My little girl

[kkraczek]

I'd like some suggestions on improving this photo, either compositionally or technically. I'm still rather new to Photoshop, so I'm not sure if I've done a good job or not. Thanks! (FYI- I used a Kodak DC5000 point and shoot)

[kkraczek]

How about B&W?

[darkrainfall]

Very pretty photo, though that sun is very harsh... I find the bright spot to be very distracting... I would honestly suggest some way to control that... you can either move her over to the shadows a bit more, shoot at a different time of day, or have an assistant hold a diffuser... diffusers can be even simple things, like a white sheet streched out over a frame of sorts...
Other than that i love the picture, and you did a good job converting it to b&w imo.

[PuckJunkey]

It's actually a pretty well-exposed shot. There's not a ton you could do to her Photoshop-wise, short of maybe trying to reduce the luminosity on her hair a bit. I'm not even sure I would recommend changing anything. It's a good photo. Think color suits this composition better....

[gahspidy]

I would agree that this is not a bad shot, and the color version is best IMO. The bright highlight in the hair does detract a bit from what is otherwise a well framed and exposed shot. You might try using the" Darken brush" and make a few passes just over the bright spots in the hair with a brush size that will allow you to just go over the needed areas. That might just subdue it enough where it is not so outstanding.

[kkraczek]

Thanks everyone, I am glad that you all like it! I will work on the hair highlights a bit, and will post the results. Thanks again for the compliments!

[Wings]

That's a nice shot Kristin, I like it and better in color, but that's my pesonal opinion.

There is nothing really wrong with except for the highlights in the hair, but sadly I have to inform you that you can't fix this anymore, most of it is pure white, I already checked that in Photoshop.

How can we avoid this next time?
Well, that involves measuring the light in different spots and trying to come with a good setting that leaves some detail in the highlights. Highlights that are too bright is one of problem areas of digital cameras; before you know it you have a situation like this in which you have larger areas filled with pure white. If I doubt, I tend to use a quick solution, something like a minus stop correction and then I fine tune the result in Photoshop. I always go for ‘darker’ when I’m in doubt.

What you might want to fix is the blue 'chromatic Aberration' (see example), visible on the edges of her shirt, a result of a shifted blue channel. It's not your fault, it sadly a problem of most camera lenses. If it doesn't bother, just leave it the way it is.

Well done!

[Liz]

This is a great shot IMO. As far as the highlights in the hair go, I think you can get away with it because it's not that harsh - and I for one light highlights in hair. I agree, it's a little overly highlighted, but for people who aren't as picky as us photographers, they will pass it over, or may even like it. The highlights in the grass are also distracting - once again, for those who are not photographers, not a concern.

BTW, she is beautiful - and her face is not affected - good composition, sharp. Beautiful smile. A keeper for sure. ;)

Liz

I'd like some suggestions on improving this photo, either compositionally or technically. I'm still rather new to Photoshop, so I'm not sure if I've done a good job or not. Thanks! (FYI- I used a Kodak DC5000 point and shoot)

[Liz]

I learned something here and want to thank you for the time and effort you took to help Kristen which also helps me for the future. Thinking about it - you are right as far as choosing darker when in doubt. I do very little PS - and getting an image lighter/brighter is quite easy. So thanks.

Liz

That's a nice shot Kristin, I like it and better in color, but that's my pesonal opinion.

There is nothing really wrong with except for the highlights in the hair, but sadly I have to inform you that you can't fix this anymore, most of it is pure white, I already checked that in Photoshop.

How can we avoid this next time?
Well, that involves measuring the light in different spots and trying to come with a good setting that leaves some detail in the highlights. Highlights that are too bright is one of problem areas of digital cameras; before you know it you have a situation like this in which you have larger areas filled with pure white. If I doubt, I tend to use a quick solution, something like a minus stop correction and then I fine tune the result in Photoshop. I always go for ‘darker’ when I’m in doubt.

What you might want to fix is the blue 'chromatic Aberration' (see example), visible on the edges of her shirt, a result of a shifted blue channel. It's not your fault, it sadly a problem of most camera lenses. If it doesn't bother, just leave it the way it is.

Well done!

[Peter_AUS]

Kristen,

Try taking the photo earlier in the morning or late afternoon, 4pm to 5.30pm depending on the length of time you have light available. At present here in Australia the Sun is going down around 5.30pm hence why I suggested the above times. This will help with not such harsh lighting.

Move your daughter away from the bushes and use a smaller depth of field to blur the background more.

Cut the grass it is too long and is distracting in the shot, if you like, get something and put it on the ground and have her sitting on that, something more attractive than long grass (this is to help with cutting down on distractions of the photo main image not because it isn't good to use grass). Get rid of the distracting things sticking out of obvious places like the dead bit of foliage out of her left shoulder.

White on a bright day is going to help to confuse the light metering in the camera, look maybe at changing her top to something less reflective of light, maybe light blue, or a peach type of colour just as suggestions to think about. Remebering that colours can be reflected onto the subject as well, which can be distracting to the final image like the blue abberration that has been mentioned on her pants, but that might be because of loosely saving in jpg format for internet purposes as well.

With digital images you often need to do a little unsharpen masking of the image, with settings of

Amount 100-200%, Radius 0.1-0.3, threshold 2, as a starting base and see what the differneces make. Ensure you are viewing the image at 100% when you are making any adjustments as well, to see what the real effects are.

For internet web posting the image with a profile of sRGB is also recommended as well.

Hope these little thoughts of mine help.

[Wings]

Thanks Liz. And I agree with you, the highlights aren't all that shocking. I personally can live with it.

Even if most people won't notice it, their brain will have an influence on how they perceive this image, it's that just that they can't explain why.

