Ruskin Florida

[JonFZ300]

First, number 2 is a keeper. Number 1 is a good composition and number 3 is a nice shot for memories but there's not enough to work with to make it a "great" shot in my opinion.

I saw your other thread where you offered number three and you were asking about editing. I started on PSE7 and worked my up to 14 then I got Camera Raw/Photoshop/Lightroom. I'm not an expert with any of them but I thought I would share a screenshot of the settings I changed to your first pic in the thread. I agree with bulldurham about the color cast and mid tone contrast. There's also noise in the sky.

Anyway, here's a screenshot of the settings I changed in Camera Raw so you can maybe start to get an idea of what you can do. Elements is a great program for learning and you should switch it into expert mode and just play around with it, especially brightness/contrast, shadows/highlights, and saturate/desaturate individual color channels. If you shoot raw, use Camera Raw. It's the easiest and best way to change color temp and tint. I hope this helps.

 

[K9Kirk]

First, number 2 is a keeper. Number 1 is a good composition and number 3 is a nice shot for memories but there's not enough to work with to make it a "great" shot in my opinion.

I saw your other thread where you offered number three and you were asking about editing. I started on PSE7 and worked my up to 14 then I got Camera Raw/Photoshop/Lightroom. I'm not an expert with any of them but I thought I would share a screenshot of the settings I changed to your first pic in the thread. I agree with bulldurham about the color cast and mid tone contrast. There's also noise in the sky.

Anyway, here's a screenshot of the settings I changed in Camera Raw so you can maybe start to get an idea of what you can do. Elements is a great program for learning and you should switch it into expert mode and just play around with it, especially brightness/contrast, shadows/highlights, and saturate/desaturate individual color channels. If you shoot raw, use Camera Raw. It's the easiest and best way to change color temp and tint. I hope this helps.

I appreciate your help and suggestions and your rendition looks good but the only problem with it is it doesn't illustrate the time of day the picture was taken. As far as me using PS goes I've tried the expert mode but it's more confusing since I'm new with PS but I've found that the "Quick" mode in "E '18" offers all the settings you mentioned and I'm much faster with it. Maybe that expert mode sometime in the future.

 

[JonFZ300]

I appreciate your help and suggestions and your rendition looks good but the only problem with it is it doesn't illustrate the time of day the picture was taken.

Honest question and I'm not trying to be snarky. Do you think the original picture does? The fact that the clouds will never go truly white and will stay yellow/orange and there is no direct sunlight on any of the boats means it must have been around sunset. I raised the exposure a little but if you left it the same, it would retain the quality I think you're referring to. The sky being purple doesn't make it a sunset pic.

As far as me using PS goes I've tried the expert mode but it's more confusing since I'm new with PS but I've found that the "Quick" mode in "E '18" offers all the settings you mentioned and I'm much faster with it. Maybe that expert mode sometime in the future.

You're correct. All the basic settings are available in the Quick mode. I still use Elements a lot. It's a great program to learn editing.

edit to add: The only problem is there is no easy way to fix color temp with Elements. Try opening your pics in Camera Raw, even jpgs. Go to File>open in camera raw. even if you only use it for color temp then open it in Quick mode in Elements, it's a very handy tool and the next step in editing anyway.

 

[smoke665]

but the only problem with it is it doesn't illustrate the time of day the picture was taken. As far as me using PS goes I've tried the expert mode but it's more confusing since I'm new with PS but I've found that the "Quick" mode in "E '18" offers all the settings you mentioned and I'm much faster with it.

Question? what is it about the last edit above that you perceive as not illustrating the time of day? Remember I said above editing starts before you click the shutter, and you can't create data where there was none, but you can manipulate what is there. I know it can be intimidating when learning how to edit, but if you're going to leave your post processing in Auto mode, you'd do just as well concentrating on SOOC and saving JPEG. One of the easiest ways to learn how to edit is pick a subject, then experiment with the tools, watch videos on the use of each tool, and practice. The more pieces that you learn, the more it will come together.

 

[K9Kirk]

I appreciate your help and suggestions and your rendition looks good but the only problem with it is it doesn't illustrate the time of day the picture was taken.

Honest question and I'm not trying to be snarky. Do you think the original picture does? The fact that the clouds will never go truly white and will stay yellow/orange and there is no direct sunlight on any of the boats means it must have been around sunset. I raised the exposure a little but if you left it the same, it would retain the quality I think you're referring to. The sky being purple doesn't make it a sunset pic.

As far as me using PS goes I've tried the expert mode but it's more confusing since I'm new with PS but I've found that the "Quick" mode in "E '18" offers all the settings you mentioned and I'm much faster with it. Maybe that expert mode sometime in the future.

