Occasionally, it may be difficult post processing a photograph subjectively and objectively at the same time.
At other times, you may be trying to, speak, express a viewpoint or opinion with a photograph; And the only real way to determine the measure of success, is to find out what the response is from your audience.
Are you experimenting or trying a new technique in post processing?
Are you trying to improve your photography?
Tweaking a final edit for an important Exhibition and would like a second opinion?
Or simply, interested to know what other folk may think about your work?
Please note; towards Exclusivity Rights, some Photography Competition Rules may insist that entries have not been published anywhere else! So if you are seeking opinion for a competition entry, please check the rules for that competition first.
This thread is where you may like to post an image for constructive critique and feedback.
Comments should be helpful and kind in nature, constructive and supportive (bearing in mind, that quite often people photograph from the heart)
There is regular critique, that the site does not provide enough critique. (Hope I make sense.)
I, for starters, am not really in a position to give constructive feedback, as my technical knowledge is virtually non existent, and I could not tell someone how to improve a shot. Apart from the obvious wonky horizon, that is. And I do not think, everyone would be happy with, unasked for, critique.
For those who want advice, there is this, sadly much under used, thread.
I have recently started to use RAW, and am slowly getting to grips with it.
Jpeg would not have given the same result in this case, I think.
It was taken in virtual darkness, handheld (no tripods allowed), with a very high ISO. To make it even more difficult, the actors were constantly moving.
I am very pleased with the result, but in the land of the blind ... (almost literally in this case!)
Any advice on what to think of next time, and how I could have improved the end result is very welcome.
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11140/normal_King_Charles_again_res.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17464&fullsize=1)
Let me shake your hand for achieving this handheld in dark with them moving. I failed miserably recently visiting caves and the rocks were still. I'm looking on my little cheap tablet and can't get true effect but it looks like an old painting. Apart from looking a little unbalanced re where actors are standing (just my opinion of course) I can't say anything negative. Lighting looks soft and fits the theme.
The only thing I would do if it were mine would be to try a square crop. But only if it could be achieved without loosing the bottom of the dress or the top of the door frame.
To my mind it is a little bit too dark and the noise reduction has rather smeared a lot of the detail. I would first of all use the Topaz high pass noise reduction/sharpening technique (http://blog.topazlabs.com/tutorials/image-sharpening-trick/) to try to recover some of the detail from the noise, and then open the image in my editor, duplicate the base layer and change the blend mode to screen. You can then reduce the opacity as required to give the desired result, and/or mask off various areas to keep darker shadows where you want them.
Just my tuppence worth. And DD is right, hand held in that light with moving subjects is quite an achievement.
Thank you all.
I may have a go at the advised techniques, and see where it takes me.
Composition wise, there wasn't much I could do. The actors were performing in one of the galleries, with the public sitting in the window seats on the left. I stood at the 'top' (as close as possible), and apart from barging right through the scene, I could not do much to get an different perspective.
H, I've got Topaz denoise, but have not really used it, so I'm not familiar with it. Is this the same as the one you mentioned?
Graham I'll see if it can be cropped square while keeping the details.
Is this an exercise in hand held photography or an image that should be appreciated. The latter I think. Pin sharp is an often quoted attribute to an image, but what if it's not? Does that really matter as long as the feeling and atmosphere comes across?
I think perhaps a little judicious cropping would help, but then that's my take on it, and does that really matter. If every suggestion made is applied to the image what would we end up with? The old adage about a camel and a horse designed by a committee springs to mind.
It also raises the question of who is competent enough to say whether or no any image is of any worth and what would improve it apart from the blatantly obvious things. R's comment about wonky horizons a case in point.
And there's always the thickness of the author's skin to take into account. :legit:
Alan is, of course correct. Pin sharpness is not always necessary or desirable, it depends what you want to get across. It's just a personal thing, but I find noise reduction smearing more unpleasant to look at than the noise it is trying to get rid of.
Re, the link goes to a tutorial on how to use a denoising high pass filter to ameliorate some of the denoising smear. It' bit long winded, and I only mention it on the off chance it might be of some small relevance.
Ultimately it's your picture, does it convey what you want it to?
As for Alan's camel, why not see how it would look with all the suggesed tweaks done? It could be both amusing and instructive.
Thank you all. Have been trying to get a clearer version with the clothes a bit more vibrant, but am struggling.
Giving up for the time being, it's taking too much time.
H, tried to follow the tutorial, but how do I get a high pass duplicate in E11? Or did I misunderstand something?
Alan, the picture is a bit dull, and I have not been able to get it right (yet?).
