WARNING ~ Seriously cute dog shot

[JBW]

[TrishBJ]

Hi Brian,
Truly seriously cute!
Nice glint in the eye and wonderfully sharp whiskers.

[JBW]

Hi Brian,
Truly seriously cute!
Nice glint in the eye and wonderfully sharp whiskers.

What can I say for once he sat still long enough to get the shot.

[Shadowman]

Very cute.

[JBW]

Very cute.

[Manfred M]

While the dog is cute, the background clutter in the image is distracting and takes away from the image. It almost looks like the dog has a couple of antennae growing out of its head...

[JBW]

While the dog is cute, the background clutter in the image is distracting and takes away from the image. It almost looks like the dog has a couple of antennae growing out of its head...

What can I say, it was where he sat down. I did a fair bit of softening and blurring of the background but unless I wanted to totally change the shot...

[bnnrcn]

Hi Brian Is this your young dog who you uploaded his photos last year ? He still looks cute and young. The right part of his face is a bit dark though.

[JBW]

Hi Brian Is this your young dog who you uploaded his photos last year ? He still looks cute and young. The right part of his face is a bit dark though.

Yes it is but such are the vagaries of natural lighting combined with a snap shot when Choco sat down in front of me.

[Mike Buckley]

I agree with all the comments mentioned above, both positive and negative. One more comment: The image appears seriously underexposed and the histogram confirms it. Always check your histogram after capturing the image. If you didn't have time to retake the image due to an uncooperative subject, improve it during post-processing for a far more pleasing result. The dog is so good looking that it deserves the best!

[rpcrowe]

Your pup is growing into a great looking dog. I like the image, you nailed the focus right on and his gaze is straight into the lens. However, I played with the image a bit.

I selectively brightened the left (image right) side of the pup's face and I globally reduced the shadows a bit...

I cloned away some of the background that looked like it was growing out of his head. I could have cloned more but decided that just the center of his head was the main point that I wanted to clean up...

I cloned another catchlight into his left eye using the catchlight in his right eye as the target...




If it were my image, I would think about reducing/eliminating the drip from his eyes. Cloning would do it...

[Manfred M]

Yes it is but such are the vagaries of natural lighting combined with a snap shot when Choco sat down in front of me.

Time to learn how to dodge and burn with Gimp?

[Donald]

Time to learn how to dodge and burn with Gimp?

And there are a number of different ways of doing it. But once you get it, it transforms your post-processing skills. My method involves adding a transparent layer in Overlay Mode and then brushing white (to dodge) or black (to burn) onto that layer at something like 10% opacity on the brush.

However, I do use that less and less now that I have the power of Silver Efex Pro at my disposal.

[rpcrowe]

Actually, I used both Photoshop CS6 and NIK Viveza for the editing...

[JBW]

It seems that I shall be revisiting this shot. What can I say other than thanks to one and all for the encouragement, chastisement and mentoring. Back to the drawing board!

[JBW]

And there are a number of different ways of doing it. But once you get it, it transforms your post-processing skills. My method involves adding a transparent layer in Overlay Mode and then brushing white (to dodge) or black (to burn) onto that layer at something like 10% opacity on the brush.

However, I do use that less and less now that I have the power of Silver Efex Pro at my disposal.

I have used overlay after creating a mask but never as the mask. Sounds interesting.

[JBW]

Time to learn how to dodge and burn with Gimp?

Indeed it is.