White Balance & Crop - Please comment on edits.

[jwbryson1]

I corrected the white balance and cropped this photo in LR3. Please comment on edits. Does WB look ok? Is crop okay? I think the WB looks good as I used a gray card and did a custom WB adjustment in LR3. I'm on the fence about the crop. I think a larger background would look okay but I'm struggling keeping the subjects the center of attention and I'm conflicted about the rule of thirds.

Thanks.

1. Original photo

2. Edited version

 

[bazooka]

Screw the "rule of thirds". Just focus on balancing the image. There is no rule for that. You must judge on an image-by-image basis.

As it is I think you went a little too far warming it up, but the crop is drastically better. It's a little "heavy" on the right side... I would probably crop a touch bit more on the left... maybe split the difference to the girls toe. The top-to-bottom crop feels good.

 

[jwbryson1]

Screw the "rule of thirds". Just focus on balancing the image. There is no rule for that. You must judge on an image-by-image basis.

As it is I think you went a little too far warming it up, but the crop is drastically better. It's a little "heavy" on the right side... I would probably crop a touch bit more on the left... maybe split the difference to the girls toe. The top-to-bottom crop feels good.

Thanks. Here is a revised version. It looks a bit washed out to me but maybe that can be further adjusted.

3. Version 2

 

[bazooka]

I think the white balance looks great now and I like the crop better. I agree that it is washed out. Judging by the mom's shoes, the black level is ok, so you just need to add contrast.

Next time, I recommend using a bit less on-camera fill so the ambient light creates a bit more direction to the light. As it is, it's quite flat. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, but there is little sense of dimension in the shot. I think having some would be a benefit.

In any case, the version 3 is a solid shot that I'm sure they'll be perfectly happy with.

 

[jwbryson1]

I think the white balance looks great now and I like the crop better. I agree that it is washed out. Judging by the mom's shoes, the black level is ok, so you just need to add contrast.

Next time, I recommend using a bit less on-camera fill so the ambient light creates a bit more direction to the light. As it is, it's quite flat. There isn't necessarily anything wrong with that, but there is little sense of dimension in the shot. I think having some would be a benefit.

In any case, the version 3 is a solid shot that I'm sure they'll be perfectly happy with.

Thanks, and agreed on the contrast issue. I think they'll like the shot--the guy in the yellow shirt is me, the mom is my wife and those are my 2 girls.

We came down to Austin for T'Giving and I brought my SB-700 with me, but I forgot my damn "cold shoe" stand for the flash so I shot this photo with the flash on camera, knowing full well it would be flat. :x Next time, remember the stand!!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[DiskoJoe]

The dying plants in the background are not helping. I do like the texture from the rocks some. maybe a better angle to utilize that more would help. I do like the crop too. Much better then the original.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Bird poop on the right, busy background, weird looking skin. If you want to crop, then crop with standard ratio. what is 523x640? Almost an 8x10 but not quite.

 

[jwbryson1]

Bird poop on the right, busy background, weird looking skin. If you want to crop, then crop with standard ratio. what is 523x640? Almost an 8x10 but not quite.

Still smarting for when I called you out for acting like a prepubescent A$$hole, Schwetty? Good try at getting in a dig. Not interested in your vitriolic critique on "bird poop" (which it's not), busy backgrounds and weird looking skin.

Don't you have anything better to do? The girlies are waiting...

 

[Robin Usagani]

You wanted us to comment on your edits per your title? What is wrong with you? Bird poop or not, it looks like a bird poop.

 

[gopal]

White balance may be a problems where colour temperature is too high under cloudy sky...so the blue gets in....the corrected versions r right to grt extent.

 

[TRAYPhotography]

I think the edit is a great job!

 

[jwbryson1]

White balance may be a problems where colour temperature is too high under cloudy sky...so the blue gets in....the corrected versions r right to grt extent.

Thanks, yeah, I agree. The first edit was a bit warm. Truth be told, I used a gray card on these shots and did a custom WB in LR and this is what I got. I may have inadvertently warmed it a bit which is why it looks so red.

Thanks for the comments.

EDIT: The skin does look a bit strange to me, not sure why, but I was already aware of that and didn't ask for comments on the skin or bird crap.

 

[Robin Usagani]

White balance may be a problems where colour temperature is too high under cloudy sky...so the blue gets in....the corrected versions r right to grt extent.

Thanks, yeah, I agree. The first edit was a bit warm. Truth be told, I used a gray card on these shots and did a custom WB in LR and this is what I got. I may have inadvertently warmed it a bit which is why it looks so red.

Thanks for the comments.

EDIT: The skin does look a bit strange to me, not sure why, but I was already aware of that and didn't ask for comments on the skin or bird crap.

Oh I see. I guess cloning out bird crap is not PART of edit/processing.

 

[SCraig]

Just keep in mind that if they are going to print it that it's going to be difficult to do much with a square (or nearly square) crop.

 

[Robin Usagani]

SCraig, he is going to print it 10"x8.172" according to my math. Where can you print that?