Snap for PP advice

[Mark von Kanel]

Hi all,

Well im home as it turns out temporerrally i took this one a while ago on my point and shoot, i like the image and would like to print it as a gift for a friend. ive posted the image sooc and with edits done by myself in LR. i have cs4 but at the moment it terrifies me, anny advice at all that could make this image a special Christmas gift to a good friend would be much appreciated.



This is sooc annoyed that i cut the cats feet off



Here is my attempt at PP ive softend it useing clarity, and increased the blacks to darken the background, i also increased the vibrance, dont know what else to do, what do you think?

mark

[Geoff F]

I would be tempted to 'cut the cat' even tighter and lose it's legs altogether; and the same for the tail.

Then end up with a square image or possible a 4 x 5 ratio might work and concentrate more on the main subject.

[Mark von Kanel]

Thanks Geoff, hows this?



mark

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Mark,

Still at least the real cat still has feet

It is a shame that in darkening the background, you lost so much shadow side of face detail in the process, can't you mask to avoid that?

[Viana]

I love this photo, Mark! Has great potential.


I’m a great fan of lots of shadows and the almost chiaroscuro look in a photo.


Thanks for posting the SOOC.


I hope you do not mind: Did a crop, bit of exposure adjustment in Lightroom and then pulled the pix into Photoshop to mitigate the shadows and colour cast on the face. Blurred the background. Sharpened the right eye only.


It’s not exactly cropped to the rule of thirds, but I think that it works a bit better.

[Mark von Kanel]

Hi Viana, remeber a thread about critique on your own work? Dispite the yellow cat i hadnt noticed white balnce problems!!! thanks for your help your edit is fab, now all i need to do is replicate it, thanks. actuallt it wasnt WB! i introduced it when i increased the vibreance.... bugger i was supposed to make it better....

mark

[Viana]

Hi Viana, remeber a thread about critique on your own work? Dispite the yellow cat i hadnt noticed white balnce problems!!! thanks for your help your edit is fab, now all i need to do is replicate it, thanks. actuallt it wasnt WB! i introduced it when i increased the vibreance.... bugger i was supposed to make it better....


mark

Well, you know Mark, it is always much easier to critique the work of others than to note the mote in your own eye.


I want a “chip” for that human failing.