool. I usually do very little in Photoshop. This is the very first time that I go so far so I'd like to hear your opinions on the final result.

regards

Seb

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seb

Hi all,

I posted this picture on the board last autumn, almost straight out of the camera (some level work and an unsharp mask applied, period):
http://forums.photographyreview.com/...ead.php?t=6098

Following advices that I received then, I decided to get back at the same picture and work on it as much as I can:
http://gallery.photographyreview.com...sort=1&cat=500

Other than the obvious crop, I applied 5 unsharp masks, selectively blurred areas with the water droplet tool, adjusted levels and I tried to bring down brighter areas with the density tool. I usually do very little in Photoshop. This is the very first time that I go so far so I'd like to hear your opinions on the final result.

regards

Seb

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Hey Seb,
I'm checkin' your butterfly pic. You did a bang up job fixing up the exposure problems and the saturation is literally popping without being overblown.
With this particular image the first thing I'd have done is cropped it square. The B-fly is your subject. All that blurry (sweet looking blur - I can see why it'd be hard to part with) area to the left has to go. I find my eye drawn to it as it is the brightest, biggest area of the pic.
I'm not sure what's happening with the B-fly's head and wings, they seem blurry to me.
Here's a crop I did. Hope you don't mind

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JK_Photo

Hey Seb,
I'm checkin' your butterfly pic. You did a bang up job fixing up the exposure problems and the saturation is literally popping without being overblown.
With this particular image the first thing I'd have done is cropped it square. The B-fly is your subject. All that blurry (sweet looking blur - I can see why it'd be hard to part with) area to the left has to go. I find my eye drawn to it as it is the brightest, biggest area of the pic.
I'm not sure what's happening with the B-fly's head and wings, they seem blurry to me.
Here's a crop I did. Hope you don't mind

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Hello JK_Photo,

Thank you for your imput. Your crop is an interesting one. One question though, where are the wings blurry??? I can easily see the issue with the head but the wings seem fine to me. I am missing something here.

Thanks

Seb

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Seb

Hello JK_Photo,

Thank you for your imput. Your crop is an interesting one. One question though, where are the wings blurry??? I can easily see the issue with the head but the wings seem fine to me. I am missing something here.

Thanks

Seb

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Sorry Seb, I should have gone back and done an edit of my post 'cause I realised when I looked back at the shot that the wings weren't really blurry.
i apologise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JK_Photo

Sorry Seb, I should have gone back and done an edit of my post 'cause I realised when I looked back at the shot that the wings weren't really blurry.
i apologise.

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No problem JK! I was just worried that there might be something wrong with my eyes for a short while.

Then again, thank you for your help.

Seb

Seb, great edit. You did well as jon stated in bringing up the exposure in the subject and i like your crop, although Jon example works well too.
My only nit pik is I feel you have gone too far with the unsharp mask in that it seems to be breaking up a bit. But, it can certainly remain as it is.
btw, nice gallery. I enjoyed your other images very much.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gahspidy

Seb, great edit. You did well as jon stated in bringing up the exposure in the subject and i like your crop, although Jon example works well too.
My only nit pik is I feel you have gone too far with the unsharp mask in that it seems to be breaking up a bit. But, it can certainly remain as it is.
btw, nice gallery. I enjoyed your other images very much.

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Hey Gary, thank you for the kind words.

Looking back at this shot one day after the edit, I think that you are right on about the sharpening. I have applied several light unsharp masks for the sole purpose of not overdoing it but the shot might benefit from a more subtle effect. I will rework the whole thing and post it back in my gallery this week end.

regards

Seb