Lunch break in Paris... (for lack of a better title)

[Meysha]

A selective colour that I created a few months ago from a picture I took while in Paris. The full on colour one just didn't really do it for me, because even in that version - there was still the big white patch on the right hand side. So luckily when I converted it, I was able to pull out some detail of the ground there so it's not full on. But then it still looked lopped sided while it was black and white so I just added the colour back in (but a lot less saturated than the real colour) to the other side in the flowers. and ta daaa.

So I was just wondering what you think of the 'look' of the selective colouring or if there's something else you think I should try on it.

Cheers! and thanks for looking! :hug::

oh and if you've got an idea for a title that'd be great... the only reason I haven't posted it here earlier is that I couldn't and still can't think of a title for it. Thanks.

 

[erniehatt]

Hi Vicky, I took the liberty of making a copy and having a closer look, Have since deleted the copy. If you make a selection around the bright area, feather it about 50, then use levels to darken it down, it looks better. Also you have a much better picture inside this one, which would more go along with your present Title. Crop from just behind and below the second person along the bench, then out to the right and to the bottom. Give it a try, I think you may like the end result. The colour popping is great. Ernie

 

[OBrien]

Great photo Meysha, and good spot by you too Ernie, that crop is very nice.

 

[cbay]

Hey! i love this shot!, How did you do that effect?? did you use PhotoShop or which software?

 

[M @ k o]

Wow Meysha.... Whata shot. I love eveything about this piece, especially the lonesome crow walking towards the benches. It really gives it a kick. Nice Work !

 

[Meysha]

Hey thanks Ernie! That's really useful what you pointed out there. I tried that crop you suggested and I like it! - the flowers are a little distracting though but I'll have a fiddle and see what works. Thanks again.

hahaha I don't think it's a crow mako. I think it's actually a pigeon or something like that. But shhh, we'll just say it's a crow ok. ;-)

cbay, ahh you make me giggle (not in a bad way - don't worry) If you do a search in the tutorials section of the forum for "Selective colouring" You should see a few different ways to do it.

I just create a Hue/Saturation layer. Drop the Sat down to a level I like. Then hit enter.
Then add a channel mix layer and tick the monochrome box and change the levels until you get a B&W pic looking like you want. Hit enter
Then on the layer mask part of the channel mixer layer, just paint black where you want the desaturated layer from beneath to show through.

Wow... I hope that made sense. It's late here and i'm all sleepy. Good luck and thanks for all of your comments - they were all especially helpful!

Edit: oops, also try searching for 'selective coloring' without the 'u' in colour. And yes i used photoshop. You should be able to do the same thing in any software - so long as you can use layer masks.