Buoy

[purplepixie]

How can I improve the colour in this image without losing the 'feel'? Made small adjustments to selective colours cyan and blue (PShop) and dodged some highlights on the boats.

[jiminyClickit]

purplepixie,

The photo is "quiet" and not uninteresting in color, so I'd be tempted to just live with it for a while. Next time you see it, play some.

Without actually trying it, I'd say a layer or two: experiment with mode of overlayment (difference, color etc), qualities (negative, high-contrast), lighten/blur, darken/low-contrast.

"Improve the colour" could mean so many different things . . .

There's a neat separation of water; that would be an interestig look, to bump the water into a richer complementry color with bouy.

[wulf]

How about desaturating it so there is just a hint of colour? If anything, the orange of the buoy is distracting at the moment because there is little other strong colour to draw you away from it whereas it feels that the main focus is the collection of masts and their rippled reflections.

I did that with this shot I was working on earlier this week. There was a bright yellow bit of paper on the steps which stood out too much compared to the subdued nature of other colours in the scene so I toned it down a bit. If you look at the picture you will see a link to the original so you can compare.

The other thing I did was to get my strongest vertical straight - in your picture, it looks like it is slightly rotated clockwise and could do with some very subtle correction!

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

purplepixie,

Made some changes; want to see, with general description?

[purplepixie]

Sorry to take so long to reply - no internet over weekends for me - only at work. Tx for the advise guys... will try it out and put some up.
JiminyC: yes, I would like to see your edit, tx

[purplepixie]

Hi wulf,

I've tried some of your suggestions... what do you think?
BTW - I like your image of the staircase.

[purplepixie]

JiminyC:
I've tried playing around with some of your suggestions.
3 layers: one using only Cyan channel - blurred heavily on 70% multiply, one on 10% vivid light and another on 20% overlay. I also made some other small adjustments like dodging some highlights etc.
What do you think? Would still like to see yours, please.

[wulf]

I think I like harbour2c best - very washed out colours, which makes the whole thing look like a distant memory of childhood trips to the seaside. Taking another look at at it, I wonder if the image would also be improved by cropping off the bottom portion of the water, below or part-way through the buoy's reflection? There is nothing much happening there and the horizontal lines detract from the vertical feel of the rest of the image.

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

purplepixie,

Will post this as another option for you, but with disclaimer: it shows how the photo can be divided at boat/water line, each section worked on its own. Seeing your b/w and the more muted colors of the others, I prefer that direction over any brighter image:

[purplepixie]

Tx for all the advise guys :-) I like all the diffferent moods created by playing with the image - amazing how it can take you to ifferent places even though it is essentially the same scene.

wulf: I agree about cropping the bottom - probably doesn't need the extra water.

JiminyC: The colour of water is much improved in your image, although I feel the sky and yellow rock is a bit overpowering. How did you get the colour in the water so rich?