Fishing in Currie, King Island

[Jocelyn Walker]

Your critique & suggestions would be appreciated! I've finally worked out how to Border pics in P/S!

[Ian]

Re: Fishing in Currie, King Island

Nothing ropey about this one, Jocelyn I like your use of selective desaturation.

Ian

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Fishing in Currie, King Island

Thank you Ian! I'm glad I managed to 'rope' a compliment there! Of course there's always room for heaps of improvement in composition, but don't have the opportunity to redo shot unfortunately!

[Stephen]

Re: Fishing in Currie, King Island

Your critique & suggestions would be appreciated! I've finally worked out how to Border pics in P/S!

Looks like you have been trying a few other things too Jos.

With great respect though I can't help feeling that the shot has ended up being an exercise in post processing. What was so wrong with the original colour shot? It's all a bit 'old hat' don't you think, and selective toning, though a good exercise to learn, became a bit of a cliche a few years ago when people discovered a few skills in Photoshop, wedding photographers particularly over did it IMHO.

You seem to have 4 main techniques to the end result. Firstly there is the border. Its far too dominant for me. I have always preferred something more subtle and you could have perhaps finished at the second white stroke line, or perhaps if you feel the need for a wide frame, just leave it white with a black 1px stroke line round it.

Secondly, the selective colour. Though you have generally done a good job with it, it kind of looses it around the end of the thick orange rope. the whole need to do it though is questionable IMO, I'd like to see the original.

The end of the thick orange rope gives away the third technique for me. I believe you have also used selective blurring, perhaps with the intention of giving more emphasis to the foreground. The point at which you have applied it is not graduated enough for me and therefore looks a tad false. Had the effect been achieved in camera, I'm sure the result would have been better.

Finally, the fourth effect is selective desat, again prob with the intention of emphasising the foreground. Apart from the wide frame your intention seems to have been to draw the attention of the viewer to the foreground, and yet I'm not so sure it is necessary and you have ended up using techniques for the sake of it, just as an exercise. I'm repeating myself now

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Fishing in Currie, King Island

Stephen thank you for your lengthy critique, it's appreciated! You have some very valid points re post processing! Yes, I used selective blurring as I wanted to blend in the selection! May I say here that what seems old hat to some, I am still learning! That is, making a border in P/Shop! I looked up a tutorial a couple of days ago & was applying it to my photos to hopefully make them look a little more 'finished'! I take your point with making the lines thinner! I will apply that advice, thank you! The tutorial was for a Black background and this evening I went & worked on another pic using white B/G! When learning, the steps require a few thought processes...for me anyhow! Now for your question with what was wrong with the original....not much! I just wanted to make it more interesting...have a bit more visual impact! So I thought selective desat would definitely do that! For me photography should be what pleases yourself firstly! Beginning with enjoying composing a shot & trying to get that elusive 'special' pic! Then the enjoyment of seeing the result on screen & wondering how one can improve it! Being able to share one's work is an absolute bonus and a huge enjoyment! Yet, at the end of the day, it's your own wall that special pic will be hung on...or a card made for someone close to you! Having said that, getting constructive critique like yours is what I want & appreciate, to learn from! So thanks!

[Jocelyn Walker]

Re: Fishing in Currie, King Island

Stephen I have attached the original colour version here where I have only tweaked the usual levels, curves etc but not sharpened it!