Lock

jewel · 12-01-2006, 16:38

Ok I was out and about yesterday with my sister of course,lol. It is unusually warm over here in Canada these days, so I thought I would get out. Anyway can you all help me out with this shot. I find I am drawn to weird things and take pics of everything and anything now, not just people. Which is what I normally prefer to take pics of. I like this shot but my photoshop skills just are not up to snuff. Do you think the grass hurts the shot at all? Lemme know what you all think about this one and what needs to be done with it. thanks,
http://www.thephotographyforums.com/...bum15/lock.jpg

Jewel

barrymoir · 12-01-2006, 16:53

for me and purely personal thoughts, id lose the grass, maybe use the shadow/highlight tool to make the padlock not as bright, and clone the bottom right hand corner (is it a hole in metal or somethiing) so its same as the rest. Just my thinking on it.

Ribby · 12-01-2006, 17:04

Yeah, remove the grass and it'll be a nice pic

SammyC · 12-01-2006, 17:06

I agree with Barry about the cloning out of the grass etc.

I also think this could take a bit of a sharpen. There's plenty of tutorials on here regaring the different ways of sharpening, for this I'd recommend the high pass filter method as that'll allow you to apply a graduated mask to it so that it only sharpens the in focus part.

I can explain more if you want to try it.

Catdaddy · 12-01-2006, 17:41

I like it Jewel, but yes, clone the grass out of it and the detail bottom right. I'd be interested to see it with low-angle sunshine on it (ie morning or evening)...

Just out of interest what is the kit lens that you have? Is it the 18-70 or the 18-55?

jewel · 12-01-2006, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catdaddy

I like it Jewel, but yes, clone the grass out of it and the detail bottom right. I'd be interested to see it with low-angle sunshine on it (ie morning or evening)...

Just out of interest what is the kit lens that you have? Is it the 18-70 or the 18-55?

Thanks Chris, the kit lense is the 18-70mm. Perhaps I'll try the shot one evening if I can. It's not too far from home, thanks

Jewel

Catdaddy · 12-01-2006, 18:08

You're welcome! 18-70? They're normally a little sharper than that... Did you use similar exposure settings and focal length as the 'Rust' photo?

jewel · 12-01-2006, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catdaddy

You're welcome! 18-70? They're normally a little sharper than that... Did you use similar exposure settings and focal length as the 'Rust' photo?

Normally a little more sharp?, erm thanks,lol

yes similar settings but the only difference was the shutter speed @ 1/160
F4.5
70mm
ISO 200

Gandhi · 12-01-2006, 19:01

hope you don't mind but I had a quick and dirty play with it.

just cloned out the grass, saturated and burnt in the highlights on the lock itself, to my mind they looked a little blown. oh, and gave it a little sharpen too

not entirely sure it's an improvement!

Good shot though, I like the simple composition and the colours.

Matty · 12-01-2006, 19:38

works for me like Ghandi has done it, perhaps a landscape rather than portrait would have been better, the texture of the rust gives it some interest though, so not at all bad

Venomator · 12-01-2006, 20:01

Interesting shot jewel - I like stuff such as this and it is certainly better (imho) without the distraction of grass and stuff !

The surface behind the lock is probably not an easy one to capture but it does seem a little soft ? Is it glossy rust coloured treatment rather than being rust or is it clear varnish or something over rust ? Hard to say when, perhaps it should be clearer ? May be your intention in which case ignore me ... just personal taste !

Catdaddy · 12-01-2006, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewel

Normally a little more sharp?, erm thanks,lol

Lol - not entirely what I meant - looking at the file, it's ony 37k, so you'll have lost quite a bit in compression, I would have thought...

CT · 12-01-2006, 23:35

Jewel. you're missing so much potential fine detail in that shot.

The body of the lock is badly over-exposed. What I did was draw a mask around the lock body and then stretched the histogram just for the lock, removed the mask then just darkened the whole image a little and gave it a sharpen.

The biggest problem is you've compressed the pic so small that you're beginning to see the pixel construction in the lock body.The colours and textures are fantastic though, you should try this shot again and in different light trying different angles.

*intrigued*

What is this lock protecting - where is it?

jewel · 12-01-2006, 23:47

Wow you guys! Both of those are a huge improvement to the original. Thanks. As for the detail in the lock goes. I knew it was blown out. I just didnt' know how to do what you did CT,excellent! I will give it another go heeding all of the advice given here. Thanks everyone for all of your help. Anyone notice how fast things get answered around here? It's great!

Definately try to get out at a different time of day or night too...

As for the lock and what it's protecting, a women never tells

Jules

***Dave*** · 13-01-2006, 18:18

Quick & dirty landscape version for ya (far from perfect, but shows another compositon as mentioned by others)

Great subject btw

jewel · 14-01-2006, 04:02

Thanks DJW! That looks alright too eh! Don't think there's too much 'empty' space to the left of it? I dunno. I'm just gonna have to get out there again and shoot some more. Thanks,

Jewel

14-01-2006, 14:31	#17 (permalink)
*Dave* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 16,476