First Attempt at PP

[Warren]

Not sure if this is where this post should go, its nature related, but its my first attempt at trying to 'spruce' up my photo like you guys do. CC welcome please.

[Colin Southern]

Hi Warren,

Gooks good I'd be tempted to add a bit of fill light to see if revealing a bit more shadow detail around the bird's eye improved the shot or not though.

Hope this helps

[Dave Humphries]

Not sure if this is where this post should go, its nature related, but its my first attempt at trying to 'spruce' up my photo like you guys do. CC welcome please.

Hi Warren,

Well the subject is OK in this forum, although we may 'descend' into a PP discussion
We can always move it if someone objects.

What PP software are you using?
I ask because there's no point us giving advice for brand "X" if you have brand "Y", it'll only confuse things

I like the composition, although some may advise a tighter crop.

Cheers,

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Warren,

I just discovered you have the same pic in another thread* in Nature and Architecture, so I moved this one here for the PP discussion to blossom.

* That "did my head in" because I thought my reply above had disappeared

Cheers,

[Warren]

I am using PhotoShop8. Just started using it, so I am not all that familar with it.

Dave, I have no problem with you moving the pic. I was not sure where to start this topic.

[arith]

Well it looks alright to me; if you can raise shadows a bit around the eyes might be even better. I use several applications on the same pic saving to tif at each stage because each does some things better, I hope quality doesn't suffer but sometimes if I have to work on an 8 bit and then it does.
I always capture in RAW but panoramas are output or exported as 8 bit even when 24 bit is selected. That means hassle because I have to work on each individual image for sharpening ect before stitching.
I don't know if PS8 has edge detection or smart cloning, it is one of the reasons I don't often use photoshop but prefer Helicon Filter, things might have changed and modern versions of photoshop might be loads better, still not worth £600 and definitely a rip off.Have you got something like this:

The White halo slider defines the intensity of sharpening of the white edges as a percentage of the black edge sharpening. In most cases a white halo is much more noticeable than a black halo. That is why a default value of this slider is set to 50%.

If you play with it you can magically get rid of black dots.

[Pawel]

Here's what I'm thinking:



The picture is all about the bird, so I've simplified the background. I've duplicated the image and used lens blur on the copy, then I've added mask and brushed away the bird and most of the fence. Before using lens blur I also cloned some background "into" bird and fence to avoid halo.
You should get even better results working on a larger/raw file. Hope this helps

[Dave Humphries]

I am using PhotoShop8. Just started using it, so I am not all that familar with it.

Hi Warren,

Just to clarify; is that real old, expensive (secondhand) Photoshop 8, or the shiny, new PS Elements 8?
This as much for the future as now, thanks.

Pawel,

I like what you've done there.

Thanks,

[pwnage101]

Here's what I'm thinking:

you seem to have left a green smear on the wing

[Warren]

Yes its Adobe Photo Shop Elements 8 with the video addition.

[Gerry]

Before using lens blur I also cloned some background "into" bird and fence to avoid halo.

I know this works, but my mind just can't get around the "why"! Why does the cloning "into", before adding the blur and the mask, keep the halos from revealing. It just doesn't, technically, make sense to me.

[Pawel]

Well, let's say you use blur on a line - this line will get thicker and lighter at the same time. If you use blur on a blue bird on green background, you will get soft transition between them - hence the "halo". Try it yourself - duplicate the image and just blur it, you'll get it in no time!

[Gerry]

Well, let's say you use blur on a line - this line will get thicker and lighter at the same time. If you use blur on a blue bird on green background, you will get soft transition between them - hence the "halo". Try it yourself - duplicate the image and just blur it, you'll get it in no time!

Hi Pawel,

Thanks for your response. However, that wasn't exactly my question...it is difficult to verbalize. I just don't understand where the cloned out pixels went when you paint on the mask to reveal the bird and fence. It seems to me that painting on the mask to black out the blur on selected pixels, the result would be to reveal the image exactly the same immediately prior to adding the blur. Why do those edges that were cloned over show back up when painting on the mask? Don't get why it works...juz duz, I guess.