You're correct. All the basic settings are available in the Quick mode. I still use Elements a lot. It's a great program to learn editing.

edit to add: The only problem is there is no easy way to fix color temp with Elements. Try opening your pics in Camera Raw, even jpgs. Go to File>open in camera raw. even if you only use it for color temp then open it in Quick mode in Elements, it's a very handy tool and the next step in editing anyway.

but the only problem with it is it doesn't illustrate the time of day the picture was taken. As far as me using PS goes I've tried the expert mode but it's more confusing since I'm new with PS but I've found that the "Quick" mode in "E '18" offers all the settings you mentioned and I'm much faster with it.

Question? what is it about the last edit above that you perceive as not illustrating the time of day? Remember I said above editing starts before you click the shutter, and you can't create data where there was none, but you can manipulate what is there. I know it can be intimidating when learning how to edit, but if you're going to leave your post processing in Auto mode, you'd do just as well concentrating on SOOC and saving JPEG. One of the easiest ways to learn how to edit is pick a subject, then experiment with the tools, watch videos on the use of each tool, and practice. The more pieces that you learn, the more it will come together.

I should've known better. Gentlemen, I didn't come here to argue with anyone or be talked to like I don't know what I'm talking about. I said it was darker outside and you said yourself you increased the exposure so yes, you made it too bright. That's all I was saying, nothing more. We are done here, thank you for your time and all your help, it's been a pleasure.

 

[JonFZ300]

You never said it was sunset time anywhere in this thread. All you said was my rendition didn't convey what time of day it was and we said neither does the original. Not a big deal.

Some of my comments came from reading your other thread where you were asking for help with editing. I guess some of that sentiment carried over to this thread where it seems like it's not welcome. Sorry if I offended you by offering unsolicited help. I would suggest, in the future, if you do or don't want criticism, mention that upfront when you post. Cheers

 

[bulldurham]

Color Cast knows no time frame. Opening the mid tones is not going to be found in PS, Elements or any other Adobe program. For that you need to go to Luminosity Masks—Get Ready to Fly

 

[K9Kirk]

You never said it was sunset time anywhere in this thread. All you said was my rendition didn't convey what time of day it was and we said neither does the original. Not a big deal.

Some of my comments came from reading your other thread where you were asking for help with editing. I guess some of that sentiment carried over to this thread where it seems like it's not welcome. Sorry if I offended you by offering unsolicited help. I would suggest, in the future, if you do or don't want criticism, mention that upfront when you post. Cheers

I see, you're going to play it that way. Ok then, if I thought anyone was going to jack up the exposure to change the picture that drastically I would've mentioned it but that's beside the point. The point is you had a good idea it was around sunset without me saying it but you want to blame me now for your mistake. You would rather belittle me than be a man and admit you made a mistake. Let me refresh your memory, "there is no direct sunlight on any of the boats means it must have been around sunset. I raised the exposure a little." Wow, talk about contradicting yourself! I would suggest, in the future, if you do or don't want criticism, mention that upfront before you post any pictures that are also up for criticism. I'm not arguing this nonsense any further. Have a nice day, ciao! (you're on ignore now)

 

[JonFZ300]

Well that escalated quickly!! lol

 

[K9Kirk]

Deleting the evidence. I'll take that as an , "I was wrong."

 

[SquarePeg]

Play nice everyone.

If you post your photos in the galleries they are open to critique. Accepting critique is part of learning. If you disagree with the critique you can "argue" your point or agree to disagree and take it in stride. If you don't want critique then post in the Just for Fun gallery.

If someone's photos say "NOT ok to edit" then do not edit their photos and post your own version of their work. I don't know if that was a recent change to the profile of the OP or something that was in place before hand?

 

[K9Kirk]

Play nice everyone.

If you post your photos in the galleries they are open to critique. Accepting critique is part of learning. If you disagree with the critique you can "argue" your point or agree to disagree and take it in stride. If you don't want critique then post in the Just for Fun gallery.

If someone's photos say "NOT ok to edit" then do not edit their photos and post your own version of their work. I don't know if that was a recent change to the profile of the OP or something that was in place before hand?

It was a change I'd made after the person critiquing my pictures couldn't take a little critiquing of his own picture so when he became defensive and rude I pulled the plug, so to speak, by changing my edit preference to avoid such a fiasco in the future. Thanks for asking!

 

[JonFZ300]

If you're referring to me, I didn't become defensive or rude and it was not a fiasco. I lightened your picture to make it a more balanced exposure, you said my picture didn't convey the time of day it was taken and I asked if you thought the original shot conveyed the time of day it was taken, and then it got weird. For me, it was an honest question and not meant to challenge you or be difficult. I was sincerely asking because the original shot does not look like a sunset picture to me. It's subjective and I'm OK with a disagreement about how "sunsetty" the picture looks. Maybe my "purple sky" comment was a little snarky and I apologize id it was taken that way.

For the record, nothing I've said in this thread was meant in a sarcastic way. If it comes across that way, I apologize. Everything I've said has been in earnest, trying to help somebody who was (in another thread recently) asking for editing advice. I stand by everything I've said. Good luck in your editing journey!!