Before & After

pharmakon · Apr 23, 2010

Hello.

My grandfather is currently in Hospice care, after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year now. I was going back through some photos in search of something for my father to remember him by. The folowing are from last thanksgiving, one of the last times the family got to spend with my grandfather in a happy, coherent state.

Orig1.

Edited1:

Orig2:

Edited 2:

I was really new to photography at the time these were taken. I understand that the originals were noisy and poorly exposed, and I really f'd up the white balance (fortunately they were shot in RAW). I know now that there were several things that could have been done "in camera" to improve the photos.

What I want to know is your opinion of the edits, and if there is anything else I could do to improve them as they are, considering that I will not be able to go back and reshoot.

Thanks for your time.

LBPhotog · Apr 23, 2010

the edits are very nice and will be very nice for your father.

gsgary · Apr 23, 2010

I like the warness of the originals better
I know what you are going through i helped care for my father when he had terminal cancer, he died in my arms at the age of only 45 back in 1984 when i was 20 the sad thing is that i only have 1 6x4 of him because he would not let anyone take his photo

bennielou · Apr 23, 2010

I'm sorry that your dad is ill. :-(

Your white balance looks pretty much perfect. Maybe a tad on the blue side, so maybe just kick up that slider a bit. A tiny bit. It's pretty darn perfect though.

Hugs to you and your Dad.

Sbuxo · Apr 23, 2010

I also liked the warmness in the originals, maybe just taking it down but not completely deleting it would have been better.

bennielou · Apr 23, 2010

Wayyyyy to warm in the originals. Way way way.

pharmakon · Apr 23, 2010

thanks, all of you. I pushed the w/b back to the warm side just a bit and it does look good. After staring at it for so long it is hard to tell just where it should be so I appreciate the feedback.

Is the faked DOF obvious? I wanted to take away the distraction of the man in the background, especially in #2 where he is looking right into the camera.

bennielou · Apr 23, 2010

I totally didn't notice the faked DOF so that means it's good!

gpardo64 · Apr 23, 2010

pharmakon I am sorry to here your grandfather is sick.

I like the original better; it is more natural and warm.

Bitter Jeweler · Apr 23, 2010

Love the last one, very much.

While I figure you want who I assume to be your dad in the back, I would try to clone him out, and that image will be really touching, in my mind at least.

c.cloudwalker · Apr 23, 2010

I like the second one better but this is purely subjective. Both my dad and father-in-law are pianists so... I have a soft spot for them. Also because playing the piano is about the only thing my f-i-l can still do correctly. When you talk of "coherent state," I know exactly what you mean.

Like gsgary, I much prefer the warm tones of the originals. You could tone them down if it bothers you but I think you went a bit too far in the edits. Warm tones help the warm feelings.

Other than that, the fake DOF is just fine. It works very nicely. I like the person (your dad?) in the background but if your going to cut him in half as in the first one, yes, it might be better to just clone him out.

pharmakon · Apr 23, 2010

I started trying to do some cloning, but I'm having a little difficulty making it believable. I will try again tonight but I have to pack now. thanks again for your thoughts.

JasonLambert · Apr 23, 2010

pharmakon said:

This photo with just a slight DOF and Cooled down just a tad would be great (for me). The photo shows a man who has lived a nice life. The pictures on the wall behind him and the family member watching over him as he is playing make this shot for me. It shows his love for family (photos) and his family's love for him (the attention from the guy in the BG). I personally Love this picture and if I were your father I would be very proud to display this photo in my home.

Great job!

EDIT: After looking at it again I see another thing that I love... His eyes... I know you can't see them but the way they are (or look) closed gives me the feeling that as he is playing a song that is meaningful to him he is reflecting on the past. Again Bravo!

Derrel · Apr 23, 2010

JasonLambert said everything I wanted to say. Every single point I was thinking as I looked thru this thread, Jason summarized beautifully and eloquently. I like the background man, who I assume might be your grandfather's own middle-aged son. And the photo, with that little out of focus corner of the piano, the photos on the wall, the flowers, and the symbolic halo emanating from behind your granddad--just sublime.