weekly ams99 - 52 Challenge - Week 52 Water

ams99 said:
Hi Lynne,

The first image was with the bulb illuminated..... obviously in a lamp :)

I then took the bulb out and held it in roughly the same position with the lamp removed. I then simply copied the illuminated glass portion from photo 1 and pasted it onto the bulb i was holding.

Allan, coming from your good self "a fairly good job" makes me a happy man. :LOL::LOL:
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That wasn't meant to come across like that, I must practice thinking sometime :LOL:
 
ams99 said:
YIKES !! You're right about the dust spots.

Now then, whats the easiest way to get rid of these things?
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Dust spots - easy..... Can either use clone tools [S shortcut key in PS] (alt-click on are to clone from, then click on area to clone to, or spot healing brush tools [J shortcut key in PS] (simply click on offending area with brush size enough to cover spot (square brackets increase / decrease brush size) and it automatically chooses where to take from, or even Picasa was a retouch tool, simply set brush size, click on spot, and then move to area to copy from and it shows in real time what it will look like when retouched.

The "light in the hand" is really good - I must try this one day!!, first is better than the second for me, and I have no complaints with the first at all, even at the full res versions you've bravely posted up, presume the shadows are the ones in between the hand and the bulb, I'd leave them, they adda nice bit of texture to the bg, and possibly also slightly distract from the bulb, giving the viewer less reason to get drawn completely to the bulb magic?
 
Hi you have done really well with Live. I prefer the edit, the close crop works better for me. Overall exposures really good, Just the BG as you say. Black card would do the trick.

Cheers.
 
Great set Alan and great to see the improvements you've made and new skills you've developed throughout this challenge (y)
 
Lovely live shot: I agree that the crop on the first one is better. Very smoothly edited to create a top shot.

I love the odd asymmetry of the reflection shot as well.

Now you've got a white background, you can add anything to it you want; put another layer over the top - brickwork or stone or anything - and change the blending mode to Multiply.
 
Hi

Nice reflection, is it photoshopped or an actual reflection,

Its a good feeling when you have worked out something in PS, I find it really confusing at times. Good work I am sure it will come in handy in the future (y)
 
Cheers Allan. It is indeed photo shopped.

I took an image of the trophy on a fluffy white towel - hence the jagged edges at the bottom and then went through the following process:

1. Duplicate image
2. Create levels adjustment layer and move black slider to the right to hide low lights and midtones
3. On the middle layer then dodged all the highlights which made them all white
4. Deleted the top levels adjustment layer
5. Selected the trophy with the rectangle box and flipped it vertically
6. Holding the Ctrl key i then twisted the flipped image to where i wanted it to be
7. Finally i created another layer to add the fade out on the reflection

Although not a particularly good image it has helped me understand layers and masks.

Ive also tried Tony's advice and took a photo of a brick wall. I then put it over the original image and blended with multiply. With the background white it was then easy to create a layer mask to remove the wall from the trophy creating a completely new background.

Phew!
 
ams99 said:
Cheers Allan. It is indeed photo shopped.

I took an image of the trophy on a fluffy white towel - hence the jagged edges at the bottom and then went through the following process:

1. Duplicate image
2. Create levels adjustment layer and move black slider to the right to hide low lights and midtones
3. On the middle layer then dodged all the highlights which made them all white
4. Deleted the top levels adjustment layer
5. Selected the trophy with the rectangle box and flipped it vertically
6. Holding the Ctrl key i then twisted the flipped image to where i wanted it to be
7. Finally i created another layer to add the fade out on the reflection

Although not a particularly good image it has helped me understand layers and masks.

Ive also tried Tony's advice and took a photo of a brick wall. I then put it over the original image and blended with multiply. With the background white it was then easy to create a layer mask to remove the wall from the trophy creating a completely new background.

Phew!
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Whilst I understand the individual words I ain't got a clue what you said above :LOL: Well done on finding out new stuff in pp....I've been playing with it for twice as long & still don't have a Scooby how to do most things :bang:

The shot....lovely n sharp & I like the colors....in pse10 you can do that effect & also add different reflections....like water ripples , not that you'd necessarily want to of course :)
 
More learning Alan, you're head must be close to bursting poiint by now!!!