And the thickness of my skin varies. It all depends on the image in question (and how I 'feel' about it), who gives advice, and how it is given. And yes, sometimes it does not go down well, but when I ask for it, anything goes.
Been struggling so long, I haven't had breakfast yet, so that's now my first priority.
Re, open your image as a background layer, duplicate that by either right clicking and selecting 'duplicate layer', or drag the background layer to the layers icon (looks like a square piece of paper with the edge folded over: in my copy of E11 it's at the top right hand side of the layers panel) to replicate it. The go to the filter menu, other, and choose high pass. Use enhance, convert to black and white to desaturate it.
I had to open my copy of E11 to work this out - I really hate the interface on that version >:(
I rather like the general composition Reinardina. It describes the passage of Time to me, and I personally would not want to crop the image proportions. The lighting lends itself towards the feel gained in viewing old paintings and I think the lead in lines will really work well, if the image is adjusted to provide more appealing verticals on the lefthand side.
From the original I would approach it as follows;
Firstly, reducing digital noise levels locally, so the reduction is graduated to areas, figures, floor, walls (to maintain the textures you desire to keep).
Secondly, increasing vibrancy of the actor figures (perhaps adjusting their White Balance and Brightness as a separate entity, so as to afford any separate tweeking to atmosphere of the corridor).
Thirdly, adjust for vertical and horizontal balance, and finally add finishing touches with Dodge and Burn tools to carry the eye around the image and along the corridor, addressing any distracting elements; Bearing in mind that reducing the light level through the door into the garden may well have the effect of reducing the visual length of the corridor (just as dark colours painted on a wall shortens the room).
Taking a second look so to speak. As the righthand side of the shot sits comfortable to the eye; Dragging the bottom left corner out horizontally until the window jambs look vertical, and then the top left corner up a bit to adjust the doorway lintel, the lady to the left may appear less laid back within the scene (and the little bright spot top left may then be out of shot :-\).
Just a further thought upon adjusting perspective more evenly. An alternative option is to rotate the image clockwise to even up the door lintel, and then adjust the vertical distortions left and right to sit comfortably to and within the frame of shot.
Hope this helps rather than confuses
Have fun as I feel sure the end result will be well worth the effort :tup:
Getting a bit overwhelmed, but still trying.
Tried to sharpen it with a high pass filter, but I do not seem to have the 'smart sharpen' filter. Is that a Photoshop, rather than E11 thing, or am I getting too tired?
The colours are now more vibrant, and the shadows are purple. I did straighten the picture and played with blending modes.
This is how far I got, for the time being. Not sure whether I made it better or worse.
(http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/11140/normal_Charles_sh_etc_res.jpg) (http://cameracraniums.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=17468&fullsize=1)
Overwhelmed or confused, or both?
If you've managed to put all suggestions into play it's obvious your "Double Dutch" has stood you in good stead! I can never remember doing anything as complicated as what has been suggested on various posts. :doh:
The image now looks much brighter but has been reduced to a run of the mill photoshopped image that appears every day, on here and other forums. It now appears as a record shot of the event rather than your individual take on it, lacking atmosphere and a peek at the past.
When you get an image like this and have worked on it for a few hours without achieving what you want, put it away for a couple of weeks and return with a fresh eye. It's amazing how you see things that have escaped you previously. After all there's no need to hurry things if you have no deadline to meet. The urge to show your work with immediacy is natural but is usually a sign that it hasn't been given too much thought.
That piece of advice was given to me years ago by a photographer of many years experience who's work I greatly admired. ;)
Overwhelmed, confused and very tired. I cannot see subtle changes when using sliders, which makes it extra difficult.
I followed some of the advice, reading and working on it at the same time, as a lot of the advice was new to me.
The original version reminded me of an old painting, the new one probably looks like that painting when it was new; brash and bright, without the patina of centuries of smoke, dirt, dust and yellowing varnish.
I won't have time to go back to it today, and I may well shelve it for a while, or altogether, but I am learning new techniques, so it is a good exercise. I can always turn it into a monochrome of course.
Does anyone know how to edit/import RAW files in Topaz?
Looking at what you have done, I agree with Alan, it's far from subtle . . but as you say you are learning new techniques. Unfortunately surface blur is not available in Elements 11, which completely negates the Topaz NR high pass detail recovery technique.
Quote from: Reinardina on May 02, 2015, 08:43:47 AM
Does anyone know how to edit/import RAW files in Topaz?
