Square cropped portraits (SCPs) - Archive

[Annette]

I am beyond trepidation to post here with so many talented and experienced photographers! I am SO much a beginner. I would appreciate some pointers on this one. This was shot a couple of years ago, on film, converted to digital by the processor. So, I have no idea what the specifics were as far as aperature or shutter speed.

I only have entry-level equipment. I do have a digital SLR camera now (heaven!). This was taken outdoors, late afternoon. So my questions are mostly for advice on composition, lighting, using my limited equipment, and if images like this can be improved with Photoshop. (I have visions of scanning old family photos and making books for my children!). I am dipping my big toe into PS for the first time (Thanks, Colin) and have started poking around in the software (for a whole 24 hours now). Thanks in advance for anything you can say....

[Colin Southern]

Hi Annette,

I think you must have been a professional photographer in another life or something!

Seriously, not much I can add - looks good. If I had to make just one comment then I'd probably say that the skin tones have been converted to grayscale a touch on the light side for my taste, but everything else looks just fine (in fact, that's a post I might well "steal" myself!).

[Dave Humphries]

So my questions are mostly for advice on composition, lighting, using my limited equipment, and if images like this can be improved with Photoshop. (I have visions of scanning old family photos and making books for my children!). I am dipping my big toe into PS for the first time (Thanks, Colin) and have started poking around in the software (for a whole 24 hours now). Thanks in advance for anything you can say....

Hi Annette,

I am with Colin, this is actually very good.

I have made a few quite minor tweaks, some may say I have gone too far (and I may yet join them when I see it alongside the original )



So what did I do?
Well you could play "spot the difference", but I'll save you the trouble
Tone down the woman's hands
Tone down and blur a little more, the background
Tone down peak whites
Cloned out a straight twig in bottom left corner
Cloned out bright bit bottom right corner
Trimmed it very slightly as, in the scan to digits, there was a hint of lightened edge showing across the top of frame. I took out 8 pixels, about 5 or 6 off the top and 3 or 2 off the bottom.
That's it: I didn't want to mess 'wholesale' with contrast range or sharpening as, on a jpg, it was highly likely I'd just make it worse.

EDIT: I am relieved that on the whole it is (just) a bit better, but I missed cloning out the guys forefinger nail, which doesn't look too photogenic although the woman's hand looks a bit too 'flat' now, I haven't provided enough modellling to it.

Cheers,

[Annette]

Hi Annette,

I am with Colin, this is actually very good.

I have made a few quite minor tweaks, some may say I have gone too far (and I may yet join them when I see it alongside the original )

So what did I do?
Well you could play "spot the difference", but I'll save you the trouble
Tone down the woman's hands
Tone down and blur a little more, the background
Tone down peak whites
Cloned out a straight twig in bottom left corner
Cloned out bright bit bottom right corner
Trimmed it very slightly as, in the scan to digits, there was a hint of lightened edge showing across the top of frame. I took out 8 pixels, about 5 or 6 off the top and 3 or 2 off the bottom.
That's it: I didn't want to mess 'wholesale' with contrast range or sharpening as, on a jpg, it was highly likely I'd just make it worse.

EDIT: I am relieved that on the whole it is (just) a bit better, but I missed cloning out the guys forefinger nail, which doesn't look too photogenic although the woman's hand looks a bit too 'flat' now, I haven't provided enough modellling to it.

Cheers,

Colin and Dave - thank you so much for you encouraging words! Dave - I am amazed at all the things you noticed that I didn't even see. I would have utterly failed at "spot the difference"! I completely agree with your changes, and can see the improvements. I have figured out few things in PS, like filters (yay!), although I'm not quite sure how to use them yet, and now that I see how you blurred the background, that's my new task to figure out how. There are several photos I'd like to try that one on! I appreciate the feedback, the editing, and the push this is all giving me to step out of my little box!

Cheers to you too!

[Dave Humphries]

Colin and Dave - thank you so much for you encouraging words! Dave - I am amazed at all the things you noticed that I didn't even see. I would have utterly failed at "spot the difference"! I completely agree with your changes, and can see the improvements. I have figured out few things in PS, like filters (yay!), although I'm not quite sure how to use them yet, and now that I see how you blurred the background, that's my new task to figure out how. There are several photos I'd like to try that one on! I appreciate the feedback, the editing, and the push this is all giving me to step out of my little box!

No worries Annette, you deserve it

I wouldn't want to learn from me - I'm a real Elements/PS amateur; I rarely use layers or masks and, unlike how I use DIY tools, in PP I frequently use a screwdriver as a chisel, if you know what I mean. So although I might get something that looks OK, how I got there would probably make a trained professional wince

On the bluring, I just used the multi-purpose brush tool, you can call it with the "R" key on keyboard, if you right click it, you get to choose between; "Blur Tool", "Sharpen Tool" or "Smudge Tool". So for this; obviously set to blur, then judicious use of image zoom (Ctrl key + mouse scroll wheel) and brush size "[" smaller and "]" for bigger, so I can get into the 'nooks and crannies' without bluring the edges we want sharp.

