10 Responses

1. Bob-G

   I really enjoy Hamish’s images and found this to be a massively useful critique session. Joe’s advice has already changed my own workflow both in the field and in post-processing. The first change I’ll be making will be to leverage the perspective (shift) control of my TS-E 24mm to mitigate wide angle distortion. I’ve already become addicted to the tilt capability but, perhaps having been limited by my wide angle tele-zoom for so long, I hadn’t yet come to grips with using the shift feature in this manner. I have simply been learning to live with wonky verticals in the upper corners. The nice thing about the new 24mm lens is that you can rotate the tilt and shift features to be on the same access (without having to send it to the factory). The second tip I got here is how to to reduce the over-saturation effect often caused by curves adjustments. So often I come back to an image a few days or weeks after the initial post processing session to be greeted with an image that is far more saturated than I like. This has been a challenge for me for years but changing the blend mode to luminosity works a treat. Funny but I’d never learned that trick before.

   Thanks Hamish, Joe & Tim!

   On March 5, 2011 at 11:45 am • Reply
2. TB2012

   Well done Joe and Tim for both introducing this and doing such a great job. I was thinking how very useful it would be to have reader photo’s examined under your experienced and watchful gaze so was thrilled to see this feature.
   Well done also to Hamish for some lovely photos and going first!

   On March 5, 2011 at 12:42 pm • Reply
3. Mike Green

   This is a great new section and an excellent start to it. Thanks to Hamish for ‘going first’ in this.

   I’m sure this will become invaluable and very informative as, it seems to me, expert critique and modification of someone else’s work is likely to provide some [more!] useful insights into what works, what doesn’t, and how to make the most of what’s been captured.

   I’m much looking forward to the next in the series.

   On March 7, 2011 at 5:36 pm • Reply
4. Joe Cornish

   Guys, thanks to you all for the positive feedback. Very good to hear that little tips, such as the blending mode one, are helpful. Although I have read the Photoshop manuals (and forgotten almost all I have read) it is mainly from watching and working with friends that I have learned tips, workflows, shortcuts and good processing tactics. I am convinced that ‘real’ examples, and experimenting with your own images is the most effective way to learn. Working on other peoples images is both fascinating, and slightly worrying (a responsibility!). In the end I believe the photographer, the originator, should be the arbiter of interpretation. However, if you don’t know all the possibilities, it is hard to be an authoritative interpreter.
   I think there comes a point where you know what needs fixing, what could be better, what needs emphasis, what needs subduing, and how to do all of the above in an organic and invisible way. The latter point is important to me, because the primacy of the subject matter and the moment, as opposed to the photographic process, is fundamental in my philosophy. I know that resonates for many, because in many ways the real power of photography lies in the illusion of the thing itself, the moment and the message that arrives from that connection to reality. So keeping the process ‘organic’ really matters.
   We look forward to doing more of these examples and developing some of these ideas and techniques further.
   And many thanks to Hamish for being first up.

   On March 10, 2011 at 4:12 pm • Reply
5. Pete Hyde

   This is a excellent new feature and these first examples were both highly enjoyable and informative. It is really interesting to see how sympathetic post processing can subtly change the emphasis on certain elements in the image without destroying the overall reality of the picture. Many thanks Tim, Joe and Hamish.

   On March 11, 2011 at 3:07 pm • Reply
6. andyfarrer

   What a fascinating feature! It’s very interesting to see different workflows and techniques. Small significant changes such as those demonstrated really do change help guide the eye around the image in a more pleasing way.
   Many thanks for the new feature.

   On March 12, 2011 at 12:44 pm • Reply
7. JohnParminter

   An excellent feature Tim/Joe. Interesting to see how folk interpret an image and some useful editing tips, although I know I will have forgotten them by the time I come to try them out…

   On March 14, 2011 at 6:15 pm • Reply
8. marush

   Really enjoyed this feature. Using saturation to guide the eye around the image is a new concept for me and one I will be thinking about when I revisit my own images. Thank you.

   On March 18, 2011 at 3:21 pm • Reply
9. johnbeardy

   Particularly enjoyed the analysis of the ice picture and lifting the water’s colour. Time to teach JC the targeted adjustment brush so he doesn’t need to guess at what colour sliders he should be dragging!

   On March 24, 2011 at 1:32 pm • Reply
10. johnbeardy

    Tim, an idea for the “after” jpegs – why not make their rollover event display the “before” version?

    On March 26, 2011 at 7:38 am • Reply