I took this this afternoon an I am just wondering what other people think as I can't decide whether I like the unedited version or the edited version. I always have this trouble.... whether I should enhance or just leave it, or b&w or just leave it... hahaha. I love so many different styles in photography it's hard to find my own. Anyway here are the 2 pics. What do you think?
You havnt said which is the edited version. My thoughts are that what you have here are almost different shots and that you dont have to choose one above the other. The first, more defined colours and light, which is a really beautiful classic shot. The second has a dreamy softness which again is beautiful because it gives the feeling of childhood innocence. I am sure everyone will have their own view of it.
Well, not sure which is the original, but I personally prefer the second one you posted. Actually, I'd love to see something in between - with a little more of the contrast, especially in the sun rays, like the first one, but with the more faded/washed colors. They're both wonderful, though, and I'm terrible at editing images myself, so whichever you edited, great job! :)
My thoughts were the same as Sarah's ... something inbetween would be interesting. The colors seem a bit too vibrant in #1, and a bit too washed out in #2. Lovely shot and capture of a moment.
I would definitely have done something with the over-exposed one into the sun. I think you are on the right track, but I might have de-saturated the green grass, it does look rather "over the top" as someone else said, and I would clone out the two spot flares on the sun's rays. I think if you'd shot this -1 or -2 EV compensation (the exposure compensation button, or hop into M mode and double the shutter speed) the edits would have taken much more appropriately. With so much blown out there's only so much you can achieve. IMO only of course.
I like them both and might make a couple of changes, but the photo is a sweet memory. The beauty of post is you can have it all! As for the changes I would make I might warm up the first just a tiny bit too blue for me and a little more contrast in both. I actually would like to see a b&w too. Whatever I think you need to trust your instincts as to what you like best of this adorable child!
They are both lovely but I think the bottom one has a beautiful softness to it which emphasises the beautiful light. The top one looks slightly over-saturated IMHO :)
i prefer the second - which I'm assuming is the original - it really makes the most of the hazy sunlight. Boosting the colours just seems to through the image out of balance in this photo i think. Its gorgeous though!
@samzee no I edited the first one! I did mean for that one to appear 2nd but I was having trouble uploading and then I just left it that way! Thanks for commenting, from all the comments here I'm still undecided! Haha. I love that saturated look but also the washed out yesteryear look! Ahhhhhh
@jennywren the first is the edited one. And yes you are most definitely right, everyone has their own view. I'm still unsure although agree with Sarah and Sue and will do another version somewhere in between! I guess I'm still trying to realise my own style but as I've said earlier I love that saturated look but also yesteryear too!
@sarahsthreads thanks Sarah. I'm not great at edited as Sometimes I don't know where to draw the line and I do too much as maybe I've done with the top pic. So I am going to take on your idea and try something in between! Thanks for your input :)
@mastermek thanks commenting. I guess I was trying to recreate the colours- yes the grass is very green at the moment but maybe went a little overboard lol! I'm going to try something in between too
@frankhymus I love opinions thanks frank :). I always shoot in M mode but have not tried the exposure compensation mode. Maybe I'll give that a go- I'll look into it as I've not familiar with it at all really. I was trying to get that afternoon glow/ yesteryear look but when I got back to the computer I was like yeah I'm going to play around with it and then for that. I might just try taming it down a bit. Thank you for your comments looks like I'll be learning something new today :D
Interesting comments. Maybe it's a gender thing? The three men prefer to edit it, not saying there isn't more to do, all the women like the over-exposed second. I see someone said "lovely light," and another "beautiful softness" neither of which I am afraid I understand. For me straight into the naked sun with blown highlights and at least 2EV over-exposed just isn't lovely. I think the little boy needs to be the subject, not the dreadfully blown light source to which my eye is inevitably pulled. But then, I'm a male.
@jackies365 ah yes b&w too!!! My biggest battles- b&w saturated, contrast no contrast! I love it all! I guess it's just about choosing the right editing( or no editing) for that particular pic huh. Thanks for your comment. I'm taking all onboard but still a little confused lol ;). I'm just going to tame it down a bit I ithink but still keep some of that golden glow.
@deeganp thank you. I'm tending to think the top one is a little too much so I'll try something in between to bring out the glow but to maintain some colour also. :)
@brigette hi there. Appreciate your input. And yes the more I look at the first one the more I see that it may be a 'little' OTT Haha. I will try something in between and repost when done!