Good job again, I would prefer to see it straight I think, apparently, any point which is reflected will have a vertical line through itself and its reflected point. Presumably as long as the reflecting surface is horizontal (and standing water normally is :LOL:)
 
Hi

Really like the colours in the edited version now the hair has gone,
the closer crop sort of works too but the flame is a little dominant and its very hard to get a decent exposure on a naked flame.

Have you tried taking the pic in a dark room with just the flame for light :thinking:
 
Of the three I prefer the last one, it seems to be the best balanced in terms of light and colour. I am however not a fan of the cropping of the subject in any of them to be honest, all could have done with being a bit wider in my opinion

Edit: sorry I just realise I said what others already said. Sorry I can't be more useful!
 
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Hi
To edit title its "thread tools" in the top right I had trouble finding it too

As for the pic thats a great idea :clap: the colour (well tonal difference) between the foot and the hands is a little off
No idea what you can do to remedy that though
 
Clever Idea alan, as Allen says the tonal difference is a bit obvious, when I get something like this I apply a levels adjustment layer to just one of the layers and tweek it till they match. That said, this is a clever idea and the individual pictures are really good quality. Nice one. (y)
 
:runaway::runaway::runaway::runaway::runaway:

That's mental!!

Like it. Plenty of detail and a cracking idea. As said there is a slight difference in brightness, perhaps a sneaky 'burn' tool on the foot as I prefer the exposure on the hand.

Did I say :runaway::runaway::runaway::runaway::runaway:
 
Hi Alan, I'm not sure if I've been here before, if not I am sorry for missing the year, it's been crazy busy!

I'll just comment on the last few.
Left, whoa that's messed up! But certainly on theme. As for the different tone, hands are more exposed anyway so possibly a little darker anyway :thinking:

Melt, mmm, a lot to choose from. Not too sure on the candle and how to improve it, sorry. The chocolate is too tight a crop for me and more importantly the colour doesn't seem chocolatey enough, I think a wider crop will make the melted chocolate look a lot more tempting, if that makes sense?.
As for number three I like the close crop here, it's just the DOF that is the issue for me. The bit OOF on the left is a bit distracting for me. I would have possibly sacrificed a slice of cake and got the entire slice of cake in focus. It also seems more appropriate for cut, but certainly looks melt in the mouth good!

Reflection, cracking white background, this is something I have yet to master! A great effort for PP. The black background makes it look a little superimposed.

The garlic bulb is spot on for WB (y)

Cut, ooo more chocolate delights, the only bit that bothers me is the front edge of the cake being slightly OOF.

Sweet, :LOL: at the 'it's just a pile of sugar' discussion! True, but what a nightmare subject to shoot! WB is a subject I really need to learn more about, rather than just correcting it in PP. I too was bemused by your little black sugar droppings, they made me chuckle, could it simply be a reflection in the sugar crystals?

The falling choccies are a winner for me. I like the second shot, I could see this on a bill board for christmas treats!

Movement messes with my head, but I like it.

Shape, definitely a lovely shape and stands out lovely against the blue sky. I would crop the top left corner of the branch and try to give more space bottom right. Dare I mention the DOF on the bottom leaf?

Live, I prefer the wider shot. A good effort on the PP front and a very effective shot as a result (y)

Did I say last few? I think I meant last few months! Hopefully I shall pop in again before the year is out!
 
alsjazzera said:
Hi
To edit title its "thread tools" in the top right I had trouble finding it too

As for the pic thats a great idea :clap: the colour (well tonal difference) between the foot and the hands is a little off
No idea what you can do to remedy that though
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Top man. Thanks Allan. :ty:

Regarding the tonal differences that is something i noticed when i uploaded the images but i still cant quite understand why or how. Both images were taken with exactly the same exposure and manual flash, in the same position. Maybe i have different coloured hands and feet :woot:

Now to work out a way to rectify the situation :thinking:
 
The goblin said:
Hi Alan, I'm not sure if I've been here before, if not I am sorry for missing the year, it's been crazy busy!