Topaz does not support RAW files. As a plugin it needs a host editor. It does, however, support 16 bit images. The problem you have got is that PS Elements is effectively 8 bit only - you can open a background layer in 16 bit from the ACR interface, but then there is nothing much you can do with it.
I think I have misunderstood the concept of this critique thread.
I had it in my head that the critique would be mainly pointing to how the shot could (if at all) be improved at stage one. I.E. getting it right in camera.
Suggestions on framing, composition, exposure and metering etc
I'm crap at post editing and find the whole process boring and laborious, although necessary most of the time in my case.
I would like to put my efforts into getting it right in camera. Much more fun at times imho.
Therefore I can offer very little advice in this instance.
Cheers
Tony
Quote from: Alfonso_Frisk on May 02, 2015, 09:41:06 PM
I think I have misunderstood the concept of this critique thread.
I had it in my head that the critique would be mainly pointing to how the shot could (if at all) be improved at stage one. I.E. getting it right in camera.
Suggestions on framing, composition, exposure and metering etc
I'm crap at post editing and find the whole process boring and laborious, although necessary most of the time in my case.
I would like to put my efforts into getting it right in camera. Much more fun at times imho.
Therefore I can offer very little advice in this instance.
Cheers
Tony
"Let's start at the very beginning, that's a very good place to start" as Julie Andrews would have us do! Of course getting it right in camera is perhaps the most important stage, that's if circumstances, camera position, access to the subject/s allow, but those conditions are not always there at the time. Landscape yes, still life yes, portraiture yes, architecture yes, flowers yes. Where things are on the move it's a little different, mainly correct exposure and focus take front stage and things can be tidied up later.
I only put this in because I'm trying to keep the thread going and stop it dying after one 'critique' session, which as we all know always happens. ::) Such threads disappear in a welter of competition posts as are buried never to be seen again. Perhaps a Bump now and again would help?
BUMP!
I interpreted it as a thread for advice on anything to get a better result. But it doesn't really matter, what form of critique is asked for/wanted/needed.
As Alan says, the opportunity is here, but very much under used. Not really used at all.
I have a few other high ISO shots of 'playlets' at Hampton Court (King George this time), where the actors were literally running around, through galleries and up and down a staircase. Thank goodness there was also a short period, where they were a bit more static. I'll have a look at them today. The appalling weather seems ideal for a bit of editing.
I may post another one here for advice/critique. I'll see how I get along.
I am now experimenting with the 'High Pass' filter and Topaz Denoise.
I'd never used the filter before, don't think I ever spotted it.
What is the intrinsic value of this filter, and what is it meant to do?
High pass sharpening is just another tool in the armoury, if you find that the usual unsharp mask technique is a little too harsh at times. I personally rarely use it.
It can be used for other things too. (http://photography.tutsplus.com/tutorials/3-fantastic-uses-of-the-photoshop-high-pass-filter--photo-1721)
The detail recovery technique using Topaz NR does really need the surface blur stage to work, otherwise you just end up with more strident noise, and as you have noticed, more unwanted colour saturation. Serif's Photoplus has a surface blur filter (in the filter gallery) and supports Topaz plugins (only 8 bit in the current release, but the next release due soon is rumoured to support 16 bit plugins).
Thanks. I'll look into it.
Hiya been a while since I posted anything in here I took this last week any cc welcome and hopefully you will see my shots are better than when I last posted in here
I like the photo, very atmospheric, but for proper feedback, you will have to rely on other, more experienced photographers.
There are plenty on the site, I hope they pop in and advise you on things that are spot on, or might be improved (and how to do it).
It's good to have you back.
Thanks reinardina it's good to be back hopefully I'll get to enter some of those weekly comps again it's been too long
First. a big thank you for posting! I was genuinely surprised to see a new entry in this thread, and very pleased to do so. However (there's always a caveat isn't there?) like Tony I read the purpose of the thread to be confined specifically to post processing - and my first concern is always the things that come before that stage.
I made a list of (so far - as I've only spent a few minutes on it) and have currently 8 points that I am personally not happy with. Having got that far, it became obvious to me that I had no idea what you were trying to achieve, and without that it's impossible to provide meaningful criticism. It's easy to demonstrate that you can list half a dozen obvious "errors" in an image and slate it for them, and yet turn it round and list the same half dozen points as being intentional and providing the key to correctly interpreting the image and praise it accordingly.
I intend to come back to this later when I have more time, but I will give my notes so far (which I'd normally expand to give reasons and explain what I mean) so you can see how my mind is working. The comments are in the order in which I saw them. Under "why" I began wondering about, well, why you took it/presented it like this as it makes a considerable difference. Knowing that would be a big help to me in knowing how to approach this.
