Finally getting around to brushing up my post processing skills

[robbins.photo]

Been putting it off for a while now but I'm finaly to the point where I can start paying a bit more attention to my post processing skills and start working on that arena. This was one of my favorites from the last zoo walk, any C&C, hints, tips, tricks, etc woud be appreciated.


20140216_605 by robbins.photo, on Flickr

 

[JacaRanda]

I scrolled upward to see what cropping just before the tail would do. That tiny bit brought me even more into the kitty's eyes. That being said, maybe if you darken the brightest parts of the rock from midway all the way to the right?

Hmmm, should I have used the term 'burn' just a little bit.

 

[71M]

On my monitor - uncalibrated - the highlight on the tail and beneath the nostril are a bit hot. It's a lovely image. Is this the whole frame? overall, it's a little too tightly composed maybe. The noise reduction, (unsure whether it's luminance or chroma denoise) is getting close to rendering the photo a bit like 'digi artwork' which displeases me about some of my own processing: perhaps it's a combination of sharpening and denoising processes. I'd be tempted to try to clone-out the corner of the wall above the neck.

 

[robbins.photo]

I scrolled upward to see what cropping just before the tail would do. That tiny bit brought me even more into the kitty's eyes. That being said, maybe if you darken the brightest parts of the rock from midway all the way to the right?

Hmmm, should I have used the term 'burn' just a little bit.

You want me to burn the rock? Going biblical on me Jaca? Lol.. seriously though, great tip. I'll give that a try.

 

[robbins.photo]

On my monitor - uncalibrated - the highlight on the tail and beneath the nostril are a bit hot. It's a lovely image. Is this the whole frame? overall, it's a little too tightly composed maybe. The noise reduction, (unsure whether it's luminance or chroma denoise) is getting close to rendering the photo a bit like 'digi artwork' which displeases me about some of my own processing: perhaps it's a combination of sharpening and denoising processes. I'd be tempted to try to clone-out the corner of the wall above the neck.

Nope, it's not the whole frame, plenty more where that came from. This one was shot at pretty high ISO - unfortunately the lighting in there is just terrible, so it's tough to get that right balance between denoise and sharpen - but hey any tips you have there I'm all ears.. lol

 

[robbins.photo]

This was the original as shot with no post:

 

[runnah]

I am seeing a lot of spotting in your photo. Dirty sensor?

 

[robbins.photo]

I am seeing a lot of spotting in your photo. Dirty sensor?

Not that I'm aware of no, as far as i know the sensor is clean.

 

[runnah]

Not that I'm aware of no, as far as i know the sensor is clean.

Are you sure I can see a ton of it.

 

[71M]

This was the original as shot with no post:

That's a nice compo! The wall looks better to me with more context, like this, although the line in the brickwork is very heavy above the ear.