13 replies to this topic

[sunshine]

I posted this photo in the "Critique" forum and it was suggested that others might like to have a go at editing it.  So after pestering Peter about rules and etiquette, here is a link to a raw file.  I took this photo on Christmas day of my granddaughter with her new camera.

 

https://drive.google...ekZlelhWR1M5Sm8

 

This is not a formal challenge.  Just a photo I took that I believe can be made better.  My Lightroom skills are still in the developing stage, which is why I submitted the photo for critique in the first place.  Below is a version that I produced:

 

[Merco_61]

Here is my take on this far from easy capture.

 

All edits done in Capture NX-D.

Change picture control to [PT] Portrait from [SD] Standard.

Raised Active D-lighting to High from Normal. This evened out the exposure across the frame by lightening the dark clothes.

The next step is lowering the overall exposure 1 1/3 steps.

Finally, a crop to 5:4 to lose some distractions.

 

[sunshine]

Thanks! I like your approach.  Regarding Active D-Lighting, does the camera setting for this affect the raw files or only jpegs?  Do you recommend keeping it set to high in-camera?  Or is this a setting that needs to be adjusted regularly according to the shooting situation?

[Merco_61]

ADL is a jpeg only thing unless you use Capture NX-D for editing. The same goes for Picture Controls as Adobe and the others don't use the maker notes in EXIF. 

 

ADL needs to be adjusted according to the contrast in the scene for best results, but the good news is that the D810 has a very good algorithm for ADL Auto.

 

Edit: I should add that the forum software didn't like the ProPhotoRGB of my jpg, so the thumbnail is desaturated. If you click on it, it will show the true colours and tones. I usually upload to the gallery space and link, which works correctly.

[nbanjogal]

So I took a slightly different approach (which won't surprise Peter at all--I think he called my style "romantic" once, ha ha). This is a style thing more than anything, but I thought more about sentiment on this photo than trying to achieve technical perfection. I also like things bright and airy, so that also influenced my edit.

 

I cropped out a good deal of the blown out windows since they seemed to bother and since I wanted to strengthen the focus on the subject. I also increased exposure--though I didn't want to lose the line of her forehead against the white windows, so I used the brush to bring the exposure down very gently in that spot. (I also used the brush to reduce a little of the pinkness on her face.) Since the misplaced focus was part of what was bothering you, I took the blacks down ever so slightly--I do that often ever since I read a tutorial on helping images seem sharper (when they aren't as tack sharp as you'd like them).

 

 

Here is a quick screen grab of the settings I used in Lightroom, in addition to a little noise reduction and sharpening. You will see that I increased exposure and lifted the shadows, which seems a bit counterintuitive, I suppose, but I really wanted to see more detail in her sweater and wanted also to keep her face from being too shadowed and grey. 

 

 

I also tried a black and white version--again keeping it light and looking for a sentimental result.

 

 

Again, settings:

 

 

 

From your earlier comments about the photo, I'm guessing these sentimental edits won't be your style--oh well. I really enjoy your photo--I'd be quite happy to end up with something similar of my daughter!

 

 

 

 

 

[sunshine]

...Edit: I should add that the forum software didn't like the ProPhotoRGB of my jpg, so the thumbnail is desaturated. If you click on it, it will show the true colours and tones. I usually upload to the gallery space and link, which works correctly.

 

Yes - I clicked. I like your result better than mine.

 

...From your earlier comments about the photo, I'm guessing these sentimental edits won't be your style--oh well. I really enjoy your photo--I'd be quite happy to end up with something similar of my daughter!

 

I'm not sure that I have a style yet. 

I like both your color and b&w versions.  At first glance, the b&w seemed too bright, but it made me stop and study it closer.  While doing so it occurred to me that that is the effect I'm after - getting viewers to stop and really look.

 

Thanks to both of you.  I am learning a lot here.

[dcbear78]

I want to have a go at this. But I'll be 700km away from my computer for the next week.

[sunshine]

I want to have a go at this. But I'll be 700km away from my computer for the next week.

 

I will leave the .NEF file where it is.

[Ron]

Nicole, I think you nailed it. Or at least you came about as close as possible for this image.

 

I'm also grabbing this file and will hopefully be able to play with it this weekend although I doubt if I can match Nicole's interpretation.

 

--Ron

[Jerry_]

I think that Nicole gave it the processing it needed, so difficult to do better.

Also, I think that this image has the best rendering in BW, so tried to give it two interpretations

1) a bright BW one using DxO11, resulting in



2) as well as a more balanced one, using TonalityCK
(Preset: Portraits - Fashion Magazine 1, with some extra tweaks on the Exposure)



Resulting in

[Ron]

I really like number 1, Jerry. A beautiful old style high key portrait. Number 2 is nice too... smoother tones. It's hard to decide which one is best.

 

--Ron

[Jerry_]

Thanks Ron - I had been playing around a bit before I was happy with #1

[ScottinPollock]

Thanks to both of you.  I am learning a lot here.

 

One thing I don't recall seeing mentioned here... and that is for shot such as these (with really strong backlight without fill), consider bracketing your exposures by at least two stops. You'll have so much more to work with in post.

[sunshine]

Thank you to everyone for the examples and advice.  My day job has reared its ugly head once again and is seriously eating into my forum time. I hate when that happens...