submit a photo to the urban75 critics
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Firky said:I'll start the topic rolling again!
It's quite hard taking a picture of a cat, they always seem to want to sniff the camera, look like they're about to - or be sleeping! Managed to take this one in the garden earlier.
that's nice. How do you get the eyes to be coloured in ( I understand how you go to black and white, how do you selectively colour a bit)(guessing your using photoshop)
sovietpop said:
I did it a cack handed way TBH, as I thought about doing it after and had already converted the RAW image to a jpeg....
Take you through what I did:
Moved the histogram over to the left a little more.
Duplicated the layer
Multiplied the top layer, then knocked it out to about 33% (roughly one fstop)
Hit CTRL+SHIFT+U to get it in B&W (Never shoot digital B&W, as photoshop has a far better 'engine' than what you can get in your camera)
Flattened the image
Then, using the lasso tool (feather of about 8 pixels) I just selected his pupils and a bit of CTRL+U to colourise the eyes, and then oomphed the saturation levels.
Voila!
They certainly are, dogs are easier because dogs don't really have a mind of their own 
p.s I like this:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v241/sovietpop/?action=view¤t=northsidebonfire.jpg
p.s I like this:
http://photobucket.com/albums/v241/sovietpop/?action=view¤t=northsidebonfire.jpg
mauvais
on reddit or something
I'll give some feedback on those lot tomorrow - I promise I am going to sleep now!
Anyway, I finally did it, despite getting quite pissed off at Adobe, and here it is:
http://wapoc.com/crap/final_pb.jpg
If you look closely, you can see that as well as a big smiley face (no, I didn't do it), some enterprising individual has written the word 'COCK' on it (also not me)
Anyway, I finally did it, despite getting quite pissed off at Adobe, and here it is:
http://wapoc.com/crap/final_pb.jpg
If you look closely, you can see that as well as a big smiley face (no, I didn't do it), some enterprising individual has written the word 'COCK' on it (also not me)
mauvais
on reddit or something
For more of a rule-of-thirds thing? Trouble is I try to keep everything 3:2 (as per the originals) and there's no room for manoeuvre on the other side.Firky said:I'd crop some of the left hand side out of the pic
Anyway...
Love the cat! Just a shame about the slightly distracting foreground, but otherwise perfect and benefits from the editing.
Cast Iron: prefer it before the tree line starts to taper away at the top; I'd keep the straight-ish lines by losing the top such that the centre of the ironwork is vertically centred.
Russian Spies: can't be much work to restore the part of the tree that the sun bloom has eaten up; that'd be my first suggestion. I'd also make the people more focal by losing a bit of the right; maybe this also makes the viewer wonder more about what he's taking a picture of.
Lone Leaf: like the concept, but not sure it's worked perfectly. The leaf is too small to be a real focal point, and there's not much that you can do. I would have actually moved it so it was at least surrounded by the silver metal. Maybe I would have gone for a closer shot, but I don't know. I see exactly what you've tried to do, and it's a strong idea, but I think nature's let you down
Knot Aged: Like it a lot; one of the strongest out of the set. Did you crop any out of the bottom? If so, I'd like a little bit back just to really balance it out and lend a little context.
As for the last one; not so keen. I assume it's a reflection in a tilted surface, but without a bit of context it just looks unnecessarily squashed horizontally. For example, if it's a bus shelter, at least a bit of the shelter or surroundings would have helped make that shot. Nice B&W conversion as ever though.
Here's another, bit big I'm afraid: Caledonian, literally inspired by your tip to take photos whenever you can, even if it's in your bedroom. It was in fact - it's an empty glass bottle of sparkling water, shot with the Sigma telephoto in supposed macro mode. Cropped slightly and sharpened.
blackadder
I knew a girl named Nikki
My crap attempt to alter a very dull pic.
mauvais
on reddit or something
Like it actually, but there's a few things not quite right IMO; mainly the sky is too saturated and unnatural. If you have a bigger and high quality original, you can do quite well with reducing the saturation purely on blue.blackadder said:My crap attempt to alter a very dull pic.
Maybe read up on replacing skies (with those from other images) in Photoshop; I like the oranges and gold colours but the sky looks bad, especially where it meets the treeline.
Also what's going on with that feint vertical line in the middle? There's not a lot you can do unless you do have a better master, but maybe sharpen it a bit too.
Is that per chance the railway bridge on the way out of Preston?
blackadder
I knew a girl named Nikki
mauvais mangue said:
Aye, it is the Preston rail bridge over the Ribble river. The verticle line is actualy rope and the sky was formally white, I only started messing with this pic just to practice photo editing.
mauvais
on reddit or something
Maybe try this:blackadder said:
http://www.dphotojournal.com/medium-no-circular-polarizer-filters-no-worries/
There's some techniques employed in there that stop the nasty edge problem (I think that's what feathering does but I don't know enough myself).
There's more on www.good-tutorials.com to look through (search for 'sky' and 'skies')
mauvais mangue said:For more of a rule-of-thirds thing? Trouble is I try to keep everything 3:2 (as per the originals) and there's no room for manoeuvre on the other side.
Anyway...
Love the cat! Just a shame about the slightly distracting foreground, but otherwise perfect and benefits from the editing.
Cast Iron: prefer it before the tree line starts to taper away at the top; I'd keep the straight-ish lines by losing the top such that the centre of the ironwork is vertically centred.
Russian Spies: can't be much work to restore the part of the tree that the sun bloom has eaten up; that'd be my first suggestion. I'd also make the people more focal by losing a bit of the right; maybe this also makes the viewer wonder more about what he's taking a picture of.
