I'm gonna try this whippin' thang...

[melissa6631]

Hey yall!
This is my first time at this whipping post thing so I thought I'd try it out. I took this picture of my beautiful step daughter. She's only 10! Man time flies. Anyhow, I'm really happy with the results and i'd like to hear any advice yall have on making it better or perfecting my next shot. Thanks!

http://goooz.smugmug.com/photos/34222725-L.jpg

[marlof]

Missy: she has a very beautiful face that speaks stories. Like Troy/Windoze, you're happy to have such a great model around the house. As for the picture: I like the colors and the way you've cropped the face. The only thing that I see that could be enhanced, is that her left eye (right to the viewers) is a bit out of focus.

[windoze]

i think it is beautiful portrait...
the right side looks slighlty oof, but maybe that adds to the picture...
anyway im done whipping you! hope it didnt hurt!



troy

Hey yall!
This is my first time at this whipping post thing so I thought I'd try it out. I took this picture of my beautiful step daughter. She's only 10! Man time flies. Anyhow, I'm really happy with the results and i'd like to hear any advice yall have on making it better or perfecting my next shot. Thanks!

[melissa6631]

anyway im done whipping you! hope it didnt hurt!



troyI've been looking for you on AOL--- you're no where to be found. Your loss :) LOL

I kind of actually liked that the one side was Oof. it made ME look at her eyes.

[tmlphoto]

The composition looks good. The lighting is good. To me, both eyes are out of focus. This would be exaggerated even more if the print was enlarged. The focus plane is at the nose rather than the eyes. It is difficult to have an effective portrait without at least one eye in sharp focus IMO. I like the limited field of view, but you have to be really cardful about the point of focus. How about a reshoot?

[melissa6631]

The composition looks good. The lighting is good. To me, both eyes are out of focus. This would be exaggerated even more if the print was enlarged. The focus plane is at the nose rather than the eyes. It is difficult to have an effective portrait without at least one eye in sharp focus IMO. I like the limited field of view, but you have to be really cardful about the point of focus. How about a reshoot?Thomas, now that you say that.... I DO see that the nose is mainly in focus. I can do a reshoot because she lives here LOL Not a problem. MAN... I didn't noticce the nose thing.. *Sigh*...

I know this is going to sound like a totally stupid question but can you "remind" me how to change the focus on the Drebel?

[GraphyFotoz]

Great capture!

Like was said just slightly outta focus.
To me the skin looks a tad cool.....needs just a hint of warmth.

If you use PS for a Photo program could try a hint of warming filter?

[melissa6631]

Great capture!

Like was said just slightly outta focus.
To me the skin looks a tad cool.....needs just a hint of warmth.

If you use PS for a Photo program could try a hint of warming filter?
How do you do that?

I have to tell you though she has THE fairest skin. I swear she's in the Webster under the word "white" LOL

[Michiel de Brieder]

Great capture!

Like was said just slightly outta focus.
To me the skin looks a tad cool.....needs just a hint of warmth.

If you use PS for a Photo program could try a hint of warming filter? :agree even though she might just look exactly like that, I'd warm it up for a bit :D but I think that's a matter of taste and/or principles

[GraphyFotoz]

http://goooz.smugmug.com/photos/34222725-L.jpg
Took your shot to PS CS and here is what I came up with.
Filter>sharpen>smart sharpen
Layer>New layer adjustment>Photo Filter

Just played with a hint of smart sharpen
Photo filter= Warming filter (85) @ 25% density.
Couldn't fix all the soft focus but did a bit. Skin has the warmth.
Look better?? :scratch

http://images14.fotki.com/v192/photos/1/11671/1629244/StepDaughter2-vi.jpg

I don't whip I help with solutions!:D

[GraphyFotoz]

How do you do that?

I have to tell you though she has THE fairest skin. I swear she's in the Webster under the word "white" LOLI have a skylight filter on my lens most of the time 81A. Adds warmth to all pics people and other wise.

[melissa6631]

I'm not sure if I like it more. I will say that after looking at mine and then yours I can see just how out of focus mine actually is. But I'm not sure that I like the results of yours. somethings off. perhaps her eyes? The freckles look to prominent. I dont know... LOL


I'll have to play with it. Or possibly just reshoot it.
Took your shot to PS CS and here is what I came up with.
Filter>sharpen>smart sharpen
Layer>New layer adjustment>Photo Filter

Just played with a hint of smart sharpen
Photo filter= Warming filter (85) @ 25% density.
Couldn't fix all the soft focus but did a bit. Skin has the warmth.
Look better?? :scratch

http://images14.fotki.com/v192/photos/1/11671/1629244/StepDaughter2-vi.jpg

I don't whip I help with solutions!:D

[GraphyFotoz]

I'm not sure if I like it more. I will say that after looking at mine and then yours I can see just how out of focus mine actually is. But I'm not sure that I like the results of yours. somethings off. perhaps her eyes? The freckles look to prominent. I dont know... LOL


I'll have to play with it. Or possibly just reshoot it.I was just going by what looks natural.
Only you know what she looks like in person.
Sorry I'll just keep my fixes and comments to home.:dunno

[melissa6631]

I was just going by what looks natural.
Only you know what she looks like in person.
Sorry I'll just keep my fixes and comments to home.:dunno
I'm sorry. I appreciate you trying. It does point out to me how Oof my original photo is. I did'nt mean to offend or hurt your feelings.

