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Photoshop help for a public service photo

Rachel Foster

New member
Today I had the pleasure of photographing a graduate of a local elementary school. I was invited by a teacher who is writing a history of the school. T I had to do the shoot there, with bad conditions, because this lovely man is 101. The background on this shot is atrocious. I did what I could by putting a white board behind the couple, but it leaves much to be desired.

I am horrible with photoshop. I do not have the dexterity to finely mark the areas that need help. I'm asking for help with this image as a gift to the community and the couple. Anyone? (I have the RAW.)

couple1.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Rachel,

Tell me you took more pictures and you have them in RAW. If not re-read my last admonition on the excuses put up for cost of memory. That's so so not valid today! :)

What wide aperture or slow speed did you use to get her so well and him so soft?

Asher
 

Rachel Foster

New member
RAW all the way.

It was ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/200, 35mm.

I have a dozen at least, but this was best of the two. (His face is kind of soft... I thought it because he is 101 years of age.)

Of him alone, this is my favorite. However it won't appeal to many. The actual print had more contrast, with the face a bit more shadowed. The outline of the shape of the face drew me like a magnet.

g1-1.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
RAW all the way.

It was ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/200, 35mm.

couple1.jpg


O.K. Rachel, from now on state you have the file in RAW as I went ahead and prepared it for you. With this, any one can repeat this or do better with the RAW file. How large is it to be printed?

couple1edited_AK.jpg


I remodeled her right arm and then place here more medially. Uniformed the background, removed shadows, brightened his eyes, gave each person their own levels and curves. His skin is de-saturated a tad. No sharpening!

Send the RAW file to yourself using http://yousendit.com and then post the download URL here for others to work from the RAW file.

Asher
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Ummmm.....I hate to sound like a rube or excessively gauche, but.....that looks like magic.

Will make raw available asap. I always shoot raw when it's important, have not done so with practice or casual shoots.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Ummmm.....I hate to sound like a rube or excessively gauche, but.....that looks like magic.

Will make raw available asap. I always shoot raw when it's important, have not done so with practice or casual shoots.
Rachel,

So I take it that you like the edits?

RE: JPG for casual shots? There are no casual shots! The only reason to shoot jpg is when you are totally expert on everything you do and can immediately deliver the shot to a client in the color space and form they request. It's for very skilled wedding and catalog shooter for product. Otherwise always RAW! For fun shoot RAW + JPG.

Asher
 

Rachel Foster

New member
INVITATION: Download RAW files for editing! Have a go!

Thanks, Asher.

At this very moment, I have Photoshop for Dummies open on the desk next to my keyboard. The two best couple shots I'm providing for you to edit if you can help.

here and here.

I made one error. This lovely man is not a graduate of the school. He helped build it! He also helped build the Mackinac Bridge (it links the Lower and Upper Penninsulas of Michigan. Below is a photo of the bridge shot by my friend, Jack Nye.

jackbridge.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Rachel Foster

New member
I'm going to devote some serious time to this and I shall master photoshop. It will take a bit of time, though, as I have some family and work obligations that are pressing. But...I shall do this!
 

Chee Lim

New member
Hi Rachel, this is what I got from working on the picture you posted in the 1st post (the Jpeg). Simple steps for me..opened up lightroom 2, imported file, browsed thru the preset preview, clicked on the one that looks good, less than 10 secs work :X I'm not well acquainted with photoshop or else I would have lighten up the shadow behind.

lab1tn6.jpg
 

Rachel Foster

New member
I have CS4 on order. I'm hoping it will be improved enough over CS2 I can manage it a bit better. As it is I've been doing a lot with shadow/highlight.
 

Cem_Usakligil

Well-known member
I have CS4 on order. I'm hoping it will be improved enough over CS2 I can manage it a bit better. As it is I've been doing a lot with shadow/highlight.
Hi Rachel,

I am so sorry I have to say this but your expectations are in vain. There is nothing you can't do in CS2 which you hope to be able to do in CS4. Not in the area of main functionality such as layers anyway. If you can't learn to work with CS2, you won't learn to work with CS4-5-6 either.

An analogy could be: "I can't take good pictures with my Canon 40D since it is a complicated camera so I'll buy the Canon 50D instead."
 

Jim Galli

Member
Hi Rachel,

I am so sorry I have to say this but your expectations are in vain. There is nothing you can't do in CS2 which you hope to be able to do in CS4. Not in the area of main functionality such as layers anyway. If you can't learn to work with CS2, you won't learn to work with CS4-5-6 either.

An analogy could be: "I can't take good pictures with my Canon 40D since it is a complicated camera so I'll buy the Canon 50D instead."

I would concur but I will try to encourage you also. I well remember starting out with PS-5 about 9 or 10 years ago. They sent a learn lesson CD with it in those days. I had a good employer that was willing to let me struggle along at my own pace. That CD helped a LOT. I bumped along at home with PS-7 for a long time. It was bootleg and I couldn't afford a newer version. We finally upgraded to CS2 at work and it really did have some features I wanted badly at home. My wife and daughters bought me CS3 for home last year and I upgraded to the same at work. I did the same with cameras. I upgraded to a D200 at home and had the folks at work buy the same thing. That really helps as you're not trying to always remember how "this one" does it.

fwiw, as Kenny Rogers says in his song, "ya gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em." The photo we're trying to fix in this case is never going to be much good. I confess to pulling it into CS3 and messing with it. Nope. Any photographer understands how badly you want to make a silk purse out of a sows ear with a truly important picture. Most of us have been there. Lesson learned is probably going to be 1) photoshop ain't gonna fix it and 2) next time the light is harsh, get that camera balanced for flash, and use it for fill.

Anyways, don't give up. You'll get there.
 

Rachel Foster

New member
Cem does know me.

Actually, there are a couple of reasons I'm going to CS4. First, I'm hoping the interface has been improved. Secondly, though, I have a sinking suspicion I was dumb enough to get a bootleg copy of CS2. I ordered it online for an extremely good price. I have a serial number and all that but it tries to get me to "register" every time I open it up even though I've done so numerous times. I fear it might be "grayware."
 
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