Vignetting/dark top LH corner - dark semicircular band
Stray beam bottom centre
No detail in top centre - overexposed
Unsharp - may or may not be intended (fog/ethereal effect)
Limited tonal range
"Missed" triangles in centre - viewpoint
Foreground
Sombre with sun beams
Why?
Not a record or intended to show the structure - no detail
Evoke misty effect? Too dark
Thanks Stephen by missed triangles do you mean I should have got light coming through all the arches to show what they are also it was really foggy so that may be gave it the unsharp effect I don't know
Badly drawn, but these triangles which, if complete, would have echoed the triangular shapes at the top of the arches and the shafts of sunlight. It looks as if a shift to the left would have closed the gap, but it's hard to be certain without being there. There's a slightly extended explanation in a short article I wrote for a local magazine which you can find here:
https://stephenbatey.wordpress.com/arty/moving-the-immoveable-object/ (https://stephenbatey.wordpress.com/arty/moving-the-immoveable-object/)
I've marked up your photo, but Firefox crashes if I try to post attachments. I'll try to edit it in in Opera in a moment.
I hope that this manages to post; otherwise I'll have to try more oblique methods.
My list was only that - a list; to make any real sense I would have to explain, as it was only an aide memoire to myself, and posted just to give a vague idea of how my mind was working, and hopefully indicate why I found it difficult to be certain of what to look for.
Hmmm maybe if I was lower down I'd have hidden part of the triangle with the tree
Hi Andy and welcome back. Nice to see a fellow suffering NUFC supporter on here!
I`m not bothered about triangles and the like and just how an image hits me and trying to guess what the photographer is aiming to portray. Without access to the exif details and the original I`m left wondering what camera was used / how it was edited.
For me what leaps out are the overexposed sections , especially that burn in front of the bridge but then shooting into a bright sun it is hard to minimise the effect without darkening the rest of the image. The rest of the image lacks clarity with the heavy vignetting only serving to emphasis the burned out centre more I am afraid. I think the foreground tree helps balance the bridge in overall image and so would not want you to change position to lose that foreground light background to it. The placement of the foliage and trees draw attention to the viaduct - for me a train crossing it in silhouette and the prime point of focus would have lifted the image entirely and given it more appeal to me - but then I guess you couldn`t control the train arrival ;). That aside it does put across a misty, ephemeral feel with that lens flare highlighting the brightness in the gloom. If that`s what you were seeking - not far off. I might have tried moving left to have the sun shooting through the leaves and leave less impact but then again I have no idea of the lie of the ground and what you were aiming for. Well done on putting an image up for critique on your return though ;)
Hiya jinky it's actually a road bridge so the train is a bit out of question also the vignetting was done on my phone as my laptop died so waiting arrival of a new 1 this week ?I use the Canon 550 the original photo as in colour but I just tried to give it more atmosphere all critique taken on board and my next visit I'll try a slight different angle hopefully with a bit of snow aswell if I can get while it's about
And as for my beloved toon oh dear :'(
Yeah sad days for us Toon fans - as ever!
And therein lies the danger of offering critique on others shots - me not knowing the layout or what I`m talking about :).
Still think you should have got a train across it though - steam preferable ;).
I like the mood anyway - lighter than our mood as Toon fans :D
Quote from: jinky on November 25, 2015, 09:53:41 AM
I`m not bothered about triangles and the like and just how an image hits me and trying to guess what the photographer is aiming to portray. Without access to the exif details and the original I`m left wondering what camera was used / how it was edited.
I'm not bothered about triangles per se either - they were just a compositional device that in this instance would/could have unified and strengthened the composition, even if the viewer couldn't see exactly how the effect was achieved. Art concealing art, in fact.
To me, the technicalities are relatively worthless. If I wanted technical excellence and complete mastery, I'd only photograph test charts. With real world photographs, what I look for are images that make me think, that make me pause for thought, that make me admire the craft and vision of the photographer. So I simply don't bother about technical points, and knowing what's in the EXIF data won't make a blind bit of difference to how the image actually looks. I honestly don't think you need to know it to be able to see the depth of field, camera shake, exposure errors or noise or grain.
Andy - is there any point in my writing up my notes? You seem to have moved on and I don't want to waste my time if all you want are technical points, because I don't do them (except in passing to indicate how a technical change could have achieved an improved/stronger artistic effect.
