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DPChallenge Forums >> Individual Photograph Discussion >> Do YOU try to salvage crappy photos????
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10/04/2009 09:39:56 AM · #1
So.....

I have discovered that I'm *such* a loser, and cannot accept total defeat when I take a shot that I really want......and it just didn't work out.

Pretty much everything was wrong with this one, but I liked the whole stolen moment enough to try and salvage it.



So I ran up the shadows, amped up the contrast, made the sign go away, spot edited the garbage (D@mn sensor debris!), and then Topazzed the thing for effect.

I kinda like it, and I'm happy enough with the results to keep it in my also-ran keepers.



Whaddya think?

Gem, or trash? LOL!!!
10/04/2009 09:53:00 AM · #2

I love it! I get rid of anything with no redeeming value, but there are often shots that I "love", and I will spend a lot of time trying to save them. I don't accept defeat well either...LOL!

10/04/2009 09:57:54 AM · #3
I like the second version... the background reminds me somewhat of a watercolor painting.
10/04/2009 10:02:48 AM · #4
I keep trash all the time. I keep everything. Hell, I enter salvaged trash in challenges all the time. And my average shows it :-)

R.
10/04/2009 10:04:27 AM · #5
Well, looking back and judging the scores of some of my challenge entries, it is quite possible that I may have tried to salvage a few too many crappy photo's.
:)
Just a few.
:)

Nikon Jeb, when you can take an average photo and give it character, and bring it to life as you have done with this particular photograph, you are certainly no loser.
Your excellent portfolio speaks for itself as well.

Message edited by author 2009-10-04 10:16:47.
10/04/2009 10:07:01 AM · #6
I really like it a lot. I don't make it a habit to apply "special affects" to pictures (I try to make them look as realistic as possible) but in the situation where a shot doesn't come out right, I think it's the perfect time to play around.

I did not like the way this shot came out originally (sorry, I don't have the original handy) because the white on the bird was really blown out. I played around in Topaz and instead of trying to add detail, I took it out (I think I used the simplify setting).



As far as trashing it... in your case I think absolutely not! It came out very nice. I have spent hours playing around with a bad picture to then turn around and delete it. Since I'm still learning so much about CS4, the playing around is more important than the end result.
10/04/2009 10:11:21 AM · #7
That one was worth the work over. I do that sort of thing too. I also sometimes like to fish around in the background of shots to see what is there that would be worth bringing out of the shadows.
I like your shot of the car a lot. Sometimes shots where the color just can't be fixed can be converted to B&W and they come out great that way.
Here are a couple from my portfolio;
This one started out seriously underexposed.
This one was a tiny bit, maybe 1/32 of a larger scene shot at dusk from about 3/4 mile. There were about 12 horses in the original.
10/04/2009 10:25:25 AM · #8
Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Whaddya think?

Gem, or trash? LOL!!!


Comment left...
10/04/2009 10:27:32 AM · #9
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

snip.....Hell, I enter salvaged trash in challenges all the time. And my average shows it :-)

R.


LOL, me too Bear! And I don't even worry about it - I enjoy the process of salvaging them.
10/04/2009 10:45:12 AM · #10
Some of my favorite images are the 'happy accidents' when my flash didn't fire. I've wound up with some lovely low-key and rim lit images.
10/04/2009 11:16:39 AM · #11
I dont throw anything out.... its gotten to the point where I will be out taking photos, look down at my screen, and say "Harddrive space", an affectionate name for the crappy photos. I often go back to see my old photos, and try new editing skills with them.
10/04/2009 12:42:48 PM · #12
Originally posted by VitaminB:

I dont throw anything out.... its gotten to the point where I will be out taking photos, look down at my screen, and say "Harddrive space", an affectionate name for the crappy photos. I often go back to see my old photos, and try new editing skills with them.

That's kinda where I'm at......the garbage of today may be tomorrow's gem if I ever learn how to edit! LOL!!!
10/04/2009 01:02:46 PM · #13
I've also been learning how to save *some* of my oinkers.
This one has bad backlighting and is washed out. I played around with treatments, layers and blending until I got something I liked.


The result has gotten a few good comments.
10/04/2009 01:34:59 PM · #14
The amount of distant birds I try to salvage is ridiculous. Some pics tho are special because we have worked for them and still they are not of a quality that we would enter in a challenge or even post. 5 Buzzards I saw the other day, all in the sky at the same time, and not one picture was worth keeping let alone processing, next time tho, or the next!!!
10/04/2009 01:40:39 PM · #15
Originally posted by lyn100:

not one picture was worth keeping let alone processing, next time tho, or the next!!!

That's what makes birds such a tough subject. At least my skyline and pond stayed put for me!

Message edited by author 2009-10-04 13:41:11.
10/04/2009 01:47:33 PM · #16
Originally posted by NikonJeb:

Gem, or trash?

Clearly a gem.

I only recently started deleting bad shots (since my RAW files are like 20MB and I take a lot of mundane photos). I do occasionally rescue some bad snapshots like this one from Easter a few years back taken in the bright sunlight...



which I just did some minor touch up on for a Side Challenge...


10/04/2009 01:51:44 PM · #17
That's brilliant, I'll have to tell my other half that my 'memory hoggers' may come in handy. I'm too soft to delete the cra**y shots.
10/04/2009 01:52:40 PM · #18
Originally posted by lyn100:

cra**y

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? :P
10/04/2009 01:57:44 PM · #19
She died when I was 13. I'm 47 now.
10/04/2009 02:01:53 PM · #20
Sorry, touchy subject, even now. Kiss my kids with it tho, they still love me:)
10/04/2009 02:26:33 PM · #21
D*ng it - I was joking and now I feel real cra**y about it. I'ma go kick myself in the bu**.
10/04/2009 02:31:17 PM · #22
Can't apologise enough:(
10/04/2009 03:56:43 PM · #23
Originally posted by lyn100:

The amount of distant birds I try to salvage is ridiculous. Some pics tho are special because we have worked for them and still they are not of a quality that we would enter in a challenge or even post. 5 Buzzards I saw the other day, all in the sky at the same time, and not one picture was worth keeping let alone processing, next time tho, or the next!!!

Ok, enough with the kissy kissy : )
We get buzzards here as thick as mosquitos, and sometimes as many as 100 or more in a group.


About the drive space thing; Thank goodness for external HD's that are getting affordable now. That allows me to keep a lot of files readily available that I would otherwise have to delegate to DVD's. I'm afraid that I am a big "keep it all" type too. I am getting older, and maybe someday when I am too crunchy to go shoot anymore, I will have a huge library to work from with processing into good images.
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