Black&White eyes that pop

[Talita]

I took this at a birthday party recently. I am fairly happy with the black and white conversion of the pic, but I want to eyes to have more sparkle. Working on it. If you have any ideas please share.

I would like critique on the B&W conversion & the cropping spesifically, but anything you feel needs pointing out.

Thanks.

Taken on September 11, 2010 at 1.37pm CAT (edit)
Posted to Flickr September 25, 2010 at 3.06PM CAT (edit)
Exif data

Camera Nikon D3000
Exposure 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture f/11.0
Focal Length 55 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias -1/3 EV
Flash No Flash
X-Resolution 300 dpi
Y-Resolution 300 dpi
Orientation Horizontal (normal)
Software Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Date and Time (Modified) 2010:09:25 14:36:40
YCbCr Positioning Centered
Exposure Program Aperture-priority AE
Date and Time (Original) 2010:09:11 13:37:41+03:00
Date and Time (Digitized) 2010:09:11 13:37:41
Max Aperture Value 5.7
Metering Mode Multi-segment
Light Source Unknown
Sub Sec Time 00
Sub Sec Time Original 00
Sub Sec Time Digitized 00
Color Space sRGB
Sensing Method One-chip color area
CFAPattern [Green,Blue][Red,Green]
Custom Rendered Normal
Exposure Mode Auto
White Balance Auto
Digital Zoom Ratio 1
Focal Length In35mm Format 82 mm
Scene Capture Type Standard
Gain Control None
Contrast Normal
Saturation Normal
Sharpness Normal
Subject Distance Range Unknown
Compression JPEG (old-style)
Global Angle 30
Global Altitude 30
Copyright Flag False
Photoshop Quality 8
Photoshop Format Standard
Progressive Scans 3 Scans
XMPToolkit Adobe XMP Core 4.1-c036 46.276720, Mon Feb 19 2007 22:40:08
Rating Percent 0
Orientation Horizontal (normal)
Creator Tool Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows
Metadata Date 2010:09:25 14:36:40+03:00
Format image/jpeg
Color Mode 3
ICCProfile Name Nikon sRGB 4.0.0.3002
Color Transform YCbCr
Flash Return No return detection
Flash Mode Unknown
Flash Function False
Flash Red Eye Mode False

Maybe a little too much info, but you never know. The pic was taken in jpg, cause my pc chrashed two weeks ago and I have not yet reloaded all my software, so it`s not heavily pp.

[edbayani]

you're right. the eyes need more sparkle.
i would put a new layer on top with color dodge blending mode. with a small brush set to 5% opacity, brush the white of the eyes to show more the black of the eyes. flatten.
then select the black of the eyes using quick mask and with small sharp brush, set to 100% opacity brush the black of the eyes and exit quick mask. this selects the black of the eyes and adjust with either levels or curves.

[SusanH1970]

The eyes don't sparkle because there's no light in them. The forehead and lower half of the face is lit, but the eyes are in the shadows (raccoon eyes). Shooting in much less harsh light (overcast skies, open shade, or late in the day an hour or so before sunset) will help out with that.

[kristenh]

so i have a general question about this- not necessarily about the op's photo- which i agree, the eyes are too shadowed.

if she did use some pp to give a sparkle to the eyes, wouldn't that seem kind of strange? if you look at the picture and think even for a moment about the lighting- you'd know the eyes wouldn't/shouldn't have a sparkle? so would you do it? i know different people have different goals for their photos and how they want them to look, but for me i think it'd be odd. just curious what others think.

[Talita]

Originally Posted by kristenh

so i have a general question about this- not necessarily about the op's photo- which i agree, the eyes are too shadowed.

if she did use some pp to give a sparkle to the eyes, wouldn't that seem kind of strange? if you look at the picture and think even for a moment about the lighting- you'd know the eyes wouldn't/shouldn't have a sparkle? so would you do it? i know different people have different goals for their photos and how they want them to look, but for me i think it'd be odd. just curious what others think.

I get what you are saying, but if you look at the eyes there are a little bit of light in there. I just want that little bit to pop a bit more ? Or will it look weird ? Maybe a stupid question, but I`m here to learn Thanks for the reply.

[Talita]

Originally Posted by SusanH1970

The eyes don't sparkle because there's no light in them. The forehead and lower half of the face is lit, but the eyes are in the shadows (raccoon eyes). Shooting in much less harsh light (overcast skies, open shade, or late in the day an hour or so before sunset) will help out with that.

Thanks, this was taken at a birthday party and the mom said she wanted no posed pictures, just shots as the party progressed. Any way I could have done that shot better, I didn`t want to use the flash and make the kids squint at me :-D

[Photologyst]

All you have to do is to “paint” in the light reflections.

OK, here is my version. Adjusted photo in Lightroom. Selected whites of eyes in a new adjustment layer and lightened them. Selected eyes, sharpened and then painted in the light reflections in with white at less than 50% opacity.



I did this very quickly. Obviously, if you are more careful you can get the exact look that you want.

[Talita]

Coool, thanks, will try that !

[olive]

Wow very cool !!! Thanks for the lesson.

[Photologyst]

Originally Posted by Talita

Coool, thanks, will try that !

Thanks, Talita & Olive.

You do need to make sure that the light points line up properly and naturally, so that the child does not look cross-eyed.

I was in a hurry.

Sometimes, the difference between great and mediocre is a millimeter.