Years ago I had this talk with a friend of mine. His dad is a photographer and my got friend got frustrated that he couldn't figure out why his images didn't have such an impact as his dad's. So he knew his images weren't correct but he just couldn't figure out.
And that's the fun of photography, trying to figure out why some images work and others don't and sometimes is just these little details.

[kkraczek]

That's a nice shot Kristin, I like it and better in color, but that's my pesonal opinion.

There is nothing really wrong with except for the highlights in the hair, but sadly I have to inform you that you can't fix this anymore, most of it is pure white, I already checked that in Photoshop.

How can we avoid this next time?
Well, that involves measuring the light in different spots and trying to come with a good setting that leaves some detail in the highlights. Highlights that are too bright is one of problem areas of digital cameras; before you know it you have a situation like this in which you have larger areas filled with pure white. If I doubt, I tend to use a quick solution, something like a minus stop correction and then I fine tune the result in Photoshop. I always go for ‘darker’ when I’m in doubt.

What you might want to fix is the blue 'chromatic Aberration' (see example), visible on the edges of her shirt, a result of a shifted blue channel. It's not your fault, it sadly a problem of most camera lenses. If it doesn't bother, just leave it the way it is.

Well done!

Thanks so much Wings- this is very helpful info! I really do need to get a fully manual digicam... *sigh* The good news is, even my Kodak has the ability to compensate the exposure- I just forgot about it! The blue on her shirt does annoy me somewhat, but like Liz said, there's a good chance that no one else will even notice... with that said, have I finally found my home on the web with hundreds of other perfectionists such as myself?

Thanks again... I'll be saving this info for future use!

[kkraczek]

This is a great shot IMO. As far as the highlights in the hair go, I think you can get away with it because it's not that harsh - and I for one light highlights in hair. I agree, it's a little overly highlighted, but for people who aren't as picky as us photographers, they will pass it over, or may even like it. The highlights in the grass are also distracting - once again, for those who are not photographers, not a concern.

BTW, she is beautiful - and her face is not affected - good composition, sharp. Beautiful smile. A keeper for sure. ;)

Liz

Thanks Liz, it's very funny that you should mention liking the highlights, because I do as well! I didn't mean for them to be quite so blown out, but I love the look of the sun on her hair... thanks for your sweet comments too, she is my baby and she loves the camera! (my other 2 kids could care less really ;) ) Have a great night!

[Wings]

The blue on her shirt does annoy me somewhat

That's an interesting topic. Some people tend to remove an overall blue color cast (sky), but I'm always careful with that. One tends to make an image too 'artificial' and that's something I think we should try to avoid, but hey, that's just my personal opinion.
If it doesn't bother me too much, then I prefer to leave it the way it is.

[kkraczek]

Kristen,

Try taking the photo earlier in the morning or late afternoon, 4pm to 5.30pm depending on the length of time you have light available. At present here in Australia the Sun is going down around 5.30pm hence why I suggested the above times. This will help with not such harsh lighting.

Move your daughter away from the bushes and use a smaller depth of field to blur the background more.

Cut the grass it is too long and is distracting in the shot, if you like, get something and put it on the ground and have her sitting on that, something more attractive than long grass (this is to help with cutting down on distractions of the photo main image not because it isn't good to use grass). Get rid of the distracting things sticking out of obvious places like the dead bit of foliage out of her left shoulder.

White on a bright day is going to help to confuse the light metering in the camera, look maybe at changing her top to something less reflective of light, maybe light blue, or a peach type of colour just as suggestions to think about. Remebering that colours can be reflected onto the subject as well, which can be distracting to the final image like the blue abberration that has been mentioned on her pants, but that might be because of loosely saving in jpg format for internet purposes as well.

With digital images you often need to do a little unsharpen masking of the image, with settings of

Amount 100-200%, Radius 0.1-0.3, threshold 2, as a starting base and see what the differneces make. Ensure you are viewing the image at 100% when you are making any adjustments as well, to see what the real effects are.

For internet web posting the image with a profile of sRGB is also recommended as well.

Hope these little thoughts of mine help.

Thanks Peter, I actually did shoot that at 5:30, but the sun doesn't go down here until after 7:30, so I probably would have been better waiting a little longer. Unfortunately, I don't have the option of changing DOF with this camera, but I'm working on saving up my $$ for one that I can! ;)

I did hesitate putting her in the white shirt, and it might have worked better in lesser light, but I like the simpleness of it.

I will keep playing with it in photoshop- thanks for the suggestions!

As far as cutting the grass, well, that might have to wait for my husband to do on the weekend.... hehehe

[Peter_AUS]

Kristin, just moving here several fee away from the foliage should help to get the background out of picture depth a bit. Try around 6.30pm might be better light, coming in at around 45 degrees. You can always hang a white sheet on the right side of her and take an image that way you get softer light comming through the sheet, like a large softbox. Some white foamcore on her right (left of camera and you can reflect light back into her as well.

My wife's the same about grass cutting, but now we don't have to worry about it at all, live in a townhouse complex so the gardeners do it, although things are pretty well stopping with growth here at present, as we have a water crisis and there are bans on using sprinklers, so nothing is being watered that much at all.

Look forward to next images.

[Liz]

Your camera does a great job, even though you can't tweak it as you would like. I'm always amazed at these little P&S auto cameras. I've seen some great photos - this is one of them.

Liz

Thanks Liz, it's very funny that you should mention liking the highlights, because I do as well! I didn't mean for them to be quite so blown out, but I love the look of the sun on her hair... thanks for your sweet comments too, she is my baby and she loves the camera! (my other 2 kids could care less really ;) ) Have a great night!

[kkraczek]

Your camera does a great job, even though you can't tweak it as you would like. I'm always amazed at these little P&S auto cameras. I've seen some great photos - this is one of them.

Liz

Thanks, Liz... you have all made my night!