EDIT ME challenge

There is a lot of great advice out there...sometimes in the form of a critique for a specific photo. Different people perceive The Best outcome for an image differently and describe the varying steps to get there in different ways... This is a way to not just describe it, but to do it...everyone beginning at the same point, with the same starting shot...

1.a)  Post a 'difficult', straight from the camera photograph you have questions about improving so that others can download and FIX/enhance it for you...in their own unique way...

1.b)  Download an image posted by someone else and make it into the best shot you can... Keep track of the major steps you use and re-post both the edited work and short tutorial others can learn from.

[note...be sure to leave a link so full size image can be downloaded for editing]


How different artists treat the same image can be fascinating to see...and it forces those who want to play to 'put their money where there moth is'...so to speak...

To get started... This is a shot of the High Park forest fire smoke in Colorado, as seen from about 15 miles away, rising above the City Park pool in Ft Collins. I've never been happy with my improvements... Help?

(link: s247.photobucket.com/user/aztrobot/media...jpg.html?sort=3&o=47)

1.b)  Download an image posted by someone else and make it into the best shot you can... Keep track of the major steps you use and re-post both the edited work and short tutorial others can learn from.

I posted 3 images over in the Editing and Presentation area, simply for comments, but have yet to receive any feedback.

As for the image above, it's a JPG. It's been destroyed with respect to future edits.

garyrhook wrote:

1.b)  Download an image posted by someone else and make it into the best shot you can... Keep track of the major steps you use and re-post both the edited work and short tutorial others can learn from.

I posted 3 images over in the Editing and Presentation area, simply for comments, but have yet to receive any feedback.

Sorry 'bout that...

I wasn't sure where to post this sort of thing. It is an interactive/ game type thread (mods feel free to adjust accordingly). It's critique in action...

As for the image above, it's a JPG. It's been destroyed with respect to future edits.

Nah it's not... May not be the RAW format many prefer (and I need to get more used to), but destroyed as to future editing is a bit of an overstatement...

Post one of your photos here and see if it gets any takers... It IS a pretty slick idea...

Thanks Geospiri... In a hurry but will comment a bit more on your fix a bit later

Awediot wrote:

garyrhook wrote:

1.b)  Download an image posted by someone else and make it into the best shot you can... Keep track of the major steps you use and re-post both the edited work and short tutorial others can learn from.

I posted 3 images over in the Editing and Presentation area, simply for comments, but have yet to receive any feedback.

Sorry 'bout that...

I wasn't sure where to post this sort of thing. It is an interactive/ game type thread (mods feel free to adjust accordingly). It's critique in action...

As for the image above, it's a JPG. It's been destroyed with respect to future edits.

Nah it's not... May not be the RAW format many prefer (and I need to get more used to), but destroyed as to future editing is a bit of an overstatement...

Post one of your photos here and see if it gets any takers... It IS a pretty slick idea...

I agree, highlights are blown out completely.  I'd scrap it and reshoot.


Don't let me discourage this type of thread, just being honest.

Reshoot?

Let me grab my matches

Awediot wrote: Reshoot?

Let me grab my matches

OK now I'm concerned that those clouds are actually forest fire smoke and that OP is implying he started it...

Lol...yep. Ya caught me... When I'm not spamtrolling the forums of photo sites to shame strangers away from cutting edge editing technology, I start forest fires because blue gets boring as a sky color, and sunsets are a dime a dozen...

It's not a bad idea, but maybe choose a different photo - or maybe people just aren't that into editing other people's pictures.

It looks like the exposure may have been off, and it could have been framed differently when the photo was taken. I would probably crop a portion of the bottom of the picture, probably from just above the horizontal metal bar in the fence - what's below that seem to be distractions that aren't adding to the photo. I'd probably crop the top just slightly too, there seems to be some white flare? across the top and I'd want to also eliminate that edge of a branch/leaves in the top left corner.

What's interesting is the blue sky and the arriving cloud of smoke. To me what tells a story is the pool and the people there still enjoying themselves and maybe not yet noticing that it's not just the sky clouding up before a rain. What's interesting visually too is the slide, and the fence could be part of the composition, but if you're going to use it instead of shooting thru or over it I think it would take thinking about how you want it in the picture.

The vertical post doesn't seem to add anything to the picture, but you'd have to move around and change the way the shot was framed and think about where the post and metal bars and chairs etc. are in the viewfinder. It could also be interesting to wait and keep shooting once you find a good vantage point and you might catch some reaction from the people (but you also might have started losing the blue sky by then).

Awediot wrote: Lol...yep. Ya caught me... When I'm not spamtrolling the forums of photo sites to shame strangers away from cutting edge editing technology, I start forest fires because blue gets boring as a sky color, and sunsets are a dime a dozen... 

And it's not interesting to edit a JPG. The image has already been edited, either by the camera, or by you, or whatever. You can't undo that. So where the challenge? Fixing a mediocre image?  At least with a RAW file one has something with which to work.

It's not clear to me that you're shaming anyone. One wonders if you ever actually listen to yourself? It seems like so much self-important nonsense.

I love it when people are willing to say what others are merely thinking

Leilanee wrote: I love it when people are willing to say what others are merely thinking

Well, it's part of my charm.

Mmmm... the striking love inspects a bath of art. The nonsense cakes every employee participating in editing photoshop joyfully. A bearded alien facilitates an intent water whilst diving. A sod bicycles.

Here's my edit:

Awediot wrote:  'put their money where there moth is'...so to speak...

Seems about right...

garyrhook wrote:

Awediot wrote: Lol...yep. Ya caught me... When I'm not spamtrolling the forums of photo sites to shame strangers away from cutting edge editing technology, I start forest fires because blue gets boring as a sky color, and sunsets are a dime a dozen... 

And it's not interesting to edit a JPG. The image has already been edited, either by the camera, or by you, or whatever. You can't undo that. So where the challenge? Fixing a mediocre image?  At least with a RAW file one has something with which to work.

It's not clear to me that you're shaming anyone. One wonders if you ever actually listen to yourself? It seems like so much self-important nonsense.

Oh dear... Bet I'm not the only one who isn't able to meet whatever it takes to interest you... At least I managed to qualify as worthy of the time it took to try and enlighten me as to how self important the nonsense I obliviously  post makes me appear... Appreciate you stooping to deliver such a constructive critique...blatant, almost painful irony you missed aside.

Personally...boring things posted by arrogant people doesn't merit a response. I barely even know I skimmed them. But to each their own.