Need help with an edit

[smoke665]

I understand how the adjustments in Basic settings will effect an image but beyond that is where I get lost. And when I try to go beyond basic settings I tend to over process.

I learn faster by doing. I can read something, but unless I practice what I've read, it's soon forgotten. That's what the "virtual copy" in LR is for, you can play to your hearts content, and not affect you original. For me it's been a journey of baby steps.

 

[BrentC]

I understand how the adjustments in Basic settings will effect an image but beyond that is where I get lost. And when I try to go beyond basic settings I tend to over process.

I learn faster by doing. I can read something, but unless I practice what I've read, it's soon forgotten. That's what the "virtual copy" in LR is for, you can play to your hearts content, and not affect you original. For me it's been a journey of baby steps.

This is the same for me. If I had just a few hours hands-on, and one on one with someone who knows what they are doing, I'd learn a hell of a lot more than reading a whole book or watching a video on it.

 

[birdbonkers84]

Hey Brent, I prefer the LR edit, purely because the water is less distracting. You could always try using masks in LR to try and match the vibrance of the duck in the first image, while retaining the less distracting water of the 3rd.

Only editing i do in LR is the lens correction/colour aberration, WB and then make the eye clear and sometimes de-noise the backgrounds.

I usually only do Basic settings adjustments in LR. When I get things right, like shooting in good light and getting the exposure right, I don't do too many adjustments at all. Unfortunately I probably keep and try to recover a lot of shots that I should simply throw away or should never have taken in the first place. I'm much better now then when I first started a year ago, I am being more selective in what I shoot and keep. But still keeping way too many and also taking shots when I know its a waste of time.
Since the lighting wasn't great with these shots I figured I would try and see what I could do in pp and really try to bring the colours out. I have come to the conclusion that I really don't know what I am doing when it comes to extensive editing.

Here are a couple shots of wood ducks from last year that had practically no editing. I like them much better.

Wood Duck by Brent Cameron, on Flickr

Wood Duck by Brent Cameron, on Flickr

Those are really nice!

 

[smoke665]

This is the same for me. If I had just a few hours hands-on, and one on one with someone who knows what they are doing, I'd learn a hell of a lot more than reading a whole book or watching a video on it.

I go to LR or PS, open a virtual copy of my image. Then open a youtube video of what I want to learn. Minimize each screen so you can see them both on your desktop. Then stop and start the video while you do the actual work on the image. Works great, lets you proceed at your own pace, back up and repeat when you need to.

 

[Donde]

I have never fooled with those processing tools so this thread is very informative. One thing I can say is how can you go wrong with a male Wood Duck, they are such stunning creatures.