Cheers,

[Antonio Correia]

Excellent shot, Steve. Great colour, and the mask adds a real element of mystery... an excellent shot.

Yes, a very good shot indeed...

And yes the flipped version chosen by Rob is more pleasant than the other one.

However, it is curious that I have asked my wife - she didn't know about this flip business - and she is not the same opinion I am.

[Antonio Correia]

Well... My turn
Thank you Annette for posting here but hey, this is not a square cropped picture.
This one is a nSCP but this time you are excused because you are leaning CS all day long ...

I copied your picture and placed it in CS4. I am no expert in CS but I try my best.
I started by duplicating the layer with Command+J and then I made some curves adjustments as you can see in my screen shot herewith.
Because I was not happy with the blur already introduced I re-did it in the Layer 1 copy erasing the parts I wanted.
I then exported to Lightroom where I usually make my crops and exports with canvas.
When I was erasing the Lens Blur I was thinking of doing a crop about the way I did and you can see.
I also rotaed a little the picture.
The final picture looks too bright to me but I couldn't fix that. Sorry
I hope you like it in spite of
The image is also very degraded but it is normal after so many saves...

.

[Annette]

@ Dave: LOL! I know exactly what you mean about the screwdriver-as-a-chisel methods....I'm exactly the same way! And I have learned a lot from you just from what you did. Thanks so much.

[Annette]

Thank you, Antonio. I really like the tighter crop, and appreciate the feedback!

[Colin Southern]

Discussion / C&C Thread here.

[Antonio Correia]

Comment here if you please.

[Wirefox]

I am afraid that this image is rather dark but it makes a nice contrast to that gorgeous image of squirrel nutkins above...what an absolute cutie (see post below...there was a squirrel....honest.) This one makes use of laser light and long exposure and is a variant of the images in a separate thread.

[Antonio Correia]

Hello Steve. I dared to do my version of your creative image.

Please click on the image to go to the original thread.

[Wirefox]

I am afraid that this image is rather dark but it makes a nice contrast to that gorgeous image of squirrel nutkins above

Just quickly passing. I am in a dash so I will reply to Antonio's post later. However i think the statement above needs clarification. Unless I am going nuts there was a squirrel above my post..honest...bushy tail, nuts and everything. Now Kelsey has appeared again...so my comment is out of context. Whilst Kelsey is is a very nice image I am not in he habit of calling complete strangers "squirrel nutkins" It gave me a real laugh when I read this again

Steve....there it goes again...a bush tailed squirrel....am I working too hard?

[carregwen]

Unless I am going nuts there was a squirrel above my post..honest...bushy tail, nuts and everything. Now Kelsey has appeared again...so my comment is out of context. Whilst Kelsey is is a very nice image I am not in he habit of calling complete strangers "squirrel nutkins" It gave me a real laugh when I read this again

You're taking too many freaky pictures, my friend, and it's making you see things that are not there. Try some nice picture-postcard landscapes, like I do..

[Dave Humphries]

Just quickly passing. I am in a dash so I will reply to Antonio's post later. However i think the statement above needs clarification. Unless I am going nuts there was a squirrel above my post..honest...bushy tail, nuts and everything. Now Kelsey has appeared again...so my comment is out of context. Whilst Kelsey is is a very nice image I am not in he habit of calling complete strangers "squirrel nutkins" It gave me a real laugh when I read this again

Steve....there it goes again...a bush tailed squirrel....am I working too hard?

Hmmm,

I did see a red squirrell on CiC yesterday (couldn't cionfirm it was here in this thread though), but today, I can't find it - anywhere.

Thus I think someone, somewhere, may have been temporarily swapping images numbers in posts - to see if it affected the latest bug being investigated (some people's images not showing up in some browsers).

So either we're both working too hard, or ....

[carregwen]

So either we're both working too hard, or ....

.. you both need the same medication? You can try mine, they work really well (I don't see squirrels)

"Little Squirrel Nutkins" http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/...ec07a157_o.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

Hello Rob

I only allow you to post this squirrel here because it comes in the sequence of some posts changed between you/us regarding an animal.

Animals are forbidden here, except in cases like this.

[carregwen]

Hello Rob

I only allow you to post this squirrel here because it comes in the sequence of some posts changed between you/us regarding an animal.

Animals are forbidden here, except in cases like this.

Yes, sorry about that. I should have said so myself when I posted it. I don't expect any comments on the shot - as you say it was just part of the dialogue.

[Antonio Correia]

Yes, sorry about that. I should have said so myself when I posted it. I don't expect any comments on the shot - as you say it was just part of the dialogue.

Don't be. After all we are all Humans aren't we ?
Who doesn't make mistakes ?
And is this of any importance in Life ?