[GraphyFotoz]

I'm sorry. I appreciate you trying. It does point out to me how Oof my original photo is. I did'nt mean to offend or hurt your feelings.That's what I was thinking on your end! :rofl

I'm just not one the toss a nice photo if it can be fixed with a lil post work.
Hey a camera is just a box of electronic do-dads. Hafta be a real expert with expensive equipment to get a perfect shot everytime.
Photoshop can save a ametures butt many times......it has for me!:rolleyes

Many shots can't be taken in the same situation time and time again.

[melissa6631]

That's what I was thinking on your end! :rofl

I'm just not one the toss a nice photo if it can be fixed with a lil post work.
Hey a camera is just a box of electronic do-dads. Hafta be a real expert with expensive equipment to get a perfect shot everytime.
Photoshop can save a ametures butt many times......it has for me!:rolleyes

Many shots can't be taken in the same situation time and time again.
Whew. I wish sometimes you could "hear" me say things. I swear I'm really a nice person! I didn't get mad I just got... "ahhhhh wishy washy" I wasn't sure if I liked it or not LOL

You're more than welcomed to pile up with Andy and Troy and come on down to NC and take pictures of my kids. Yall would have a field day with them!

[Andy]

i think it is beautiful portrait...
the right side looks slighlty oof, but maybe that adds to the picture...
anyway im done whipping you! hope it didnt hurt!

troy

:agree and it doesn't add imo. it's a good pic missy - but with a straight on shot like this, give us both eyes in focus - this is very important with close up portraits like this :D

now, if she was 3/4s to the camera, then you can get away with the far eye slightly oof.

thanks for posting in the whipping post! :clap

ps: she's gorgeous.

[Andy]

let's remember the rulez (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=13428) please - no photoshop iterations here - save that for photoshop shenanigans.


:deal :deal

[melissa6631]

ps: she's gorgeous.
Thanks. She sure is, isn't she?

I have to really start using my camera more. I hadn't used it in so long that I honestly "forget" how to. I've foudn myself using the "no flash" option or the "auto" option. Now I'm remembering that I HATE the built in flash so I threw the canon flash up top and I've been using it on auto but I have to get back into the manual mode. I've tried AV but every damn picture comes out oof. It's frustrating and I feel like I'm losing a lot of good pictures due to blur.

[Steve Cavigliano]

Missy,

I'm with Thomas and Karz. She's a little freckle faced cutie and I like what you were going after here. But I'd like to see her eyes more in focus (just the eyes, not her skin, hair or freckles). One eye oof isn't a big deal, but as Thomas points out, both eyes are oof :dunno I'm also with Karz on the suggestion of warming her up a bit. She might actually be that pale, but her skin looks too blue/cyan to my eyes.

How lucky you are that she's always around to reshoot. I am thinking she's going to either love being Mommy's portrait subject or she's gonna run everytime she sees ya coming with the camera in your hand.....LOL

Steve

PS: looks like I missed a whole page of replies :rolleyes I didn't mean to "pile on" about the focus issue :uhoh

[DavidTO]

The nose is in focus, not the eyes. If you're going to sharpen, it should be done selectively, so that the skin is not sharpened, just the eyes and eyebrows, maybe the lips. Check out this tutorial (http://www.robertbiggerstaff.com/skin.htm) for more.

I love the expression in the eyes.

[Andy]

Missy,

I didn't mean to "pile on" about the focus issue :uhoh

http://members.aol.com/xshadowman/DogPile.GIF

[tmlphoto]

I know this is going to sound like a totally stupid question but can you "remind" me how to change the focus on the Drebel?
Never used a rebel, but I'm sure some one here can help you. As a last resort, you might consider the manual :D . Anyone out there know how to change the AF point on a Rebel?

[GraphyFotoz]

let's remember the rulez (http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=13428) please - no photoshop iterations here - save that for photoshop shenanigans.


:deal :dealI'll crawl back under my keyboard.

[Andy]

I'll crawl back under my keyboard.

no worries - and c'mon outta there!

[ginger_55]

Couldn't fix all the soft focus but did a bit. Skin has the warmth.
Look better?? :scratch



I don't whip I help with solutions!:D
Ginger here, OK, this may be against the rules, but I just have to say that I preferred the soft to the extra sharp photo of a young woman, most any woman.

I love the photo, very expressive "soft" eyes.

I would reshoot weekly, just for the fun of it. (Perhaps more DOF, then nose would include eyes. Works on birds, what do I know, smile.)

[gluwater]

I think this is a great thead with many people trying to help you out. So I'm going to throw in my .02 also.

As for the focus issue, I don't have a rebel so I can't help you with changing the AF points but I can add this. I do Macro and it uses very limited DOF, so in order to get the correct part in focus I hold down the shutter half way so it Auto Focuses and then move the camera back and forth to select what I want in focus. Also you have to remember that the eyes are inset on the face so if you AF you will get the face IF and not the eyes.

If this was shot in RAW you could probably just adjust the White Balance to correct the skin tones. If not than a warming filter would also work. What program do you use for Post so I can try to give you more precise info? Could you also post your exif?

Very good composition on the shot. For some good info on portraits I'd suggest searching for recent posts by Windoze and Yuri. Yuri is the resident portrait master and Windoze has overcome some of the issues listed here so reading how he fixed them may also help you.

Nick

[MarkS]

I agree with what everyone says about the focus, however I dont think the fix helped at all. IMO it is over sharpened, I would rather see it soft. To change the focus point on a drebel ... in a creative mode hold the button to the extreme right on the back of the camera and rotate the wheel behind the shutter release.