Yellow flower, please C&C.......

[just me]

I just started recently to take my photo's in RAW format, this yellow flower is one of them, and I took it today in my garden, handheld, and it was also a bit windy......

Please tell me what you are thinking of this photo.......

Thank you in advance......

Griddi......

[pnodrog]

It is a beautiful flower that I don't recognise. Good focus and exposure but I find the background a bit busy. Darkening the background would probably be the simplest way to add even more punch to the photograph.

[Clive Kirby]

Hi Griddi
Totally agree with Paul. Nice sharp image showing the detail of the bloom. Beautiful colour. Slight angle of view giving a liitle contrast in the lighting and adding to the interest. But the background is too hard. Next time try varying the f stop/aperture to vary the depth of field. You should get a smoother, more blurred background. I know it's not always possible. but try to pick a flower, or angle the shot where the background colours and tones are more even. But, like I said it's a great shot and all the better for being done under difficult conditions in the wind.
regards
Clive

[just me]

Thank you Paul and Clive for looking and comments.......
I did darken the background, so is this better looking ?

Also would you say, as I took the photo with RAW setting ( for a very long time I always shoot only JPEG's, because I could not see any difference at RAW Vs JPEG, but shoot now in RAW ) that this has improved the photo better, regarding colour etc.?

Regards,
Griddi....

[pnodrog]

Hi Griddi, you have the idea but I think you have been a little to harsh and did not totally encircle the flower. The reds and pinks in the background are the main distraction. Hope you do not mind but below is the sort of effect I was envisaging.

[just me]

Hi Griddi, you have the idea but I think you have been a little to harsh and did not totally encircle the flower. The reds and pinks in the background are the main distraction. Hope you do not mind but below is the sort of effect I was envisaging.

Hi Paul,

Big Thank You, looks very nice now, I love it, but how did you do this ? For the time being, I have for PP just " Silkypic " although my Grandson installed " Ligthroom " for me, which I need to learn, and so waiting for a book for this.......

Greetings,
Griddi......

[rtbaum]

Griddi- I think that as soon as you have become familiar with Lightroom, you will discover the real beauty of Raw. I would Import this shot into Lightroom and just play with the sliders to see what happens. It is a fairly powerful editing program.

[just me]

Griddi- I think that as soon as you have become familiar with Lightroom, you will discover the real beauty of Raw. I would Import this shot into Lightroom and just play with the sliders to see what happens. It is a fairly powerful editing program.

Hi Randy,

I will, but like to wait till I have the book in my hands, as at present I am completly lost, even to know how to save a photo with Lightroom, and also I am a bit worried, everything will be sort of " mixed up ".

Griddi.....

[rtbaum]

The important thing to keep in mind is that the changes are nondestructive, if you make change that you do not care for you can always return to the original shot. My workflow is generally to import directly into LR3 and review and cull my images. Those which I wish to work on further, I begin with adjusting WB and exposure until satisfied, I then work my way down the list, adjusting to taste. The books are great, but nothing beats a little hands on. Just remember that if the shot gets out of control, it is all reversible. Once satisfied, I will Export into either CS4 or My Pictures. When you export, you will be given options in regards to file type, naming the file, special identifiers for individual photos, and much more. I usually keep it simple, but you can become quite detailed at this point.

[pnodrog]

Hi Griddi,

The edit I did on the flower was done with Photoshop CS6. I use Lightroom for all the management of my photographs and a significant amount of the editing. However the edit I wanted to do on your photo was more easily done with Photoshop by duplicating the photo onto a new layer, painting the green fill roughly over the areas that I thought required it and then using a layer mask to control how the two layers blended. In the Develop section of Lightroom the Adjustment brush could be used to achieve a similar result but would have taken more time and care.

The real answer is to try and get the flower lined up with a suitable background when you take the photograph.

Even (possibly because of) having used CAD for at least 30 years and Photoshop for over 15 years I found Lightroom a bit strange to use at first - now I do all my basic adjustments using it and an ever increasing amount of other adjustments in Lightroom but when I want total control I end up using Photoshop for the more demanding editing.

[just me]

The important thing to keep in mind is that the changes are nondestructive, if you make change that you do not care for you can always return to the original shot. My workflow is generally to import directly into LR3 and review and cull my images. Those which I wish to work on further, I begin with adjusting WB and exposure until satisfied, I then work my way down the list, adjusting to taste. The books are great, but nothing beats a little hands on. Just remember that if the shot gets out of control, it is all reversible. Once satisfied, I will Export into either CS4 or My Pictures. When you export, you will be given options in regards to file type, naming the file, special identifiers for individual photos, and much more. I usually keep it simple, but you can become quite detailed at this point.

Hi Randy,
I just tried Lightroom, I think with time I will manage, but could not find where to adjust sharpness, can you let me know please ?
Otherwise it was not to bad for the first time......

