Discussion on: Image 1257 - "Puerto Madryn Sunset"

Discussion, revisions and constructive criticisms of Image 1257 - "Puerto Madryn Sunset"

Original - Russ Pearce (rrruss)
full image

Camera	»
Original Date	2006-11-29 00:00:00
Focal Length	7.5mm
Aperture	f/2.7
ISO	50
Exposure Time
Flash	no
Tripod	No
[Full Exif]

Photographers Note:
taken from the edge of the pier looking towards the shoreline. Used railing for support rather than tripod.

Bob Wallace (BobTrips)
Msg: #1

April 2nd 2007
05:05:43

Welcome Russ.  Nice opening shot.  Good framing with the converging lines running to the left.  Good exposure.

I think it could stand a bit more sharpening.  That would make the buildings and lights crisper and give the frame more snap.

(A pet peeve of mine, and perhaps totally a non issue to the rest of the world are little things that seem to grab my eye for no apparent reason.     I find myself looking at them and asking "why?".  There's one dark spot just right of center and above the waterline.  I'd clone it away.  YMMV.)

Russ Pearce (rrruss)
Msg: #2

April 2nd 2007
19:14:28

Thanks Bob. I have given it a quick run through PS. What do you think now?

Revision: 1
Russ Pearce (rrruss)

Bob Wallace (BobTrips)
Msg: #3

April 2nd 2007
19:31:27

I suppose the question that I have is "What do you think?"  ;o)

As for me - the bottom half of the shot is a real grabber now.  Looks like you might have oversharpened the buildings a bit.  Look at the "halo" around the centermost building.

There's a bit of distortion (Jpeg distortion?) around all the building edges.  Did you work from the original or has this been edited/saved multiple times?

Overall, a better image.  That probably can be made better yet.

Russ Pearce (rrruss)
Msg: #4

April 2nd 2007
20:55:15

I take your point about the oversharpening of the buildings. I love the sea now but don't really know enough about masking to attempt different levels of sharpening in different areas. (Is it easy??) Any less sharpening and you lose the detail in the sea again. It was amended from the original.

Bob Wallace (BobTrips)
Msg: #5

April 2nd 2007
23:38:18

It should be fairly easy to select the top/bottom of the frame and selectively sharpen each.  I think I'd try the 'brush'.

Click on "View actual pixels" (I'm working from PS Elements so things might be a little different).  Set the brush nice an large so and run it along so that you select about half of the dark shoreline to the bottom of the frame.  Sharpen/adjust the sea to where you want it.  Under "Selection" click on "Invert Selection" and sharpen the top half.  The "Deselect".

BTW, how are  you sharpening?

And while you've got the top half selected, boost the saturation a bit and see how you like that.

Russ Pearce (rrruss)
Msg: #6

April 3rd 2007
20:15:47

Thanks Bob. I think I'm quite happy with it now. Hope you like it.

Revision: 2
Russ Pearce (rrruss)

Bob Wallace (BobTrips)
Msg: #7

April 3rd 2007
23:06:17

If you're happy, I'm happy. ;o)

Actually, the new version is quite striking, IMO.

There's one more thing that you might try. Use the "Sharpening Tool" - it a triangular shaped icon on the PSE pallet. If you set it small you can run it over some of the individual lights and make them "crisper". That way you can selectively sharpen parts of the image without oversharpening others.

(Don't know if that will make a better picture - just something to explore.)

Justin Watson (Justin)
Msg: #8

April 4th 2007
13:34:49

Hi Russ,

A nice first shot IMO.
I do like the 2nd revision the best though.
Quite a few of us on here don't mind tinkering with photoshop/paintshop etc.

(StraightnoChaser)
Msg: #9

April 5th 2007
17:49:38

A different view.