Okay, so the other day I decided to play around with fruit and club soda for a composition. I was happiest with the zest of a lemon and uploaded it into my 365 album. I felt something was missing from it and went into Photoshop to define the bubbles better and uploaded the shot as Lemon Zest (2). I really couldn't decide which was better. When it was time to go to bed, it was bothering me because I uploaded 2 pictures of the same thing in which both were missing something, so I went back to the drawing board, re-processed, and posted the image a 3rd time. The third time truly is the charm!
I'm seriously considering deleting the first two and swapping the third into my 365 Album. I realize I will lose all comments on all of them by doing so, so I just figured I'd put it out there for you all to tell me what you'd do.... screw it and leave it as is or fix it so the shot I'm happiest with is the one in my 365 folder and just lose all the comments (I can't help but feel bad if I go that route because people took the time to view the different versions and comment).
Here's the progression...
First, the almost sooc version (just used a preset in Lightroom on it, nothing more):
Then the processed version to pull the bubbles out more:
And finally the 3rd version which is a combination of the first 2 (and the one I'm most happy with):
Honestly, I like the first one best. If anything, just increase the contrast and clarity a bit to make the bubs pop, and let it be. The colors and softness give it a very refreshing feel.
The third image is way overprocessed in my opinion. The highlights in the background are no longer smooth but over-defined and jagged, and the rest of the image has lost its personality.
I think it's nice to keep the versions and be able to look back and reflect on the process. I know already I look back on some of my earlier processing (no where near your level) and see things I would do differently.
Or perhaps try again and get a whole different shot, from various perspectives. It could be that you just aren't content with the photo at all...and you really just need to have a do-over!
Personally I think if you could combine 1 and 3 it would be a great shot. I like the green cast to the soda that accentuates the color of the lemon, but I like how more of the bubbles show up in #3. I would have picked #2 except for the shadow along the bottom edge.
@skipt07 actually the color in the background and foreground are from the glass its in. I should probably go to Big Lots and buy some very plain glasses... just about everything I have is decorated or beveled, so I have only so much space to play with items in liquids.
I like the new edit on the first one. I like the colors of the first one the best, like @gurry said, it has a very refreshing feel that the others loose. They became too dark in my opinion. I do like the clarity on the new bubbles though so good reedit.
@katiebrenkert I think what the first one was missing was a focal point. In the reedit, that one bubble becomes an anchor (just up and to the left of center). While its not a clear focal point, by anchoring the shot, it allows the eyes to move around without feeling like you could get lost
I'm in for #1- the original #1 and the adjusted #1(which did improve the original). I like the colors of those best. #2 and #3 do not look natural to me. But if #3 is what you were looking for, rather than lose the progression of the lemon shot and all those lovely comments- get an orange (or any other fruit- strawberries might work too) and go for take 2. Then you'll have a whole new set of comments to enjoy as well!
I haven't read what others said yet, but I really like the first one. I don't like what I perceive as the greyness of the 2nd - I don't think greying down yellows works very well. The third is better to me than the second because it's more of a warm-cool contrast, but it doesn't have the liveliness for me of the 1st.
The adjuste # 1is the best of all 4 but not noticeably different unless you have the original to compare to. It is just a little clearer so I say this time keep #1 AND the comments and learn from the experience for the next time!
For me, if I had to pick one, it would be the last one you posted... but truthfully I don't like any of them because the focal plane is sooo small. The only thing truly in focus is the bubbles on the yellow and it's not very many of them.... that seems to be the idea behind the composition but I can't really tell what the subject is so it becomes distracting for me.
@shadesofgrey being that its intended as an abstract with the bubbles as the focus it seems like your comment is saying I did an excellent job of accomplishing the mission. I realize it might be too Monet for fans of Michaelangelo, but I'm cool with that.
I like the 1st one best and I also agree with just add some more contrast. And then I saw that you re-edited based on that advice already. In the other edits, I felt like the bubbles were not as clear as they were in the first edit. They lost their definition the more it was edited.
I like photo one, edit two best. The other edits lose the pop of yellow. Great job with the editing. My daughter told me that she saw a series of lemon photos on 365 processed three ways and it really showed her how much editing works. I'm pretty sure she was talking about your photos. Now she doesn't want to buy a new camera. She wants to learn buy Photoshop and take a class.
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
Pin With Me
The third image is way overprocessed in my opinion. The highlights in the background are no longer smooth but over-defined and jagged, and the rest of the image has lost its personality.
My advice is scrap two and three, and keep one.
I also increased the saturation on the shadow color that corresponded to the color in the bubbles to help make them pop more as well.
thank you all for your input!
@shadesofgrey being that its intended as an abstract with the bubbles as the focus it seems like your comment is saying I did an excellent job of accomplishing the mission. I realize it might be too Monet for fans of Michaelangelo, but I'm cool with that.