Private Paul

elsaspet · Jan 31, 2005

This is my son Paul who has just been accepted into the United States Air Force. In this photo he's been in a hotel for three days undergoing the Air Force Physicals. Poor kid is as tired, but proud, as can be. As you can see by his ID, he's passed and was accepted. He will be attending boot-camp in March. (God, he's still just a kid to me-I guess I have to get used to him being a man now!)
Because the original photo was not taken in the best of conditions, I tried my hand for the first time doing Layering in Photoshop. I want to give this young Private all the respect he is due, so please be honest in your critique and suggestions on what I can do to better the photo. Thanks for your consideration and time.

photobug · Jan 31, 2005

The manip looks good, but the background sort of overpowers the subject. If you tone it down by lowering the opacity, or the saturation, it'll look better I think.

Nice job BTW.

Tammy · Jan 31, 2005

I agree, and his face is a bit dark - perhaps burning that just slightly.... btw I think what he's doing is wonderful.

MDowdey · Jan 31, 2005

id say turn down the opacity like previously stated and try it out in black and white!!!!

congrats to your son for doing something very selfless!!! tell him goodluck!!

md

rangefinder · Jan 31, 2005

Congrats to your son and good luck. BUT not a private. Airman Basic.

Privates in the Army and the Marine Corps. Does he know what his AFSC (job specialty) will be?

A friend's son just went in and he'll be trained as a videographer. The kid is thrilled about that.

Personally I think the Navy's the best - just a bit of inter service rivalry. I retired after 20 years and am now working for the Air Force as a photographer. Great job.

Best to him.

elsaspet · Feb 1, 2005

Thanks you guys! I'll work with the saturation and opacity as soon as I get home. I think black and white sounds awesome too. I'll try that as well and repost when I'm done to find out if I've done it a little better.
Thank you all for the well wishes and the suggestions. It really helps!

andycarnall · Feb 1, 2005

I'd also recommend trying a slight blur round him - the edges between your son and the background are quite obvious at the moment. (especially visible areas are the line between his hiar/ear and the flad, and the intereface at the top of his shoulder)

It's a bit tricky to get right (to much blur makes everything look bizarrre), but it's one of the key things that distinguish a "live" shot and a superimposed one.

elsaspet · Feb 1, 2005

Hi all and thanks for the suggestions. I've already flattened the layers so I can't seem to change the opacity. At least I can't figure out how. However, I tried to darken the overall image a bit and blur the outline on my son. I also took care of the acne spots and hopefully I did a decent job there.Please let me know if I am going in the right direction or the wrong one. I'll also post a B&W version in a moment. Thanks Again. Cindy

Raymond J Barlow · Feb 1, 2005

On behalf of all Canadians, I thanks your son and all like him for their commitment to the future of our countries. What a wonderful picture, you must be so proud of your young man! Congrats and best wishes.

elsaspet · Feb 1, 2005

Raymond J Barlow said:
On behalf of all Canadians, I thanks your son and all like him for their commitment to the future of our countries. What a wonderful picture, you must be so proud of your young man! Congrats and best wishes.

Thank you, that is very sweet. I am very proud of him because I feel like he is going from boyhood to manhood.
But of course, he will always be my baby.

here is a version in B&W. Please tell me which one you prefer if any and how I can improve. Thanks all!

Blackswann · Feb 2, 2005

I like the colour one better.. has more oomph to it.

I'm a serving Corporal Aircraft Electrical Engineer in the British Royal Air Force pass on my congratulations to your son... brilliant job he's doing! I have worked along-side the USAF when in Vegas and other places on several occasions... great bunch of lads and very dedicated to their job. Best of luck to him!

Rob · Feb 2, 2005

The original image is a bit "Eeek background!". I much prefer your B&W attempt as it makes the subject the real subject. The symbolic background still works without colour. Try a 30% unsharp-mask for 1 pixel, 1 layer on him and a gaussian blur on the background. Then enlarge the burn tool to the size of his head, give it one click to lighten, possibly also a couple in the eye sockets. Then remerge the layers and it'll probably look how you want it (if you like the B&W).