What’s Your Preference?

urgirlie13 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-27-2007, 08:30 AM

What do you think? Is the lighting too dark? I like the lighting everywhere except her face I think. Any advice? I think why it's so dark is because she was dancing on stage, and I wasn't allowed to use flash. Not sure though.

chanedcomm · #2 (**permalink**) 05-27-2007, 09:40 AM

Unless it is your intention, I think it is kinda dark. What setting did you use for this picture? I would imagine in situation like this, you may want to use a very high ISO like 1600. Don't know... I am a newbie in DSLR.

Cheers
chanedcomm

wulf · #3 (**permalink**) 05-27-2007, 01:42 PM

It is on the dark side... but I think you probably have enough information there to rescue with digital post-processing. Assuming you have something like The Gimp or Photoshop, with tools like "levels" and "curves", you should be able to make the dancer brighter against the background.

Wulf

urgirlie13 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-27-2007, 04:56 PM

Hey! Thanks for the advice!

I was just using my camera's auto ISO setting, my high speed shutter mode, and no flash. It was a heat of the moment shot. I think I'll try what you said Wulf, about using gimp or photoshop.
Thanks again!

-Sarah

jiminyClickit · #5 (**permalink**) 05-28-2007, 01:16 AM

urgirlie13,

This is a combination of partly HDR layering and a question: did you see the dancer lighter than your photo shows?

wulf · #6 (**permalink**) 05-28-2007, 09:41 AM

That's a first - an edit from Jiminy that I'm not so keen on! (the crop seems a bit wide and the picture is still "dull")

Therefore, I had to make an effort myself. I cropped it down to emphasise the diagonal formed by her left elbow and right arm and then applied several levels of correction, using the levels and curves tools.

There was a limit to what could be done without making the picture too grainy, as the original was very underexposed but I am pleased with the result. Of course, you could probably have got similar directly from the camera by ramping up the ISO setting!

Wulf

jiminyClickit · #7 (**permalink**) 05-28-2007, 12:10 PM

(But not the first one the author of a photo didn't like!)

That's the dilemma: when I read that a person really likes something about a photo, I try to keep that aspect (here, the darkness) and change the part they have issue with (the face lighting). In the larger view you can see face is nearer the same tone as arm on lower left, and upper left corner (source of light) is lighter. Crop is just my 8" x 10.5" generic, to bring subject forward.
If urgirlie13 responds to lighting, wulf's crop would be a good choice.

urgirlie13 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-29-2007, 08:13 AM

Hey everyone! Thanks for the examples! I tried it myself too...

Here is mine...

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

What do you think?

Oh, and I think it was lighter when I saw it, but I'm not sure because I was focusing on watching her solo.

The original photo is attached.

I like both, Wulf's and jiminyClickit's lighting. Wulf how did you get yours to look so sharp, and crisp? I like the overall lighting of jiminyClickit's though.

wulf · #9 (**permalink**) 05-29-2007, 08:59 AM

I edited it through various stages, including creating a duplicate copy, blurring it and setting it in "overlay" mode - that increases contrast in a way that is sympathetic to the overall image.

Wulf

knickers71uk · #10 (**permalink**) 05-29-2007, 01:09 PM

ok I had a go with paint shop pro and virtual photographer i have done it in the colour and black and white.

First I did a "one step photo fix" to correct the lighting, which like wulf said made it very grainy, so the i ran the digital camera noise remover, which reduced it fairly well but still a little grainy. so I did an edge p[reserving smooth then i did duplicate the layer then added a gausian blur to the layer of 22.5 then overlayed it. Then added a halo with virtual photgrapher.

dont know if it improves it at all for you but thought you would like to see them regardless. Oh and I cropped it.