Comment and critique please!

[Inklingforsake]

I am a beginner and have been using Nikon D3400 for about 3 months now and I just bought the Nikkor 50mm/1.8G prime lens.

The picture below did not pop according to me. So I did some editing (very new to editing and not even sure if I am doing the right thing).

Which one is better? Before or After or would you suggest something else? OR is it a bad shot? Please critique!

Settings: 1/325, f/1.8, ISO 200, no flash

Original

Edit 1

Edit 2

 

[Ysarex]

I prefer the original over your edits. What software did you use to do the edits? What did you edit -- the JPEG from the camera or do you have an NEF file?

I'm teasing a bit here, but what is "pop"? I find that a major impediment to learning how to process photos involves language. If you don't have the words to describe what needs to be adjusted you tend to flounder around. There's no adjustment controls in any of the processing software that I use called pop.

The images you have here are pretty small -- might help if we can get a better look at some larger images.

Joe

 

[Trever1t]

I also prefer the first one. The main issue is lighting, or lack of. Meter for your subject and let the background do what it will.

 

[Derrel]

I took your JPEG original, and brought it into Lightroom, and did a few simple things to it.

So, this ^^^ is the original image you uploaded.

I wanted to do as little as possible, but to try to improve the shot, and to get at least somewhat accurate color.

Based on the earlier shots you posted, I tried to keep the same white balance by using a 8x magnification and a white-of-the-eyball WB sample with the eyedropper tool. I "think" this is pretty close to the WB of the photo of her from your other thread. I think this WB also better shows her hair color, with the henna-colored tips, and keeps the color of the train platform more concrete-colored and neutral.

I did very little to your JPEG original. Here is the list of simple changes. I wanted to make the changes simple, so they could be done in multiple applications.

I added 0.25 EV of exposure...I added a bit of digital Fill Light, which lightened her hair shadows up quite a bit; I dropped the contrast to -7 points, added +6 for mid-tone clarity (mid-tone contrast), and added quite a bit of Vibrance, which brough the neon colors and the yellow paint on the paltform's color back to a richer, more-vibrant yellow look. I left the saturation alone, left the blacks alone, left the brightness alone, and did 0.0 on highlight recovery. I left the chromatic aberration (the green fringing) along the fluorescent light fixture on the backgrund celiling area, as a "lens signature" calling card.

To me this has a bit more "Pop!" than the original. Maybe it's not how you envisioned it. But I think it has a bit more "oomph!" than the original .JPEG file had.

 

[Derrel]

My main comment would be this: MOST d-slr cameras will do a rather bad Auto White Balance under most indoor lighting types. In daylight, the AUTO WB of the D3400 ought to be pretty close much of the time. My main comment would be that the WB is a critical starting point when shooting indoors, and there are four basic ways I've used over the past 15 or so years to set my white balance.

The first way is to manually set the WB is off of a white washcloth, or a white styrofoam meat tray, or something like that (seriously). This is called Setting a Custom WB. This is a VERY good way to shoot .JPEGs straight off of the camera!

Second is manually setting the WB, in Degrees Kelvin. With experience, this can work well.

Third is setting one of the Nikon pre-sets on the manual WB setting panel, like Daylight,Flash, Cloudy Weather, Fluorescent, Tungsten, or Incandescent.

Fourth is typically a JPEG-only option, that of WB bracketing, where the camera will shoot three images: neutral, warm, cool. Not sure if the D3400 offer WB Bracketing.

 

[vintagesnaps]

The subject's hair needed to be combed/arranged before you took the photo (a tousled look can work but still needs some consideration). The background has visual distractions - the line created by a bright light and shapes created just behind her. Learn/practice seeing the whole picture, everything in the viewfinder, before you release the shutter.

Not sure where this was but maybe there was some unusual lighting. If these photos have some significance it might be worth some editing but otherwise I'd consider them practice and keep working at learning and developing skills.