Lone Leaf: like the concept, but not sure it's worked perfectly. The leaf is too small to be a real focal point, and there's not much that you can do. I would have actually moved it so it was at least surrounded by the silver metal. Maybe I would have gone for a closer shot, but I don't know. I see exactly what you've tried to do, and it's a strong idea, but I think nature's let you down
Knot Aged: Like it a lot; one of the strongest out of the set. Did you crop any out of the bottom? If so, I'd like a little bit back just to really balance it out and lend a little context.
As for the last one; not so keen. I assume it's a reflection in a tilted surface, but without a bit of context it just looks unnecessarily squashed horizontally. For example, if it's a bus shelter, at least a bit of the shelter or surroundings would have helped make that shot. Nice B&W conversion as ever though.
Here's another, bit big I'm afraid: Caledonian, literally inspired by your tip to take photos whenever you can, even if it's in your bedroom. It was in fact - it's an empty glass bottle of sparkling water, shot with the Sigma telephoto in supposed macro mode. Cropped slightly and sharpened.
I don't really use the rule of thirds or anything, apart from when doing landscapes and things... maybe counterproductive...
The cast iron pic is my favourite because it is mirrors hte trees, it is almost as if they stopped where the lines are. I had to lie on my back on a muddy path for that photo, so perhaps thats where my affection for it comes from
I agree with the spies pic, but I wanted a halo on the woman's hat, but I think you're right it could of lost some of the right. For reasons you said! I never thought of that, thanks.
The lone leaf was one of my 'conceptual' shots, I do have another one of the leaf that is bigger, but it creates it more of a centre piece rather than just floating in an alien void... arty farty I know. It was more to do with 'small thing in a big alien world' and being out of the loop... i.e me, I put the leaf there
The tree one I like but, I have a problem with taking pictures of things like flowers and nature. They're inherently pretty and that takes away the main focus of a photo, I`ll try and crop it different if I still have hte original.
The last one of myself, is taken from a HUGE metal sphere with water running down, which was playing hell with the metering.
Just gonna take a look at your bedroom pic
will get back...
Caledonian
Maybe quite a cliched shot of a bottle with dew on, but I love the vivid colours and the gradient of dark to light running from left to right. You've also cropped it just enough for it to still look abstract, yet recognisable.
B&W conversions...
OK Here's what I usually do!
I try and look for pictures with plenty of contrast, and texture in. Lots of lines and patters, as they're more visible when you haven't got the distraction of colour. I also squint (or wear sunglasses) as it gives you an increased sense of shadow.
Once the *colour* (never shoot in B&W your computer is more powerful than any B&W conversion on a camera.) shot is done, I open it up in PS and use the channel mixer with monochrome ticked.
Set everything back to 0 or below if you like, and just play about. After a bit of practise you will get used to what colours to knock out and which ones to bring to the front. Just make sure they all add up roughly to 100% (don't be afraid of going over 100% however).
CTRL+U is the quick way but you won't get the same tones.
You should also shoot B&W with a yellow or red filter
Maybe quite a cliched shot of a bottle with dew on, but I love the vivid colours and the gradient of dark to light running from left to right. You've also cropped it just enough for it to still look abstract, yet recognisable.
B&W conversions...
OK Here's what I usually do!
I try and look for pictures with plenty of contrast, and texture in. Lots of lines and patters, as they're more visible when you haven't got the distraction of colour. I also squint (or wear sunglasses) as it gives you an increased sense of shadow.
Once the *colour* (never shoot in B&W your computer is more powerful than any B&W conversion on a camera.) shot is done, I open it up in PS and use the channel mixer with monochrome ticked.
Set everything back to 0 or below if you like, and just play about. After a bit of practise you will get used to what colours to knock out and which ones to bring to the front. Just make sure they all add up roughly to 100% (don't be afraid of going over 100% however).
CTRL+U is the quick way but you won't get the same tones.
You should also shoot B&W with a yellow or red filter
mauvais mangue said:
Plug is awesome
I'd maybe saturate the reds a bit more to bring out the rust, other than that......Maths Tower: I'd like it more if the colours were a bit stronger, or it was slightly off centre to give a sense of motion. Perhaps crop it at an an angle?
blackadder
I knew a girl named Nikki
Been fiddleing with this editing software again, don't ask me what i've done to the pic, I just slid a few sliders.
blackadder said:
You need to put more time into filling the gaps and zooming in up close, its not bad for a first attempt. I can give you some more tips when I'm a bit more sobre.
The easiest way to get more 'oomph' is simply by duplicating the layer and over saturating one, then feather erasing the bits that need erased.
blackadder
I knew a girl named Nikki
Firky said:
One step at a time for Blackadder, I've only just learned how to rotate a slightly slanting pic.
If you are ever passing through Preston, you are most welcome to come around and give me a few lessons, that goes to you too Mauvis.
blackadder
I knew a girl named Nikki
Firky said:I went to preston once... big purple pub !
If you're ever in northumberland or in hampshire, or london (god I get about) chances are I'm there so feel free to pm me
That's fucking spooky, I lived in Bedlington Northumberland, Alton Hants and Putney London. You following me about old boy?
blackadder said:That's fucking spooky, I lived in Bedlington Northumberland, Alton Hants and Putney London. You following me about old boy?
lol
bedlington's a shit hole, i lived in portsmouth and cosham in hants, and morden in london. i've also lived in newcastle, but only for six weeks.
firky loves to travel. i should of been a gypsy.
mauvais
on reddit or something
Cheers! That one was on a tripod and so came out OK with a bit of guesswork. The others in that set are all handheld and I wrote them off at first as they're proper shaky. However, I went through the whole set again recently and quite like them - bonkers hallucinogenic trails and stuff!Firky said:
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