Curiosity

[Kbaines]

Wondering what I could do to improve this shot? Just learning but very keen..Thanks

[Camellia]

Hi Karen

I quite like it the way it is. I like the framing. Have you done much to the image? Have you cropped it etc? Can we see the any other versions?

I keep looking at it and I like it - as simple as that.

R

[Kbaines]

Hi there, I have cropped it slightly to the left to just frame it a little better, but other that that just changed it to black and white. Thanks for your feedback...

[Kbaines]

The original

[Camellia]

Hi Karen

It's perfect the way you've processed it. You have isolated your daughter (?) from the background in your conversion. The crop is perfect IMO - I just wonder about cloning out the line of the door frame on the right but that is neither here nor there. I love the feeling that she is stepping out to explore the great big world.

Great shot!

R

[Donald]

Purely a matter of personal taste, but I would may be have tried a 4:5 ratio crop to make her more dominant within the frame. But 4:5 is just my favoured protratiot format ratio.

I wonder, too, if brightening up the eyes might improve it (please note - it is very good already) further? In the B & W, the eyes maybe look a bit dark. I don't think I know what PP software you have, Karen, nor how you rate your level of experience at doing PP work. There is more than one way of achieving this - using the lassoo tool and curves or using a layer mask and brushing in the brightened areas.

[Camellia]

Purely a matter of personal taste, but I would may be have tried a 4:5 ratio crop to make her more dominant within the frame. But 4:5 is just my favoured protratiot format ratio.

I wonder, too, if brightening up the eyes might improve it (please note - it is very good already) further? In the B & W, the eyes maybe look a bit dark. I don't think I know what PP software you have, Karen, nor how you rate your level of experience at doing PP work. There is more than one way of achieving this - using the lassoo tool and curves or using a layer mask and brushing in the brightened areas.

Donald

How can you tell the crop ratio? Is it a case of seeing enough 4:5 to know what it should look like? I haven't bothered so far with the crop ratio. All I do is crop to what I think looks right, bearing in mind the rule of thirds. My approach is a bit random. I know this doesn't fit with printing formats but I haven't printed many photos yet either. I'm keen to learn more about ratios.

Thanks

R

[Donald]

Raylee

What software do you use for PP? I use DxO Optics Pro6 for Raw processing and then the GIMP for finishing off. Both have a crop tool into which you specify the aspect ratio you want (4:5; 7:5; 4:3; 16:9; etc). The resulting overlaid screen also has options to lay on a Rule of Thirds, or Golden Sections grid. You can then play about to obtain the best composition, all the time retaining your pre-shosen aspect ratio.

[jiro]

Nice shot, Karen. When I saw the original colored version, the first thing that came to mind is "Wow, this would look nice in an early 1970's vintage look!."

[Kbaines]

Thanks all for the feedback. Donald I am currently using Lightroom but I have only just started and have a lot to learn. I have a new found passion in life and it is photography. I am constantly seeing photo ops throughout my days and I am reading up and I cant learn quick it enough...Any feedback I get is food for thought and I appreciate it so much...
Thanks Willie Im glad you like my photo...And to Raylee thankyou for taking time out to comment as well, I have taken all comments on board..Cheers..

[Donald]

I am currently using Lightroom but I have only just started and have a lot to learn.

Great. In that case, don't feel 'OMG, all these people know so much and I don't and I'll never learn and I'll never make wonderful pictures, etc, etc, etc.' There will be moments like this. We've all been there (Still am a lot of the time!!).

Learning is a process you undertake step-by-step, especially with post-processing software. A Willie has said in another thread in the past couple of days, you've got to take one skill/action at a time. Learn it and feel comfortable with it and then move onto the next. What i've suggested doing above can get added in to the 'to learn' folder for future reference.

[Kbaines]

Great advice...Thanks for taking the time to get back to me. I will definitely keep reading up and learning as much as I can.