B&W Portrait

[wesjr]

Here's a portrait I did of my daughter about 18 months ago. I converted it from a color photo taken with my 1D and Canon 70- 200 f/4 lens.

I did a B&W conversion with my nik plugin. Then set the black and white points, a curve adjustment, and then finally a glamour blur action. See link below for critique.

Let me know what you think and can you improve it?
_____________________
Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL


http://naturesphotographs.com/Cate.html

[Gordon B]

Charlie,
On original colour image, feel that light is rather flat and this then effects conversion??

Had try first with the colour then conversion but could not get it anywhere near what I thought gave it that wow factor.
Gordon

[gcrogers]

I'm curious how many folks are in my shoes.....would like to offer a version but have no way to post? (without bothering kev or cem)

I like the shot, Charlie. Tried some selective burning on the left side to enhance the light coming from the right, didn't like my result.

-Greg

[bez]

I couldn’t post either, till Costas showed me how. You need some web space for an album, which should be free? Then either post a link to it like Charlie’s above, or you can insert a picture directly. A Google/Picasa account works well, with 1024mb of free space.


woof

[gcrogers]

Thanks Bez!

I've been exploring my options over the weekend and at the moment still baffled. I'm half-decent with computer-related things and feel silly to be struggling so. I tried my webspace provided by my ISP, and am more baffled that I was when I started.

I'll get 'er figured out when I'm in a different mindset, I suppose.

edit: I'm afraid I'll end up going to my IS expert at work on this. <groan>

-Greg

[wesjr]

Gordon B & Greg,

Thanks for pointing out the poor lighting. I don't like the BG differential from left to right. I can't balance in PS either.

I need to post a better image.....
---------------------
Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

[gcrogers]

Don't beat yourself up, Doc.

It's a good (no, I'm gonna say great) shot. It's just difficult to work with. I played with it for an hour this afternoon and still couldn't come up with one better than yours as posted. The overall problem is it's too monotone, and too bright....but that's my monitor. I'd print your version to see what it really looks like, but I've managed to mess up my R1800 via latest driver update. Can't print a thing. <blush>

I wish I could come up with one half as good of either of my adult kids. They both go running when I show up with one of my cameras. Maybe I could get a shot of them retreating and convince myself the shot has some value somehow?

-Greg

[DaveA]

Hi Charlie,

From my point of view you have taken a color image in flat lighing and converted to a b/w that to my eyes is way to harsh. If this is the same free Nic converstion plug in I have it's not a very good one. Also the upper right hand corner is blown out as well as having what looks like a creature in the lower right hand corner, should be cloned out. Also I don't like the black blouce, again to harsh at least to my eyes.
Mind you, it's easy to find flaws, my friends do that to me all the time, but they can't take a picture if there life depended on it!

I did try a couple things, channel mixer set to 60/40 a modest curves adjutment and selecting the blouse and making it lighter and I think it works better with that image, Im in the same boat as greg and bez, Im not sure how to post my version, be happy to email if you like.

Dave ps not saying my version is better, just a better starting point to my eyes.

[DaveA]

creature in the lower right hand corner, should be cloned out.

I mean lower left corner.

Dave

[Kevgermany]

Charlie, I had a go at it over the weekend. Didn't get chance to post. I'm not sure what you were trying to do - the eyes in your conversion are quite hard - almost as if it was a portrait with an attitude. For this the harsh treatment works well, but it's posisble to get a softer result as well, but this is offset and deosn't match the eyes.

[samdring]

Agree with Kev but could be argued that 'the eyes have it'

[wesjr]

Florida light can be very ugly. I should have used my Photoflex 42 " diffuser. It would have prevent the sweater block up. My nik converter is not free. I probably don't know how to use it properly. I'm not as experienced in B&W these days. I shooting too much color and need to take out the B&W books from college classes.

Caitlin has killer eyes and can show plenty of attitude when she wants too. She was not happy with my posing instructions....

Thanks for the critiques.
___________________
Charlie Wesley
St. Augustine Beach, FL

[Kevgermany]

Caitlin has killer eyes and can show plenty of attitude when she wants too. She was not happy with my posing instructions....

That explains a lot

The detail in the top comes back when filtered with a strong blue/cyan filter on conversion. It also helps a little with the shadows under the eyes.

[Kevgermany]

These are the versions I created over the weekend. Hope I've spelt her name correctly, you seemt o have it with c and k.

Harsh look:
www.kevsgallery.com/photoi/cate_harsh.jpg

Straight conversion, with slight lightening under the eyes, didn't pull the sweater back so much on this version:
www.kevsgallery.com/photoi/cate_mono_eyes.jpg

Softened more, with glow effect, but I don't feel that it matches the expression:
www.kevsgallery.com/photoi/cate_mono_ey ... t_glow.jpg

So much you can do with this shot. Didn't have time to clone out as you did.

[gcrogers]

Caitlin has killer eyes and can show plenty of attitude when she wants too. She was not happy with my posing instructions....

That was quite obvious without explanation. Personally, I like the 'attitude' in this shot. It gives the shot character, IMO.

-Greg