Ruined by OOF?

[Orpheuss]

Hello,

it seems that I am terrible with portraits, I have another one that I like and if kinda OOF... I did applied an amount of USM but tried not to overdue. What to you think about the composition? Is this irreversible ruined by the OOF, or I can do something to make it less obvious (dump question, but better ask than be sorry later).

And a technical question: right above the head there is an ugly area; there were some reflections there (I guess some sort of transparent bag) and tried to clone it out but this is the best I could do. Is there any tool in PS that can even the colors in an area, creating a softer transition? I did some research, found something about a smudge tool (if I well remember) but could not find it in PS CS3...

From

EXIF:
Camera Sony DSC-H3
ISO 100
speed 1/20
Aperture f3.5

[javavibe]

Don't be too hard on yourself. Everything is a learning curve. Try, try, try, and try some more. For me, every little thing that makes an improvement in the next image is worth it. Keep at it. When I looked at your picture, I don't think the problem is out of focus. It looks like camera shake. Was the camera hand held? If it was, try using a tripod or if not then a stable flat surface. If you can't do that try upping the ISO (making a potential sacrifice to noise in the image) or a faster shutter speed (making a potential sacrifice to darkening the image). If your not happy with the clone tool results you can use the Spot Healing Brush tool (looks like a band aid and samples surrounding pixels and averages the result), or the Patch Tool (under the Spot Healing Brush, you select an area you are happy with and "slide" it over the area you don't like). There is a way to adjust specific areas. You do this with layers and masks. It's a little more technical than a quick response can do. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by smoother transition but I think what you are looking for is a blurry background? This type of effect (bokeh) is best done in the camera. I haven't seen a really good example of doing this in post. Is that what you are looking for?

[Clickhead]

This image looks like an attempt at being too complex for itself The big yellow flower held rather uncomfortably.. the white vases with something unclear and weird going on in them and that little monkey giggling at the whole set up.

Maybe try something simpler?

[sybren]

O agree wioth Clickhead - simplicity is often the key to a successful photo. I would crop off the monkey at the bottom and the vases, just leaving her with her flower.

About the cloning tool: try using a larger, softer, more transparent brush, and wider strokes. Then again, you could just as well use the time you'd loose by retouching to take more photos and learn how to be a better photographer ;-)

The same goes for the focus: try to figure out why the focus is off instead of fixing it in PP. As far as I can see it's caused by camera shake, so try a shorter shutter speed and/or holding your camera better. Training yourself in holding the camera steady is much more useful for a photographer than training your PP skills.

[Benji]

OOF and fuzzyness cures.

1. NEVER use a shutter speed slower than the focal length of the lens you are using UNLESS you are using a tripod. For example if you are using a 100mm lens and you are hand holding the camera, DO NOT use a shutter speed slower than 1/100 of a second. In a pinch you can smash the camera against a pole, tree, fence post, edge of a building and so forth and then carefully release the shutter.

2. NEVER shoot wide open. Few lenses are sharp wide open. The sharpest aperture is usually about two stops down from wide open.

3. Always use the lowest ISO you can for the shooting conditions.

4. In portraiture ALWAYS focus on the eyes.

5. ALWAYS gently squeeze the shutter button. DO NOT jab at it.

Benji

[sybren]

And with all other rules of photography: when they say "never" or "always", don't take it too literally. Benji's tips are very valuable though, so take them to heart.

[Orpheuss]

Thank you all for your valuable comments. As always, it was a very educative experience for me and thanks a lot Benji for your valuable advices; I will keep them in mind