I'll just comment on the last few.
Left, whoa that's messed up! But certainly on theme. As for the different tone, hands are more exposed anyway so possibly a little darker anyway :thinking:

Melt, mmm, a lot to choose from. Not too sure on the candle and how to improve it, sorry. The chocolate is too tight a crop for me and more importantly the colour doesn't seem chocolatey enough, I think a wider crop will make the melted chocolate look a lot more tempting, if that makes sense?.
As for number three I like the close crop here, it's just the DOF that is the issue for me. The bit OOF on the left is a bit distracting for me. I would have possibly sacrificed a slice of cake and got the entire slice of cake in focus. It also seems more appropriate for cut, but certainly looks melt in the mouth good!

Reflection, cracking white background, this is something I have yet to master! A great effort for PP. The black background makes it look a little superimposed.

The garlic bulb is spot on for WB (y)

Cut, ooo more chocolate delights, the only bit that bothers me is the front edge of the cake being slightly OOF.

Sweet, :LOL: at the 'it's just a pile of sugar' discussion! True, but what a nightmare subject to shoot! WB is a subject I really need to learn more about, rather than just correcting it in PP. I too was bemused by your little black sugar droppings, they made me chuckle, could it simply be a reflection in the sugar crystals?

The falling choccies are a winner for me. I like the second shot, I could see this on a bill board for christmas treats!

Movement messes with my head, but I like it.

Shape, definitely a lovely shape and stands out lovely against the blue sky. I would crop the top left corner of the branch and try to give more space bottom right. Dare I mention the DOF on the bottom leaf?

Live, I prefer the wider shot. A good effort on the PP front and a very effective shot as a result (y)

Did I say last few? I think I meant last few months! Hopefully I shall pop in again before the year is out!
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WOW! Thank you for the feedback Marsha. I hope you dont put a claim in for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome :LOL:

I think you are spot on with your comments. The depth of field / out of focus problem / understanding i am having is really doing my head in at the moment :bang:. My camera must be really terrible as it never does what i want it to do :banana:

This 52 challenge has been a real eye opener for me. I have learned so much....... and still have so much to learn.

Thank you to everyone on TP for helping my development :clap:

Oh! ..... and soon i will stop putting smilies everywhere # Novelty :woot:
 
:LOL:

The DOF thing is actually quite a simple concept, but not the easiest to perfect (not in my world anyway) The camera has a certain plane of focus, this varies depending on the aperture, so at F2.8 (and especially when close up) it's REALLY narrow. If you hold your camera straight and focus on something at an angle some of it will be OOF. Your photo of the Victoria sponge shows this, just behind the front left OOF bit is an area on the top of the cake that is in focus. Two choices here, remove a slice of cake and eat (my choice), or angle your camera so the plane of focus is along the entire length of the bit you want in focus. Does that make sense? The best way is to practice on anything straight and close up as the low DOF is more pronounced. Take a photo with the straight line at an angle, then turn either the line or yourself and shoot again.

Every day is a school day on this project, my photography has come on so much in the two years I've been doing this.
 
Having had a play i think there were two issues with the original.

The first being that my hand is a pinkish red whilst my foot was a whitish brown. I managed to correct this with the colour replacement tool.
Secondly, the flash on my foot reflected more than from my hand. Ive just figured out i can adjust this with the lighting / smart brush combination in elements.

Phew!

Learning all the time
 
Hi Alan, great work on left, tonal issues aside, its a great concept through to execution, fantastic.
Well done on your continued learning, everyday is a school day as they say (y)
 
Hi ya


Left.....neat idea if a bit weird to look at , the lighting difference has been mentioned but good pp work mister ( still can't find those smilies !)

Melt...I've given up trying to comment on the cake/chocolate ones cos all I wanna do is eat them !
 
HI Alan :)

ams99 said:
You keeping track on the spreadsheet DK? :)
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No I'm not :bang: :LOL:

Liking the next couple of melts (the crop on the last one is fine for me, although a bit tight, the chocky one is too chopped off the top)

Left - Now that is odd... Very nicely done (y)
 
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