Before and afters

[NetG]

I don't post-process mostly. Not out of snobbery - just because I'm lazy and also don't have a good setup for it yet. (Working on hooking up to the HDTV - that should make editing work nicely for me!) I also tend to not see HOW to edit well. But I had some suggestions from a friend, and tried to play with them a bit.

For those of you who do post-processing of any sort... how did you start to see when you should/when it's too much?

I cropped this a bit, and my friend suggested black and white. After converting, I realized I also could crop more for a fun effect.
Before:

After:


I wasn't sure why I loved this one when I took it. It was a "mistake" - both guys turned and shifted their positions in the frame as I was taking it. My focus was then off a bit, too. But I still liked it.


I tried black and white... didn't like it. Then I tried sepia and a little vignetting - yep, somehow that did it:

[jennie]

nice conversions..gotta try it one of these day..i dont post-process much too..busy sched..lack of time and no decent photoshop apps..i just do some cropping and color adjustment here and there..but i have to agree that even little PP does great wonders..

[NetG]

Originally Posted by jennie

nice conversions..gotta try it one of these day..i dont post-process much too..busy sched..lack of time and no decent photoshop apps..i just do some cropping and color adjustment here and there..but i have to agree that even little PP does great wonders..

I feel like my photos have a completely different feel in this case. The first one, I mostly saw the edge of the guitar before - and never noticed the little dials have numbers until after the editing I did.

The second one, the sepia had the same feel the original gave me (could be different for others) but the sepia version just had a stronger feel to it. I think because the neck of the guitar pops more for me in sepia. It's kind of a fun thing to play with, though! Some post processing I attempt looks HORRIBLE, and I still much prefer taking the pictures to editing them...

[Kvikken]

I actually prefer the before pictures. I don't know if it is the purple colours or what, but I really like the mood a lot better in those pictures !

[martha36]

Originally Posted by Kvikken

I actually prefer the before pictures. I don't know if it is the purple colours or what, but I really like the mood a lot better in those pictures !

I agree, just because the colors are so unique. In the top one, it almost looks like a water reflection. And as for the mistake shot, I think it is AWESOME! You couldn't have captured that if you were trying!!!!!!

[Jamfke]

These are great conversions. The cropping on the guitar is superb, and would look good in both color and black and white.

[ldrider51]

Those are both good!

I like both the before and the after on both of them and I agree that the "mistake" shot is great..

[equilution]

No PP required!! Not at all ...well done! I love the soft edges on the last B/W. Thanks for sharing!

[NetG]

Thanks!

The colors were definitely fun - and I still have lots of photos with color, too. That's one of the challenges with concerts - work with the light which exists. I never, EVER use a a flash at concerts. It's too annoying. The only exception would be if I were taking photos for a band or venue and trying to get the unlit crowd in as well as the band on stage.

Of course, this could possibly be another B/W candidate, I don't know.... I like it in color for the mostly white light on his face yet colorful background. (I think no pp here)



Or this one, for the same reason - only cropping for post processing, I think. Cropping can be necessary when using a prime lens to shoot someone at the back of the stage!

[sbunting108]

Nice editing I love the Black and White photo with the tight crop on the guitar.