First try at B&W

[Pink Dragonfly]

This was nice in colour, so I thought I'd try it in B&W!

The composition there's not much I can do about, there was a lot of other kids around and I had to get rid of odd bits of arms, legs and what have you... I just really liked the expression of this girl, deep in thought.

I'm not really sure how to convert to B&W - this one is the colour image desaturated (I'm a novice at PP), not really knowing what else to do...Is there a better way?

I've sharpened it a little but I'm very unsure of what to do with light and contrast?

Mette

[Greg McCary]

I like this one fine, Check gahspidy's web site. At one time he had a great section for converting to B&W, maybe it is still there.

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks I tried to find it without luck but I'm not sure I was looking in the right place? I did see loads of great photos though

Mette

[jetrim]

I like the "timeless" quality to this, very nice Mette

[A.M.D.A.]

VERY nicely done and works like magic in B&W!

Love that tight crop, which places full emphasis on the girl's face and eliminates most distracting elements (wish there was a way to remove that extra bit of hair on the left side and a dark spot near the upper-right corner). Those eye catchlights and slight head tilt "liven up", without them I'm sure it would be a different photo indeed.

OK, I'll be a little nitpicky... : Maybe if more of the head were included then it would have been better – but still a terrific photo as is. Also, her left eye has three catchlights, try cloning two out. There really isn't anything major to improve, just tiny retouchings.

To conclude – I'd say this is the best work I've seen from you so far. Keep it up! :thumbsup:

[Frog]

Works for me.....nicely done!

Keep shooting!

[Shebang]

So natural looking. Very nice.

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thank you all

Alex, I love it when you are being nitpicky That's how I learn!!!

I had to crop some of the head because of some distraction or other...
I agree with you on the hair on the left, maybe I could crop off a few mm more?
I hadn't seen the two extra catchlights, thanks for letting me know but how do I clone???
I presume this cloning lark could also get rid of that dark patch at the top right? Or most of it...

(If we had had a PP forum, that is definitely where I would have posted )

Mette

[A.M.D.A.]

Thank you all

Alex, I love it when you are being nitpicky That's how I learn!!!

I had to crop some of the head because of some distraction or other...
I agree with you on the hair on the left, maybe I could crop off a few mm more?
I hadn't seen the two extra catchlights, thanks for letting me know but how do I clone???
I presume this cloning lark could also get rid of that dark patch at the top right? Or most of it...

(If we had had a PP forum, that is definitely where I would have posted )

Mette

How to clone? Depends on which image editing program you are using. With GIMP 2.4.5, if you press "C" on the computer keyboard, the clone tool will come up. But in order to get optimum results, switch over to the tool options window and alter the cloning circle, maybe also the opacity too.

Here's my shot at cloning out the two other catchlights (Not really a huge difference, though). About the corner spot – I think it won't be possible, or at least extremely hard, since the cloning will have to be done very meticulously around individual hair strands.

I toyed around with different cropping angles to try to eliminate the adjacent girl's hair and the corner spot, but didn't quite like what was left after cropping. (A missing ear makes a much less powerful image). It should be OK as is now, and as I mentioned, I was just being "nitpicky" , no big deal about the spot and hair. :thumbsup:

[Pink Dragonfly]

Thanks, Alex You also fixed that little white something in her other eye that I decided was more to do with her eye than my photo?

I thought you meant the hair of the adjacent girl, ie to the left in the photo? You meant the strands of hair that are coming out behind her ear?

Mette

[A.M.D.A.]

Thanks, Alex You also fixed that little white something in her other eye that I decided was more to do with her eye than my photo?

Yes, I did fix it – but can be "undone" if you want. (Within 24h).

I thought you meant the hair of the adjacent girl, ie to the left in the photo? You meant the strands of hair that are coming out behind her ear?

I meant the hair from the adjacent girl to the left of the photo. The strand by the ear is just fine.

[Pink Dragonfly]

Okay, I just got confused by the missing ear bit

I took your version and cropped a little bit off to the left, not sure it makes much difference?

Mette

[zrfraser]

I like the crop and the catchlights in the eyes. It just seems little flat to me. It needs just a slight bump in the contrast. If this was film I would have a hard time of picking this or one step higher in filter. It seems like all of the zones are covered, it just something to make it pop a bit more.