Need advice and or help.

[Barbara Ponder]

I love this picture but feel like the lettuce is a bit bright even after bringing it down the ways I knew. My PP skills are getting better but I am still really lacking! I have done everything I know to do to get the lettuce toned down Do you think it still needs toning down? If I do need to do more, what is the best way to do it? Thanks and as alway CC welcome.

[Mark von Kanel]

i like it the way it is Barbra

[AlwaysOnAuto]

It looks like nice fresh lettuce, why do you think it needs to be toned down?
Very nice orang you've got there.

[Barbara Ponder]

Mark and Alan, thank you. It just seems to draw away a bit from his adorable face or so I thought. Perhaps I can see it through fresh eyes after hearing from ya'll (Texan for you all).

[Mike Buckley]

I think your version looks fine but if you want something different (not necessarily better), consider the look shown below. I selected the green tones in the vegetable, darkened them and reduced the contrast.

The single best thing you could have done regarding the vegetable would have been to use a polarizer filter to reduce the glare on the leaves. That would probably have also minimized or eliminated the glare on the animal's forehead.

It was very clever of you to leave the metal bar in the top left corner. Otherwise, there would be no explanation of why the animal's hand is reaching upward. If you have a version that shows the hand grabbing the bar, that would probably be even better.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Which zoo, assuming it is a zoo animal.

[Barbara Ponder]

Which zoo, assuming it is a zoo animal.

No, he's pet.......just kidding The Houston Zoo. I recently became a member so that I always had a wide variety of animals to be able to shoot at fairly close range. Love this guys personality and now it's almost like he knows me when I come. I call to him and he will turn around as if to say "what do you want?"

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I need to start using my San Diego Zoo pass more, now that the holidays are over with. The Wild Animal Park is free to me now too, so need to visit there more often too.

[Wavelength]

I really liked the image and i am not sure it can be improved by a tone down...

[Barbara Ponder]

I think your version looks fine but if you want something different (not necessarily better), consider the look shown below. I selected the green tones in the vegetable, darkened them and reduced the contrast.

Thank you for doing that for me!

The single best thing you could have done regarding the vegetable would have been to use a polarizer filter to reduce the glare on the leaves. That would probably have also minimized or eliminated the glare on the animal's forehead.

I have never used a polarizer....I have polorized sun glasses and love the look it gives scenery. When used does it affect the light getting to the sensor? Would it change the f-stop?

It was very clever of you to leave the metal bar in the top left corner. Otherwise, there would be no explanation of why the animal's hand is reaching upward. If you have a version that shows the hand grabbing the bar, that would probably be even better.

I unfortunately don't have one that has the whole hand. I did have a little more of the bar but really thought just the hint was enough to connect the 2. I still need to work on making sure my shot gets everything in it.

[Barbara Ponder]

I really liked the image and i am not sure it can be improved by a tone down...

Thank you!

[Mike Buckley]

A polarizer will reduce the amount of light entering the lens by about 1 1/2 to 2 stops. I almost always use a polarizer when shooting outdoors.

[Shadowman]

It could use a bit of toning down.

[rpcrowe]

How about this...

[IzzieK]

Richard..I like the colour of the orangutan on Barbara's shot and here you have the lettuce really toned down good. So half and half for me...Maybe just select the lettuce and tone it down instead of globally? I must admit that the fur is more sharper though but the softness of the fur in the first shot is more nicer.

[Barbara Ponder]

How about this...

Thank you Richard. The lettuce looks much better.

[Downrigger]

I really like your original, Barbara - one works in color, presumably, to show color and the reddish umber of your subject with his (her?) bright green munchy has some great punch. True, the lettuce disrupts the composition as a portrait, and true, it pops out somewhat, but clearly that's what it was and I like it.

[Barbara Ponder]

Thanks Mark.