Do You Like My Dress?

[Shades of Blue]

 

[Designer]

Yes, it's cute. As I wrote in the other thread, it would be better if your subject's face was at least partially turned toward the camera. You've got some very nice tones going in the folds of the dress, and the upper half of your subject in backlight is working, but then her feet in heavy shade kind of spoil the effect. I also like the way the background is very subdued in darkness, with only a hint of foliage in sunlight. The frame is quite static, with your subject centered in the frame. Please note; I am NOT hinting that you should try to compose based on the so-called "rule of thirds", as that is largely misunderstood and often misapplied. However, some asymmetrical balance with the subject (partially) turned toward the camera would go a long way toward making this a truly memorable shot.

 

[Shades of Blue]

Yes, it's cute. As I wrote in the other thread, it would be better if your subject's face was at least partially turned toward the camera. You've got some very nice tones going in the folds of the dress, and the upper half of your subject in backlight is working, but then her feet in heavy shade kind of spoil the effect. I also like the way the background is very subdued in darkness, with only a hint of foliage in sunlight. The frame is quite static, with your subject centered in the frame. Please note; I am NOT hinting that you should try to compose based on the so-called "rule of thirds", as that is largely misunderstood and often misapplied. However, some asymmetrical balance with the subject (partially) turned toward the camera would go a long way toward making this a truly memorable shot.

Thanks for that! This is one of my favorite shots to date. I totally get what you are saying about seeing part of her face. Of course with kids, sometimes you get what you get lol.

 

[Derrel]

Designer's point about the feet in heavy shade is the salient one for me...that area needs some careful dodging to bring it up a little brighter. I think the concept of the shot though is solid...and no facial view or partial view is needed. I do think that the exact degree of local contrast needs some fine-tuning...the tone curve is the thing I would adjust, considering the shadows, the darks, the lights, and the highlights; these are the way Lightroom categorized the tonal values associated with the Tone Curve...this image needs a a very slightly tweaked Tone Curve setting to maximize its potential.

 

[Shades of Blue]

Designer's point about the feet in heavy shade is the salient one for me...that area needs some careful dodging to bring it up a little brighter. I think the concept of the shot though is solid...and no facial view or partial view is needed. I do think that the exact degree of local contrast needs some fine-tuning...the tone curve is the thing I would adjust, considering the shadows, the darks, the lights, and the highlights; these are the way Lightroom categorized the tonal values associated with the Tone Curve...this image needs a a very slightly tweaked Tone Curve setting to maximize its potential.

Thanks for the insight. I could get slapped on the hand for this, but the only thing I'm using to edit at the moment is the standard edit options on my iPad. This is simply nothing more than clicking the imaging over to B&W on the iPad. my laptop died last year and I'm really lacking in this area. With that, I'm working on my editing setup as we speak and trying to determine Mac vs PC vs iPad...you get the idea.

 

[Designer]

I could get slapped on the hand for this, but the only thing I'm using to edit at the moment is the standard edit options on my iPad.

Don't feel like you have to become skilled at Photoshop in order to become a well-rounded photographer. Photoshop has a steep learning curve, and it's not for everybody. As to how much to edit, I usually say the essential edits are straightening and cropping. More is nice, but those two things are what I would do before I showed any particular photograph to anyone.

 

[Derrel]

Okay, yeah, got it. It can be difficult or even impossible to get really precise,finely graduated, local-area control over images when restricted to basic slider-based or button-based type editing software, but there could be options. For example...exporting this photo to Instagram, and using IG's editing options...in IG you'd have control over sharpness, shadows, hues, tinting, some nifty presets, and so on. Alternately, at times one can use simple controls over exposure, brightness, contrast, and very carefully play those things off against one another, in order to get a pretty good image.

Editing....Mac vs PC...I use Mac, have for years...it's Ford vs Chevy pretty much.

There are some FUN on-line editing tools...I enjoy Pixlr-o-matic, for example...it can be run off the web on a mobile device/phone, or the software downloaded an run direct from the hard drive while offline! Vintage and Retro Photo Effects | Pixlr-o-matic | Autodesk Pixlr

SOME cameras (modern Nikons, for example) allow images to be edited in the camera, after they have been shot! This image would probably benefit from a faked "HDR Effect" application, and then after that, minor tweaks to get it just so. The faked HDR effect would most likely lighten up the deep shadows, and then you could probably use brightness and contrast to get the image to a very nice finished state.