Quote from: andydo on November 25, 2015, 02:05:41 PM
all critique taken on board
stephen if there was no point i wouldnt have posted the photo here
OK, I'll write and post - but it might be a long post. The reason I wanted to know why you took the photo will need a lengthy explanation in itself. In the meantime, you might like to read this
https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/tutorials/understanding-photographs.112/ (https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/tutorials/understanding-photographs.112/)
It's a chapter from a book I'm writing, and is about understanding photographs. It concludes with a critique of a couple of photographs. Actually, two different critiques, one good, one bad, where the only difference was the starting assumtion as to intent. For present purposes, it's perhaps not quite relevant as the starting points were basically the same in that they ignore most of the different possible reasons for/types of photography, and this should be considered first.
I did read your earlier response as though you'd more or less considered the topic closed; and I have had experience (on another forum) that if you comment on a photo more than a couple of days after it's been posted your comments won't be read because the poster has moved on...
Re your "Starting point as to intent". My local camera club recently ran a competition for prints showing a Scottish Landscape. I entered one showing hills and a loch with a castle fairly small in the foreground. I titled it the name of the castle, as it wasn't a well-known one. The judge gave it very low marks. He said that a photo of a castle should have made it more prominent. I'm sure if the title had been "Lochside" or similar it would have scored much better...
Simon
I took the photo as I liked the look of the view and wanted to show others
Thought I would throw a couple of pictures in here - taken last Saturday at Mira in Nuneaton.
(https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/Motorsport/Horiba%20Disis%202018/slides/1DX_3017%20Canon%20EOS-1D%20X.jpg)
(https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/Motorsport/Horiba%20Disis%202018/slides/1DX_3129%20Canon%20EOS-1D%20X.jpg)
This is actually the winning car
and finally this one.
(https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/Motorsport/Horiba%20Disis%202018/slides/1DX_3172%20Canon%20EOS-1D%20X.jpg)
Hi Mark,
I particularly like the top photo of the three.I like the composition and that includes the track snaking away into the distance. The spray behind the car adds a sense of speed and drama. Good colours too.
The other two photos don't work quite as well for me. Nothing wrong with them per se, just not as good as the first for me. I find the wonky sign in the BWM photo a bit of a distraction but I understand that you may not have had the luxury at the time of managing this.
Just my thoughts and I'm certainly no expert. And I'd be pleased if I had taken them, especially the first one.
Good work.
I did clone out the sign (Its an arrow telling the driver where the track goes next!) and it does look a lot better - unfortunately I was limited to the position I could move to - and it wasn't possible to get the two shots (The high speed pan down the straight could have been taken from pretty much anywhere that I could access) - and I'm not sure that the tail happy BM could have been taken from a better position.
Not excuses just how it is with motorsport photography - up to about 2/3 years ago I would have been on the grass probably, using a much shorter focal length and not the long end of my 100-400mm.
To be fair, the first one is my favourite from the day - and yes the rain does make it - I have been to Spa 3 times (Not the F1) and the first one it rained and I got much better looking shots than the subsequent years when it was dry.
Great series of photos. :tup:
Nice set - especially that first one ;)
Thought I would see what people thought of this one. Has some photoshop tweeks - which won't suit many images, but thought this one worked.
(https://cameracraniums.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10190/normal_IMG_7010_Sat.jpg) (https://cameracraniums.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=23873&fullsize=1)
I like it angelfire. It is dramatic and great colour. Couple of things for me:
- Crop is too tight for me - a bit more space around the model would be good for me
- The skin tones are a bit ott
Great shot. Remember if you like the photo that's all that matters. :tup:
Quote from: jinky on October 17, 2020, 11:46:11 AM
I like it angelfire. It is dramatic and great colour. Couple of things for me:
- Crop is too tight for me - a bit more space around the model would be good for me
- The skin tones are a bit ott
To be fair the whole thing is a bit OTT ;) But I like it - for this type of image - probably some others - body builders and the like - I'd do a self portrait except for one detail......
Quote from: Oldboy on October 17, 2020, 12:11:16 PM
Great shot. Remember if you like the photo that's all that matters. :tup:
Absolutely. :tup:
I do like to read others thoughts - but I don't take them too seriously - life is, as they say, too short. They say life is a journey and we all have only one destination so enjoy it while you can!
The new update to Photoshop includes an option to select the sky.
And it does a very nice job allowing easy selection and subsequent adjustments!
Before
(https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/The%20Lakes/slides/1DX_6913%20Canon%20EOS-1D%20X.jpg)
After
(https://www.mark.colston-online.co.uk/The%20Lakes/slides/1DX_6913%20Canon%20EOS-1D%20X%20ps.jpg)
Looks good, allowing for subtle changes.