Old man feeding birds - JPGs, PSD, RAW available

[Iron Flatline]

The download worked but I couldn't open the RAW file compression I guess. I downloaded the PSD file now and will work on it some..

Parago, that particular RAW format is really new, so your RAW converter may not be able to process it until you get the newest version. See if that was a problem.

 

[Jazz]

... is quite gentle and respectful of the subject.

Thank you. :blushing:

Old Man Feeding Birds by Iron Flatline

I processed the RAW file in ACR: temp (4800), tint (0), exp. (-.10), shadows (2), brightness (60), contr (+10). Then:

1. crop
2. burn hilites
3. contrast mask
(both 2 & 3 were to counter the bright sun and resulting high contrast of the capture)

4. desat (-40)
5. brown tone (50% opacity)
(the photo, for me, is about loneliness, so I decided the bright colors didn’t work. 4 & 5 was how I chose to remove the bright colors, yet leave enough to look handcolored.)

6. contrast curve (o/a)
7. contrast curve (face only)
(to get the tones I wanted)

8. lens blur with mask
(because I wanted to emphasize the man)

9. burn corners
10. flatten & size
11. sharpen with mask

(For the contrast mask and the brown tone, I used Photokit from PixelGenius. The rest was in PS CS2.)

 

[Parago]

Ok so here's what I did; I stayed with the burgundy/gold tone although I can imagine it being very cool in just slightly desaturated, too.
Added some glow, too and burnt edges. Woman has been cropped out, hot spots mellowed out, contrast increased.
This was a nice one to work at - thanks for sharing!

 

[Tyson]

Holy Jazz That is great!!!!

 

[just x joey]

i jsut burned and dodged on my version. thats how u get great b&w photos, burning and dodging.

 

[Parago]

Jazz, I like your version, too - color-wise. I don't like the crop and also, the woman in the background.. all you did was take her head out. :lmao:

 

[cosmonaut]

I agree about the feet, but a nice capture of life. Something I am wanting to work on is people in my pictures. I can't make up my mind color or B&W. But a strong image either way. Nice work. Listen to your wife.
Cosmo

 

[chakalakasp]

 

[cosmonaut]

I think you need to clone out the lady sitting on his shoulder an then it's a keeper..
Cosmo

 

[PNA]

And my offer...to an interesting shot to begin with......!

 

[Parago]

And my offer...to an interesting shot to begin with......!

But.. *sniff.. where's the swan? Cause after all.. isn't that what he is looking at?

 

[PNA]

But.. *sniff.. where's the swan? Cause after all.. isn't that what he is looking at?

I thought the swan, being white, was a distraction to the old man.

 

[nakedyak]

great work guys. I love all the versions of the picture, but especially the original.