pictures don't pop

[fotomonkey]

Don't let anyone else know. It's a secret.

 

[AlanKlein]

and still, the picture, on all examples, looks like the one tourists take, eventually i would want to add some more value to it, some corrective layers..
Thank you, all for your support !!!

Your right about the tourists. Forget layers. Nothing's going to help it. So many people here tried but it doesn't work. Lighting is flat; shoot during the magic hour. The perspective is flat. Change your position. Shoot from below with a wide angle lens. Or maybe from front of him. Wait until he catches fish and they are flopping around in the net. That would add some interest. There's nothing exciting about an empty net or no action.. Or maybe shoot him while he's throwing the net. Also the blob of net blocking his left arm looks weird. Shoot with small f stop to blur the background. Tell the fisherman to change his work clothes. He looks like he's a bather from Coney Island, Brooklyn.

Keep in mind that Photoshop usually cannot save a bad shot. Consider this a good learning experience. Good luck .

 

[bribrius]

popping is over rated

 

[astroNikon]

I've seen this thread since it's inception.

I'd have to ask why the OP thinks this is a "powerful shot"

 

[hombredelmar]

Don't let anyone else know. It's a secret.

u got it

 

[hombredelmar]

popping is over rated

i hear you, thanks

 

[hombredelmar]

I've seen this thread since it's inception.

I'd have to ask why the OP thinks this is a "powerful shot"

I never thought that it was a powerful shot otherwise I would not post it here for a discussion. I knew that the shot was more than NOT perfect however I wanted to see it with somebody else’s eyes. I know the person captured in this shot and knowing the person I assumed that he would like to have it so I was looking for ways and ideas to improve this NOT perfect shot.

 

[bribrius]

powerful is over rated

 

[Vautrin]

First off, it's easiest to get things right in camera. However, even if you take the best shot possible, you might need to make some adjustments.

The best thing you can do to learn how to do post is to just mess around.

Open the image in Photoshop (or your favorite program). Start playing with sliders. Move contrast. Move histograms. Move up the white point. Just keep messing with things.

Then start googling what you're doing. There's a ton of youtube photoshop tutorials.

And play with filters (try out some software packages like Nik software).

At that point you'll have your answer. Because instead of asking vague questions online like "my photo needs umpf" or "help me give my photo some more baddahbing" you'll speak the language.

So you'll say, "Oh, I need some more contrast. Or I need to make the water bluer (better adjust saturation)".

 

[hombredelmar]

Vautrin your point is well taken and I do apologies if I did not formulate my question right and stuff. However, as I stated in my previous post, ” I never thought that it was a powerful shot otherwise I would not post it here for a discussion. I knew that the shot was more than NOT perfect however I wanted to see it with somebody else’s eyes. I know the person captured in this shot and knowing the person I assumed that he would like to have it so I was looking for ways and ideas to improve this NOT perfect shot. “
Thank you once again !

 

[Forkie]

This is my go.

• Straightened horizon
• Duplicate layer
• Apply camera raw filter - Clarity to max, highlights to minimum, Vibrance to minus 25
• reduce opacity of camera raw filter to 40-ish%
• new layer, gradient to the corners, blend mode: soft light
• reduced vibrance of whole picture, then masked the man back
• Added blue gradient to sky to bring back the blue using a blue gradient layer and using blend mode: Overlay, then reduced opacity of gradient to 50%

 

[Vautrin]

Vautrin your point is well taken and I do apologies if I did not formulate my question right and stuff. However, as I stated in my previous post, ” I never thought that it was a powerful shot otherwise I would not post it here for a discussion. I knew that the shot was more than NOT perfect however I wanted to see it with somebody else’s eyes. I know the person captured in this shot and knowing the person I assumed that he would like to have it so I was looking for ways and ideas to improve this NOT perfect shot. “
Thank you once again !

Sure. But let's think of all the ways you could make this more powerful:

• Shoot from a different angle... lots of options here. Shoot from in front, from water level up? From up top pulling down?
• Use a polarizer on camera
• Shoot at a different time of day
• Black and white? With filter (applied in software)?
• High Contrast?
• Shoot at a shallower depth of field so he's in focus but background isn't?
• etc.

So there are a million ways to make a great shot. Maybe I would have shot water level. Maybe someone else would shoot into the sun so you just see a shadow pulling a fish out of the water. etc.

Play around with it. Shoot from all different angles, see which is best. Try different settings.

Then at some point, when you look at a scene, you'll know how YOU would shoot it in YOUR style.

Good luck!