First Attempts at PP

[RxForB3]

I understand that post processing shouldn't be used to attempt to correct a bad picture, but it's what I have to practice on. Thoughts and suggestions appreciated both in reference to the original photos and to the processed image!

1. Still didn't get a good shot of the graffiti thanks to the heavy wind and bad lighting.


Graffiti Pre by RxForB3, on Flickr

2.


Graffiti Post by RxForB3, on Flickr

3. First attempt at the requisite eye shot. Really made me realize just how much light is needed with a macro lens!!


Graffiti Pre by RxForB3, on Flickr

4.


Mega Eye Post by RxForB3, on Flickr

5. First wildlife shot.


Duckies Pre by RxForB3, on Flickr

6. Notice some things missing? I tried cloning, what do you think?


Duckies Post by RxForB3, on Flickr

Once again thanks to everyone! This forum is amazing!

 

[chuasam]

I like the graffiti piece..despite the HDR
If you're going to take the effort to fix an eye, at least remove the capillaries.

 

[RxForB3]

Glad you liked it, though actually it's not an HDR I used the GND filter in Lightroom to do that. It worked really well, I think, though I might have overdone it (hence why you thought it was an HDR). The capillaries are next!

 

[RxForB3]

Here ya go...


Mega Eye Post Post by RxForB3, on Flickr

 

[bazooka]

I like the localized adjustments on #2 but it now appears to be underexposed because of the lack of highlights. I would bump up the right side of the curve some. Mids and shadows look good to me.

 

[KmH]

I understand that post processing shouldn't be used to attempt to correct a bad picture, but it's what I have to practice on. Thoughts and suggestions appreciated both in reference to the original photos and to the processed image!

1. Still didn't get a good shot of the graffiti thanks to the heavy wind and bad lighting.


Graffiti Pre by RxForB3, on Flickr

2.


Graffiti Post by RxForB3, on Flickr

If you shoot Raw, virtually every photo has to then be finished post process. Camera Raw and Lightroom's Develope module are the same thing Adobe Camera Raw.

I used the gradient tool in Camera Raw. I only used it on the sky though, what is known as a local edit. An edit applied to the entire photo is a global edit. I reduced the exposure of the sky and added some blue back into it. I then moved the photo to CS5. In CS5 I did some more local edits like dodge/burn, sharpening, and then took the photo back to Camera Raw. In Camera Raw I globally increased the Clarity.

 

[RxForB3]

Very nice KmH! Is there a specific reason you export to CS5 rather than continuing in LR? Of course, CS5 has more editing power, but for edits such as those?

Guess I need to find out what dodge/burn is and how you added the blue in. Any good suggestions for a book or tutorial on using LR?

 

[theregoesjb]

i made the comment on your other post with this graffiti about this angle being my favorite, glad to see it again with the track not cut off.... although the bottom margin could probably be pulled up to somewhere between the track and the current margin (at least so theres not that sliver of pavement cutting in).

im by no expert of pp but i like the edit with the darker clouds

 

[KmH]

With Lightroom's Develope module open, press your keyboard's F1 key.

Visit:

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips « Online Photoshop Lightroom Tutorials and Tips with Matt Kloskowski Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Killer Tips

Products | Lightroom | Adobe TV

Since CS5's Camera Raw and Lightroom 3's Develope module are the same thing ACR - Real World Camera Raw with Adobe Photoshop CS5

Are you familiar with the ins-and-outs of sharpening? These guys and their company, Pixel Genius, LLC, wrote the software that does the sharpening in ACR (CameraRaw/Lightroom)- Real World Image Sharpening with Adobe Photoshop, Camera Raw, and Lightroom (2nd Edition)

If you want something that is essentially a bunch of tutorials in book form - The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)

And if you want to take advantage of Lightroom's primary purpose for being - The DAM Book: Digital Asset Management for Photographers

 

[KmH]

Guess I need to find out what dodge/burn is and how you added the blue in. Any good suggestions for a book or tutorial on using LR?

Use the Adjustment brush to reduce the exposure (darken or Burn), or to increase the exposure (lighten or Dodge).

As far as adding color to a gradiant in Lightroom:


And this is what Camera Raw looks like: