Peeling Potatoes

robbo · 25-11-2007, 00:38

Thanks to some advice from GainfulShrimp, I had fun photography my family at out Thanksgiving dinner. Please offer your opinions. All of your advice is really helping me get comfortable with my equipment and aspirations.

**Dabhand16** · 25-11-2007, 09:24

The thing that strikes me immediately are he bowl of potatos draw my eye away from the rest of the picture. It is also a bit over exposed. I guess this has been left in to add some context to the picture, but it is in the wrong place. It would have been better at the back of the group.

I'd like to have seen a bit more of the foreground too. The background elements are adding clutter, but in this environment, it is difficult to get 'clean' areas to use.

Overall, the picture is flat and needs more contrast.

On the positive side, you have caught a good moment in the preparation of the meal, and I'm guessing it was not posed but a captured moment during the mayhem, so well done for that.

robbo · 25-11-2007, 12:42

I did struggle with the potatoes being over exposed and had no choice as to their location. The peelers were surrounded by walls, a picture window, and a flight of stairs. I cropped it already so I will look at adding some foreground and more contrast as well. Thanks for the advice.

Boofers · 25-11-2007, 17:26

Looks like Grandpa is having fun, I might have tried to distract the young ones into looking up at him.

Good family photo

Rob Barron · 25-11-2007, 18:15

That's a lovely family pic so is worth having a little play. I have had a go at it but won't post it unless you give permission Robbo as you haven't got your Edit button showing and I respect that. Happy to show it if you want to see it.

Cheers,
Rob

robbo · 25-11-2007, 23:26

Please do! I need to find that button and change it. Thanks for taking a shot at it.

Rob Barron · 26-11-2007, 11:12

here you go robbo, I balanced the lighting up a bit using curves onto a separate duplicate layer and then erased back through to the original for the bowl of potatoes so that they didn't burn out. They are now more balanced in the shot. I used an S curve to give better contrast as there is a lot of mid grey toning in your original.

I hope that is of some help to you

Cheers,
Rob

robbo · 26-11-2007, 13:07

Rob,

That looks great! It is very obvious to me that a PS purchase and class needs to slide up the To Do list for me. I appreciate your help.

Robbo

Rob Barron · 26-11-2007, 16:55

My pleasure Robbo, glad it helped

Cheers,
Rob

GainfulShrimp · 26-11-2007, 17:10

Glad you had fun at Thanksgiving with your camera, Robbo. That's a nice natural family shot for the album and the pimped version from Rob has really brought it to life.

robbo · 26-11-2007, 20:35

GS - I appreciate the advice you offered me the other day and I did feel the need for having the flash gun vs. built-in and it certainly would have made a difference. Priced one out today.

**Markulous** · 28-11-2007, 07:05

Yup, Rob's version has really done the trick - nice family gathering shot!

25-11-2007, 00:38	#1 (permalink)
robbo Getting Comfy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lewiston, ME USA Posts: 192	Peeling Potatoes Thanks to some advice from GainfulShrimp, I had fun photography my family at out Thanksgiving dinner. Please offer your opinions. All of your advice is really helping me get comfortable with my equipment and aspirations.

25-11-2007, 09:24	#2 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 8,988	Re: Peeling Potatoes The thing that strikes me immediately are he bowl of potatos draw my eye away from the rest of the picture. It is also a bit over exposed. I guess this has been left in to add some context to the picture, but it is in the wrong place. It would have been better at the back of the group. I'd like to have seen a bit more of the foreground too. The background elements are adding clutter, but in this environment, it is difficult to get 'clean' areas to use. Overall, the picture is flat and needs more contrast. On the positive side, you have caught a good moment in the preparation of the meal, and I'm guessing it was not posed but a captured moment during the mayhem, so well done for that. __________________ Graham

25-11-2007, 12:42	#3 (permalink)
robbo Getting Comfy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lewiston, ME USA Posts: 192	Re: Peeling Potatoes I did struggle with the potatoes being over exposed and had no choice as to their location. The peelers were surrounded by walls, a picture window, and a flight of stairs. I cropped it already so I will look at adding some foreground and more contrast as well. Thanks for the advice.

25-11-2007, 17:26	#4 (permalink)
Boofers Feet under the table Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: 40 miles south of St. Louis Posts: 2,318	Re: Peeling Potatoes Looks like Grandpa is having fun, I might have tried to distract the young ones into looking up at him. Good family photo

25-11-2007, 18:15	#5 (permalink)
Rob Barron Loves the place Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poole, Dorset Posts: 5,200	Re: Peeling Potatoes That's a lovely family pic so is worth having a little play. I have had a go at it but won't post it unless you give permission Robbo as you haven't got your Edit button showing and I respect that. Happy to show it if you want to see it. Cheers, Rob

25-11-2007, 23:26	#6 (permalink)
robbo Getting Comfy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lewiston, ME USA Posts: 192	Re: Peeling Potatoes Please do! I need to find that button and change it. Thanks for taking a shot at it.

26-11-2007, 11:12	#7 (permalink)
Rob Barron Loves the place Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poole, Dorset Posts: 5,200	Re: Peeling Potatoes here you go robbo, I balanced the lighting up a bit using curves onto a separate duplicate layer and then erased back through to the original for the bowl of potatoes so that they didn't burn out. They are now more balanced in the shot. I used an S curve to give better contrast as there is a lot of mid grey toning in your original. I hope that is of some help to you Cheers, Rob

26-11-2007, 13:07	#8 (permalink)
robbo Getting Comfy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lewiston, ME USA Posts: 192	Re: Peeling Potatoes Rob, That looks great! It is very obvious to me that a PS purchase and class needs to slide up the To Do list for me. I appreciate your help. Robbo

26-11-2007, 16:55	#9 (permalink)
Rob Barron Loves the place Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poole, Dorset Posts: 5,200	Re: Peeling Potatoes My pleasure Robbo, glad it helped Cheers, Rob

26-11-2007, 17:10	#10 (permalink)
GainfulShrimp Been here a while Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Leicestershire Posts: 325	Re: Peeling Potatoes Glad you had fun at Thanksgiving with your camera, Robbo. That's a nice natural family shot for the album and the pimped version from Rob has really brought it to life.

26-11-2007, 20:35	#11 (permalink)
robbo Getting Comfy Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lewiston, ME USA Posts: 192	Re: Peeling Potatoes GS - I appreciate the advice you offered me the other day and I did feel the need for having the flash gun vs. built-in and it certainly would have made a difference. Priced one out today.

28-11-2007, 07:05	#12 (permalink)
Markulous Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peak District Posts: 9,691	Re: Peeling Potatoes Yup, Rob's version has really done the trick - nice family gathering shot!

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