• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Challenge: Mission Impossible

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Challenge: Mission Impossible: Repairing Fishing Nets

Hi All,

Here is a picture I have taken during a short trip along the Black Sea coast of Northern Turkey in May 2005. It was taken with an analogue SLR (yes, they still exist <grin>) which was a Nikon F801 using a Tamron 28-200mm F 3.8-5.6 lens on Fuji Sensia 100 ASA positive film. I don’t remember the aperture, shutter or zoom details (probably I must have zoomed into somewhere between 70 and 100 mm). It was an overcast day with occasional showers. I have scanned the dia using my CanoScan FS4000US dedicated film scanner at 4000 dpi. I use the VueScan software for all my scanning jobs and I am very happy with it. The jpeg version I post here has been optimised by the scanner software itself, but I also have a raw tiff version which is quite similar to a digital raw file for fine tuning purposes, if needed later (read on please). I haven’t done anything with the jpeg in PS except for resizing it and adding the copyright text on top (just to keep Asher happy obviously <wink>).

Now here comes my problem, or rather, problems since I have a lot of issues with this picture.
Firstly, I have yet to decide whether to keep it or not. I know that there are many technical issues associated with it (composition, clutter, exposure, focus, framing, etc) but I feel somewhat emotionally attached to this one. That is why I have kept it for the time being. Just to give you some background info, this is the harbour of a small town called Inebolu. These fishermen, like many others around the world, are very poor people. They are totally dependent on their daily catch which in turn depends on the quality of their equipment. Mending the nets is therefore a very important family activity, as you can see.

So here is my challenge to you, should you choose to accept it <Mission Impossible tune playing in the background>:
- How to crop the picture? Keep the overall view, or get closer to one of the persons (such as the old guy)?
- Colour correction, highlights and shadows. The usual stuff.
- Would the picture improve if it was taken without the young boy behind the pole? (here comes the retouching part <smile>). Or any other ideas?
- Colour or B&W?
- How to improve the apparent focus and sharpening?
- Any other suggestions?

A large version of the picture can be found here:
http://photo-i.brabantsewal.com/opf/mending_nets_large.jpg

Thanks a lot in advance,

Cheers,

Cem

mending_nets_medium.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

John_Nevill

New member
Cem,

I changed the aspect and went for a more focused / documentary style, adjusted the highlight and shadows, sharpened it, added a oval vignetting blur and converted it to B&W using an orange filter. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea! (total edit time ~5mins)

MN-JLN.jpg
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi John,

Thanks a lot for your effort even if it was a mere 5 mins <smile>!
I find your version already much better than the original, the oval blur helps one focus in the central area. B&W seems very adequate to me. I think that the shirt of the boy has become a bit distracting since it is very light. That is why I considered "retouching" him to start with.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Cem
 

Brian Lowe

New member
I'll play here is my attempt

Total time 5 min.

Opened in Bibble and clicked the "perfectly clear button" and saved the file.

Then, ran the photo through LightRoom and made a few color adjustments.

Opened the photo in Photoshop ran two actions "Glottic Glow" & "Midnight sepia" , dodged the old man's face.

And Last cropped the photo to bring the eye to the woman first, then you notice the old man.

My attempt at this mission almost impossible.

Enjoy,
Brian

Photo © by Cem Usakligil
93953480-L.jpg
 

Tim Gray

New member
A more traditional approach.
Slight crop to remove background clutter a bit
selective color and desaturation on the boy to lower contrast
Standard workflow - (in LAB) shadow highlight etc etc.

mending_nets_large_v1.jpg


I don't know if the original is in RAW, but this dynamic range is a good reason to shoot raw - tough to pull the right detail out of the men's faces with the jpg.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here's my interpretation:

Mending Nets AK-1.jpg


To me, the lady with her back toward us is the most interesting and her view of the water and the boats. It appears to me that perhaps she is thinking about what all this means, has meant and will mean for women like her.

Asher
 
Cem,

I decided to go with my trusted "old faded photograph" approach.

94012134-L.jpg


Colorizing into sepia, "aging" (fading and adding random luminosity unevenness), mild vignetting, warping, adding paper thickness, adding warped shade, providing contrasting background and title...
I like smart objects in CS2!!
 

Tim Armes

New member
Hi Cem,

You've had some good replies. I'm particularly like John's B&W conversion since it brings the people out from the clutter.

I looked at removing the boy as you asked, but I think you had it spot on when you said that it was mission impossible! There are two main obstacles:

1) The boy's holding the net. Remove the boy and the net's left in mid air...
2) There is a net in front of the boy. It'd be very difficult to remove the boy and leave the net in place.

Personally, I think the boy adds to the image. It's just a shame that you didn't change position when taking the picture, so as to avoid chopping him in two :)

Tim
 

Dierk Haasis

pro member
mending_nets_large-1.jpg


- Cropped to get into the action
- Overall tonal correction to bring out detail.
- Popped up colours by increasing the saturation
- Specific tonal correction to the old fisher to make him the focus of the image.
- Specific tonal correction to the left net to let the colours pop
- Specific tonal correction to the wooden structure in the middle to differentiate better from the boy

Whatever the rulings are, I like these kinds of clutterred photos as they show the real world - lifely and unsorted.
 

Mary Bull

New member
Oh, yes!

Instant appeal to me in this version.

I love the popping colors, the clarity, and the focus on the old man.

Mary
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
Hi Everybody,

I have been away for the day after having made it quite late last night. I am overwhelmed by your reactions and the terrific results submitted, thanks a lot to all. I am quite happy I did not bin this shot, it seems that there is a certain potential in it after all. The quick-and-dirty version I have posted is not the best scanning result one can achieve with this particular picture. As I’ve mentioned in my original post, I can always re-scan it paying closer attention to the highlights and shadows and the color balance in general.

John: I have already replied to your version, and I should say that it is still my favorite one. In any case, it is the best B&W version submitted so far!

Brian: I like the glow effect and the results you have achieved by that. It gives a dream-like quality to the picture and removes the clutter. Certainly worth considering for possible applications in the future, even if not on this particular picture.

Tim G.: Your version reminds me of the pictures published in photography oriented magazines in the 60s and 70s such as Time-Life. Very retro and it has “serious stuff and documentary grade quality" printed on all over it. Thanks for evoking that unique feeling in me. De-saturating the boy's shirt has worked rather well IMO (maybe a tad too much in this case?).

Asher: You have discovered the intent I must have had subconsciously when taking the picture. I too have felt a certain philosophical connectedness with the lady and thought about how and where she fits into this. Your version is certainly one I’m going to print and hang on my office wall <smile>.

Nik: What can I say? Terrific result, I like it a lot. I think that maybe it could use some contrast improvements, but mostly, it is perfect! Thanks.

Tim A.: I agree that I’ve received terrific replies so far. Great! On hindsight, I agree with you that the boy belongs there so he stays. I know it is a shame I did not move around a bit. I was in such a hurry to take the picture before something’s disturbed the “magic” of the moment, I have taken the shoot “from the hip” without considering certain composition aspects carefully. When they saw me taking their picture, the magic was indeed gone and they became self-conscious. I did not have a second chance. :-(

Dierk: I like the crop a lot. Color corrections are also very good. Mostly, I am pleased to hear your take on the “clutter” in the picture though :)). Thanks pal!

Cheers,

Cem
 

Ray West

New member
The little irritation I see is the rope across the lad's face. Maybe someone working on the image could slide it a few inches along the pole., towards the woman ...

Best wishes, Ray
 
Top