@frankhymus haha it's funny you say that as my hubby likes the top one. But I do like shooting into the sun and getting the overexposedness (if that's a word lol) that sort of light reminds me of childhood afternoons- and I don't even mind flares! I know you don't though :)
@frankhymus thanks frank. Yes this looks nice. The grass is actually quite green in our backyard so I would probably have the grass a little greener AND keep the flare haha. ;)
@cybelle The answer, you seek, I'm afraid, cannot be "given" to you by anyone! Opinions and personal tastes are so varied, and then you have not even started getting to the natural vs artistic aspects of photography. In the end you have to decide what YOU like, what YOU want to show or tell with any particular image. One very good bit of advice which I have received from a pro, though, was to attempt to shoot an image as perfectly as possible, with your eventual purpose in mind, simply to reduce the time spent from taking images to getting your final output. In other words: take a couple of shots on location, examine them in your viewfinder for exposure, composition, unwanted elements, level etc, then do your final adjustments and shoot it the way you eventually want the end result to appear. (I seldom have the time to practice it exactly this way!)
@cybelle@ericdibosco could have not said it better. I had typed out a couple paragraphs that said the same thing including displeasure that I felt one particular commenter was pushing you in a particular direction and trying to steer you away from what became labeled as a "blown out" and "dreadful" image. Hats off to you for taking it all in stride; I felt it unfair.
You also posted about an online photography course. I'm going to thread a response to that into this response. I didn't take an online photography course but I did take formal classroom training for photography. While I indeed learned things, my fastest learning curve occurred not with the course but afterward when I sought out a couple local pros who's work I admired and asked them if they would mentor me. In less than a year's time my work went to a whole new level. These mentors never once tried to steer me in a particular direction. Each image they looked at, the first questions they asked were to ensure they understood the intent of my image. After they understood that, then they would offer critique (yes, sometimes harsh) and ideas to improve the image toward that same vision. It was from these mentors that I gained the experience and confidence to start my own photography business.
I think I understand the "look" you had in mind for this image. An, it is a "look" that is not infrequent in portraiture. If anyone spends just a few minutes on Google looking at portfolios of some high profile portrait photographers you will most certainly come across this look. Something I'd like to offer as a next step in experimenting with this look (backlit sun flare), is to bring fill flash into the equation. This will help the light ratio between subject and background. The highlight present on the chin may have been balanced out by fill flash. The highlight on the hair doesn't bother me. Now typically this look combines well with slightly desaturated color, but if you prefer vibrance I see no reason to stop experimenting with that in post.
I wish you the very best in your photography journey, I would like again to suggest talking to some local career professional photographers (photography is their primary income) to see if you "connect" with any of them. In my case I just slipped them a few bucks or bought them coffee/lunch now and then for their time. It was the best thing I ever did for my photography. Hands down in terms of value over time it solidly beat out my classroom training or camera club experiences.
@ericdibosco thank you for your response. And yes I totally agree with you too! I guess I just wanted to see what the consensus was as I wasn't quite sure myself. As I'm still mastering editing sometimes I don't realise if I've gone too far and I guess if I want to start heading in that direction with a career sometimes you have to see what peopke like to actually make a living from it (doesn't mean to say I can't do what I like when not being paid). I'm not really into all that posey stuff for baby shoots but I guess if thats what a client really wants you can't really knock it back if you're trying to start a business. I am also totally with you on trying get it right in camera. I did take about 10 test shots before hand! I had a little stool I wanted him to sit on and photographed that into the sun to get the right light- of course I didn't get him sitting on it but I did get a few good shots and to be honest that WAS the right lighting but then when I got back to the computer I started playing around and was ohhhhh maybe that looks alright!! Too much choice I'd say! I might have been happy with the first one if hadn't had the option to play with it lol. Thanks again :)
@dbj Hello, Thanks for your very detailed response not only to this thread but my other one also. I had actually written you a response yesterday but my computer was being weird and needed to shut everything down and lost it so sorry about the delay in responding.
I totally agree with you and Eric. As I have said above I guess I was just putting it out there as I really couldn't decide. I actually really wanted peoples honest opinions so no hard feelings here ;) Everyone on 365 is so nice, but sometimes you just want someone to give you some constructive criticism you know. I don't mind at all really :)
In regards to courses I do like the idea of studying, as I feel like I know bits and pieces of everything and not enough of anything. So something in module form and being assessed on my assignments would work well for me I think. I will though hunt down some local photographers. I actually have a friend who is a lifestyle photographer so I might give her a call and go on the next shoot with her and pick her brain.
