Large black Butterfly with red spots done in Sepia

[JBW]

[Shadowman]

Interesting capture, I like the textured feel of the image.

[JBW]

Interesting capture, I like the textured feel of the image.

I shot in manual RAW with a burst shot setting. First processing was done in Sony Express where I worked on levels, curves, highlights, shadows and exposure. I ended up with one in colour and one B&W.

Moving into Gimp I used the colour version as an overlay for the B&W. Then I went into a depth merge and when it looked good I added in various layers of gaussian blurring, painting and a bit of cloning. When it looked good I slipped in a Sepia layer mask.

All in all a lot of fun.

B.

[Shadowman]

I shot in manual RAW with a burst shot setting. First processing was done in Sony Express where I worked on levels, curves, highlights, shadows and exposure. I ended up with one in colour and one B&W.

Moving into Gimp I used the colour version as an overlay for the B&W. Then I went into a depth merge and when it looked good I added in various layers of gaussian blurring, painting and a bit of cloning. When it looked good I slipped in a Sepia layer mask.

All in all a lot of fun.

B.

Brian,

I've been experimenting with different processing techniques, don't want to become too predictable.

[DanK]

Hi Brian,

Sorry, but this one doesn't do it for me.

What specifically were you trying to accomplish with that PP? What you ended up with is an image where a lot of the important detail has been lost, or nearly lost. I had to look at the image closely several times before I could (faintly) make out where the butterfly's body is.

Everyone is different, but I have two different ways of working with PP. In one, I am simply experimenting, to learn better what a given set of tools or actions does. In the other--which is the one I use when I intend to show images--I start by asking: what do I want to change from this initial rendering of the image? What do I want it to look like when I am done? I then try (often without much success) to select tools and apply them to get that effect.

Dan

[rachel]

I'm intrigued by the contrast between image and thread title. Just that if its colour is worth a mention then why hide it? (I think what I mean is I'd like to see it in colour)

[xpatUSA]

I'm intrigued by the contrast between image and thread title. Just that if its colour is worth a mention then why hide it?

Sorry, I don't follow that rhetorical question because the title seemed clear enough to me.

Having said that, I might have lightened the shadows, made it a bit less sepia and upped the local contrast.

"apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?"

[JBW]

Sorry, I don't follow that rhetorical question because the title seemed clear enough to me.

Having said that, I might have lightened the shadows, made it a bit less sepia and upped the local contrast.

"apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?"

Exactly but then sepia is not my speciality and I do need critiques.

[JBW]

Brian,

I've been experimenting with different processing techniques, don't want to become too predictable.

worse than predictable is the monotony of only walking one path.

[JBW]

I'm intrigued by the contrast between image and thread title. Just that if its colour is worth a mention then why hide it? (I think what I mean is I'd like to see it in colour)

I didn't hide I but I did change it. This is a sepia monochrome which means lots of colours but they are in subtle shades of brown. I mentioned the original colour so people could know where i started and judge my success or failure.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,

Sorry, but this one doesn't do it for me.

What specifically were you trying to accomplish with that PP? What you ended up with is an image where a lot of the important detail has been lost, or nearly lost. I had to look at the image closely several times before I could (faintly) make out where the butterfly's body is.

Everyone is different, but I have two different ways of working with PP. In one, I am simply experimenting, to learn better what a given set of tools or actions does. In the other--which is the one I use when I intend to show images--I start by asking: what do I want to change from this initial rendering of the image? What do I want it to look like when I am done? I then try (often without much success) to select tools and apply them to get that effect.

Dan

No need to apologise for an honest critique. I was trying to accomplish precisely what you say I did. I wanted to render down the shot to its essentials. The essential part for me being the spots. Even in the original a black body against black wings was not going to show up to any degree.

I tried it in sepia because I wanted to maintain the richness of the textures and shades but also to reduce the distractions.

Everyone seems to agree that it was not perfect but with any luck the next time will be better.

[Manfred M]

Brian - I'm afraid I'm with Dan on this image.

I started off as a &W photographer, so I am quite comfortable working with it, but find that I likely do less than 5% of my images that way. In my case it is a bit practical and philosophical; I find I need to have a very good reason to throw away most of the data my camera has captured.

The two most common reasons for going B&W (and this is usually a decision I make when I take the shot) is either to simplify the image (simplification is a very important compositional tool) or to give the image a period look (say things that have a 1960's or early theme).

Please, don't stop experimenting with monochrome, but have a good reason for going that route. Some images work very well in monochrome, while others tend to not work as well.

[JBW]

Brian - I'm afraid I'm with Dan on this image.

I started off as a &W photographer, so I am quite comfortable working with it, but find that I likely do less than 5% of my images that way. In my case it is a bit practical and philosophical; I find I need to have a very good reason to throw away most of the data my camera has captured.

The two most common reasons for going B&W (and this is usually a decision I make when I take the shot) is either to simplify the image (simplification is a very important compositional tool) or to give the image a period look (say things that have a 1960's or early theme).

Please, don't stop experimenting with monochrome, but have a good reason for going that route. Some images work very well in monochrome, while others tend to not work as well.

stop experimenting? not too likely. There are just too many bells and whistles on the camera and in the software.