Griddi.....

[just me]

Hi Griddi,

The edit I did on the flower was done with Photoshop CS6. I use Lightroom for all the management of my photographs and a significant amount of the editing. However the edit I wanted to do on your photo was more easily done with Photoshop by duplicating the photo onto a new layer, painting the green fill roughly over the areas that I thought required it and then using a layer mask to control how the two layers blended. In the Develop section of Lightroom the Adjustment brush could be used to achieve a similar result but would have taken more time and care.

The real answer is to try and get the flower lined up with a suitable background when you take the photograph.

Even (possibly because of) having used CAD for at least 30 years and Photoshop for over 15 years I found Lightroom a bit strange to use at first - now I do all my basic adjustments using it and an ever increasing amount of other adjustments in Lightroom but when I want total control I end up using Photoshop for the more demanding editing.

Thank you Paul,

I noted it down what you wrote regarding Lightroom......

I took the yellow flower photo with my Fuji X100 camera, but next time, and usually anyway, when taking flowers I am using my Olympus E-M5 with the Panasonic macro lens, then I will get a better boked .......

I also took the yellow flower photo with F8, would have been better to use a lower F stop.....

Apart from anything else, I often say : before T.V., microwave, mobile phone, computer, photoshop, lightroom etc. life was easier

Greetings,
Griddi......

[pnodrog]

Hi Griddi,

Select the photograph in the Library module then on the top right hand side you will see develop. Click on that to get into the develop part of lightroom. Scroll down the right hand column and you will find the sharpening adjustments. The develop module is where you will end up do most of your adjustments.

[just me]

Hi Griddi,

Select the photograph in the Library module then on the top right hand side you will see develop. Click on that to get into the develop part of lightroom. Scroll down the right hand column and you will find the sharpening adjustments. The develop module is where you will end up do most of your adjustments.

Thanks again Paul, will try it out in a minute, I just don't come off from the computer, should have done some dusting some hours ago instead

Griddi......

[just me]

Thanks again Paul, will try it out in a minute, I just don't come off from the computer, should have done some dusting some hours ago instead

Griddi......

It's me again......

I can find where it say's : sharpening.....but could this go under " Clarity " ? Because this I can find / see......

Griddi.....

[DeepWater]

Hey Griddi
If you are wanting to learn Lightroom I would suggest you go here to start

http://www.lynda.com/promo/trial/def...spx?lpk35=1908

You will find this a link to a trial subscription to the site (I think should work down under too Linda is a video based learning site that will take you through a program from beginning to end - they have industry leaders doing the videos and their regular subscription is less than a buck a day. Just check out the site and you will see.

Once you master the learning curve (it's steep, but fun and the results are totally worth it) you will see your skills truly blossom (sorry for the pun but I couldn't help it ) good luck and have fun

[just me]

Hey Griddi
If you are wanting to learn Lightroom I would suggest you go here to start

http://www.lynda.com/promo/trial/def...spx?lpk35=1908

You will find this a link to a trial subscription to the site (I think should work down under too Linda is a video based learning site that will take you through a program from beginning to end - they have industry leaders doing the videos and their regular subscription is less than a buck a day. Just check out the site and you will see.

Once you master the learning curve (it's steep, but fun and the results are totally worth it) you will see your skills truly blossom (sorry for the pun but I couldn't help it ) good luck and have fun

Hi James,

Thank you to you too, so many nice and helpful people here........

I just got a message that the book from " Scott Kelby Lightroom 3 " which my Grandson had ordered for me, will be in my hands tonight, so I will see how I going along with it......

I have bookmarked your link for the time being.....

Aah, and about your sorry about blossom pun I prefer blossom more than wilting

Kind Regards,
Griddi.....

[pnodrog]

Hi Griddi,

Just Google: Lightroom Develop Tutorial and you will get plenty of free tutorials you can use. Adobe have a very comprehensive selection. This link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsrRXCxqTB0 is to a youtube tutorial I found but it is just one of many.

[just me]

Hi Paul

Thanks for all your help, I am getting the book tonight, but for the last 1.5 hours I was into Lightroom, I found the " sharpening " and I am starting to like Lightroom, WOW ......

Looking back now, I even find my yellow flower photo sort of to yellow, after I was playing around now in Lightroom......

Cheers,
Griddi......

[pnodrog]

Hi Paul

Thanks for all your help, I am getting the book tonight, but for the last 1.5 hours I was into Lightroom, I found the " sharpening " and I am starting to like Lightroom, WOW ......

Looking back now, I even find my yellow flower photo sort of to yellow, after I was playing around now in Lightroom......

Cheers,
Griddi......

Good .... Lightroom will slowly fall into place and in a few weeks you will be wondering what the problem was.

Good luck and many happy hours(months) of mastering it.