Yes we have all seen that "look" before and I do love it, but I also love saturated pics (and B&W haha- who can decide really!!!!)
You did bring to my attention the brightness on his chin, which I hadn't noticed. My eyes are getting better at noticing these things, and that's why this discussion area is so good, I feel like I learn a lot just from this area alone. I am using the 6d canon and it doesn't have a built in flash. I suppose my next piece of equipment will be a flash light. I have toyed with the idea before as when shooting inside I feel like I need it sometimes.
Thank you for wishes, your thoughts and ideas. They have been very helpful. I will be sure to get in touch with some pro photographers and be their shadow.
Wishing you all the best in your photography journey too. :D
Having taken the time to read thru this entire thread....my opinion is the original one is too washed out and dull. I prefer the edited version. I do like the suns rays but it needs the color of the edited version. I also prefer your first edit to your second...if its not b&w then give me that color pop!
I like both versions and I've appreciated the suggested version. What a great thread. In the end, we have to make choices, and fortunately here you have great advice ti go on that I cannot add to, but I recently went through a similar situation so I can sympathize! It's a wonderfully composed shot.
@dianen Haha thanks Diane. I love b&w too... and saturation... sometimes I have trouble choosing which one I like best. Thanks for your comment and thoughts :D
@darylo Oh thanks so much. Composition is something I have to work on too. I think I just fluked it really in this one as Zarni moves so quickly.
I'd love to see your photos (if you have them) with the similar situation. Which one did you end choosing? It's so hard... As I have said above I love black and white too.. Spoilt for choice I guess these days!! :)
Write a Reply
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
Yes, I am sure that's it, a gender thing. ;)
You also posted about an online photography course. I'm going to thread a response to that into this response. I didn't take an online photography course but I did take formal classroom training for photography. While I indeed learned things, my fastest learning curve occurred not with the course but afterward when I sought out a couple local pros who's work I admired and asked them if they would mentor me. In less than a year's time my work went to a whole new level. These mentors never once tried to steer me in a particular direction. Each image they looked at, the first questions they asked were to ensure they understood the intent of my image. After they understood that, then they would offer critique (yes, sometimes harsh) and ideas to improve the image toward that same vision. It was from these mentors that I gained the experience and confidence to start my own photography business.
I think I understand the "look" you had in mind for this image. An, it is a "look" that is not infrequent in portraiture. If anyone spends just a few minutes on Google looking at portfolios of some high profile portrait photographers you will most certainly come across this look. Something I'd like to offer as a next step in experimenting with this look (backlit sun flare), is to bring fill flash into the equation. This will help the light ratio between subject and background. The highlight present on the chin may have been balanced out by fill flash. The highlight on the hair doesn't bother me. Now typically this look combines well with slightly desaturated color, but if you prefer vibrance I see no reason to stop experimenting with that in post.
I wish you the very best in your photography journey, I would like again to suggest talking to some local career professional photographers (photography is their primary income) to see if you "connect" with any of them. In my case I just slipped them a few bucks or bought them coffee/lunch now and then for their time. It was the best thing I ever did for my photography. Hands down in terms of value over time it solidly beat out my classroom training or camera club experiences.
I totally agree with you and Eric. As I have said above I guess I was just putting it out there as I really couldn't decide. I actually really wanted peoples honest opinions so no hard feelings here ;) Everyone on 365 is so nice, but sometimes you just want someone to give you some constructive criticism you know. I don't mind at all really :)
In regards to courses I do like the idea of studying, as I feel like I know bits and pieces of everything and not enough of anything. So something in module form and being assessed on my assignments would work well for me I think. I will though hunt down some local photographers. I actually have a friend who is a lifestyle photographer so I might give her a call and go on the next shoot with her and pick her brain.
Yes we have all seen that "look" before and I do love it, but I also love saturated pics (and B&W haha- who can decide really!!!!)
You did bring to my attention the brightness on his chin, which I hadn't noticed. My eyes are getting better at noticing these things, and that's why this discussion area is so good, I feel like I learn a lot just from this area alone. I am using the 6d canon and it doesn't have a built in flash. I suppose my next piece of equipment will be a flash light. I have toyed with the idea before as when shooting inside I feel like I need it sometimes.
Thank you for wishes, your thoughts and ideas. They have been very helpful. I will be sure to get in touch with some pro photographers and be their shadow.
Wishing you all the best in your photography journey too. :D
I'd love to see your photos (if you have them) with the similar situation. Which one did you end choosing? It's so hard... As I have said above I love black and white too.. Spoilt for choice I guess these days!! :)