The Boy and the Butterfly

[Photologyst]

Unlike many of you, I have taken few portraits. Here is one I found while slogging through old photos.

We were taking a rapid walk in rough fields after a spectacular lunch, when a butterfly landed on the boy’s hand. I was fortunate to see it and get a pix with my old D70s. In an instant, the creature was gone.

1/200 sec @ f/7.1, -1/3 EV, 65mm





I’ve adjusted, cropped and sharpened the butterfly.

I recognize that the light is not the greatest. Comments welcome as to how to improve this photo.

Thanks for looking.

[Laurenbiz]

I would suggest re-shooting this with a much faster shutter speed. 1/200 if fairly fast, but with mid-day sun like this, his fingers and the right side of his head are very blown-out.

[fotoworx]

I think you did great for a grab shot Photo, definitely understand about having to be quick if you want to be fast, nice catch.


Photography Tips

[boun]

I really like the idea you were going for, but this is so obviousely overexposed photo

This could have been a great lucky shot, but the light is just too harsh even seen through my newbie eye
maybe you can do something in PP but I don't think it will do that much...

I have the same problem with shooting my dogs play, trying to catch the moment, but since I'm still new at this, it's just not happening
however, this is still for you a lovely memory photo I believe

[Photologyst]

Originally Posted by Laurenbiz

I would suggest re-shooting this with a much faster shutter speed. 1/200 if fairly fast, but with mid-day sun like this, his fingers and the right side of his head are very blown-out.

LOL

Kinda tough to “reshoot,” Lauren. It was taken several years ago in Europe.

Originally Posted by fotoworx

I think you did great for a grab shot Photo, definitely understand about having to be quick if you want to be fast, nice catch.


Photography Tips

Thanks!

The problem of course was that I was paying attention to the landscape and not the people. I had no intention of taking a portrait. The opportunity just presented itself with no time to adjust the camera.

Originally Posted by boun

I really like the idea you were going for, but this is so obviousely overexposed photo

This could have been a great lucky shot, but the light is just too harsh even seen through my newbie eye
maybe you can do something in PP but I don't think it will do that much...

I have the same problem with shooting my dogs play, trying to catch the moment, but since I'm still new at this, it's just not happening
however, this is still for you a lovely memory photo I believe

This was a few years and a couple of cameras ago. So, things are different now.

I’m usually pretty good at PS processing. However, This one is tough because it’s not in RAW and the exposure problems.

However, I’ve been looking at it and find the “transparent,” dirty little fingers rather intriguing. The focus is really the butterfly.

Think I’ll try some other possibilities in PS.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

[SusanH1970]

Did you up the saturation in post processing? I'm seeing neon grass, blown blue channel in his shirt, and fingers that are magenta and orange with a blown red channel. His fingers look like an x-ray, weird shadowing going on there, and as you know the lighting is harsh overall.

Sharpening looks overdone as well; like an OOF photo that was trying to be "fixed" in PP. The crop is dead center, which makes for a slightly uninteresting image (no offense, I call it as I see it...sometimes centered works, sometimes no, in this case, not for me).

Do you have a SOOC you can post?

[edbayani]

just a suggestion. first, duplicate the layer. i would select the hand and the butterfly separately and put them in their own layers. then adjust with levels or curves the duplicate background layer to lighten the face of the boy. this will also lighten the grass and the hair. use layer mask to erase the lightened grass and hair. desaturate the hand a bit. lock the layer and with the eye dropper took click o the lightest part of the hand and with a small soft brush, opacity at 20% brush on the blown out highlights. duplicate the butterfly layer and set the duplicate's blending mode to multiply.with the sponge tool, desaturate at 20% saturated areas. flatten

[pix_e_l8]

If you make a duplicate layer and just desaturate the color of this it makes a BIG difference, I'd start there. It looked good with some Sepia toning as well. Have fun playing with it - excellent timing!!

[Photologyst]

Here are a couple of renditions that I did last night.








Ed, Pix_e thanks for the info. I’ll try your suggestions as soon as I get a chance. Haven’t had much time today.

[candidrachel]

Wow that's so much better! I'm no expert on pp but that first shot at the top of the page was so bright it looked like he'd been tangoed!! I'd have never have known it was a BOY with those blonde flowing locks!