 

[OGsPhotography]

"Pop" is talked anout a lot in photog jargon.

As Yasarex me tioned hes slightly teasing asking what is meant by it. Im a noob so take this with some salt as Im not that good at creating " pop" myself.

1. Separation from background makes subject pop. Darken the edges with a vignette. Take color out, desaturation of BG. Making BG even, no " pop" in BG to compete with subject.
2. Backlighting/ side/ rim/ hair/ fill light separates.
3. Leading lines, move attention from BG to subject.
4. The opposite- lighten foreground/ subject, add saturation, contrast.
5. DoF, the correct DoF will draw the eye away from BG leading tonsubject.
6. Clarity and contrast are separation tools. Clarity makes the lines between luminence levels more dramatic, contrast makes overall darkndarker and light lighter. -I may have explained that wrong- Im not that technical but them ideas do create "Pop".
7. Dodge and Burn. Basically relates to all of the preceding concepts.

Viewers typically look at bright, colorful, in focus things that "Pop" and make you say " Wow".

There many more techniques to be added to this list, thats just what comes to my mind immediately.

This search for " Pop" is like searching for the " Wow" in other areas of my life. Not easy to do but if your searching, you just may find.

 

[DanOstergren]

I like the warm tones of the original. Not every photo needs a lot of editing, sometimes none at all. At most I would enhance the highlights on her cheek by dodging them just a little to get that "pop" you want (like you would with a makeup highlighter), and that's it.

 

[dasmith232]

I also like the ("wrong") color balance of the original. Intentionally (or accidentally) shifting the color temperature can be an element of the visual story. I consciously recognize a warmer color balance as coming from artificial light (often tungsten, but actually florescent in this case). To me, that color shift reinforces the idea of "no natural light here, it's artificial and underground".

I also like (in the original) how the leading and converging lines in the background point towards the subject. The color shift in those lines (from monochrome to color) also reinforce the direction and consistent with the direction of convergence.

Yeah, the stray hair is distracting and I think it keeps this from being a much(?) better image. However, flying hair is entirely consistent with the wind whipping through a subway tunnel.

We've seen this woman a few times now, and she looks like a quite willing and fun subject to work with. It really seems like you (Inkling) are on the right track to capturing great moments. With continued experience, it will be fun to see what you can do with adding a touch of light (flash) to the subject and drop the exposure of the background a bit to provide some of that separation.

Edit: I'll add that I don't actually like either of the two edits that you (Inkling) did. I don't dislike Derrel's edit, but I prefer the warmer color balance.

 

[TrolleySwag]

I like all edits I've seen on this post. None are bad just different strokes for different folks. I prefer the original myself.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[Inklingforsake]

I prefer the original over your edits. What software did you use to do the edits? What did you edit -- the JPEG from the camera or do you have an NEF file? I'm teasing a bit here, but what is "pop"?

I edited a NEF file and I used Corel After Shot 3... I haven't upgraded to Lightroom as yet. Haha, by 'pop' I guess I mean "vibrant"!

To me this has a bit more "Pop!" than the original. Maybe it's not how you envisioned it. But I think it has a bit more "oomph!" than the original .JPEG file had.

Derrel: Yes. Her skin looks more natural here. I cannot thank you enough!!! You are a great teacher. I wrote down each of your points in my notebook. Your advice is very useful. Thank you again!!!

The background has visual distractions - the line created by a bright light and shapes created just behind her. Learn/practice seeing the whole picture, everything in the viewfinder, before you release the shutter.

I will take your advice to think before releasing the shutter! I am usually tense and haste it up.

This search for " Pop" is like searching for the " Wow" in other areas of my life. Not easy to do but if your searching, you just may find.

Thank you for your note! Very useful! I also like your quote in the end!! Haha.

It really seems like you (Inkling) are on the right track to capturing great moments.

Thank you for your encouraging words!! And also for the other useful points - all written down!