Advice... which would you vote higher?

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

06/14/2004 01:23:22 PM · #1

I'm pretty new to DPC (and photography in general), but got some nice comments on my Deep DOF entry. I have a version that I post-processed a little differently after the challenge submission deadline had passed, and I think it's a better image...

But I'm looking for comments from other people here... which one do you think is better, and why?

versus

Thanks!

/Andrew

photom

Nikon D200

06/14/2004 01:28:21 PM · #2

Hey Andrew,

I much prefer the deep and saturated colors of the original. The second one is approaching looking a bit over exposed to me.

-Tom-

tfaust

Canon EOS 80D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/14/2004 01:28:33 PM · #3

I like the building color better in the second photo, but the rainbow and flower color better in the first photo.

The first photo as is just looks like it needs a levels or curves adjustment but the color in the flowers and rainbow are really rich, where the second looks like it needs the same thing but the flowers, sky and rainbow look a little washed out...

Just my thoughts. :-)

labuds

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

06/14/2004 01:28:36 PM · #4

I'd like to see something in between. Try overlapping them with a 50% transparency on the top one.

myfelix

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

06/14/2004 01:33:04 PM · #5

I like the lighter one.To me it brings out more detail in your DOF.But thats just me .It is a great shot either way.

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

06/14/2004 01:37:41 PM · #6

Thanks for the input, everyone.

The original was really tough to work with, the colors didn't come out particularly well saturated at all (I was freehanding this shot on the side of the road, squatting behind the flowers, and it was actively raining on me). The sky was very grey, and the ambient sunlight was strong enough that the colors in the rainbow itself were very washed out.

As far as my own personal opinion, the first one was way too dark, and the softened focus from the blur overlay stripped out too much of the detail, but I like the colors more. Similarly, it was nearly impossible to bring out enough saturation in the rainbow colors without getting artifacts and grain in the clouds.

I love this shot, though, and I was really lucky to get it in time for the challenge. I'm going to keep working with it with what I'm hearing in these comments, and hopefully make something worthy of printing up and hanging in my apartment.

Thanks again, everyone!

/Andrew

melismatica

Minolta DiMAGE F200

06/14/2004 01:38:52 PM · #7

I gave the original a 6, which is a decent vote from me. It means there is something about it that I like quite a bit but perhaps not as much as I might like a 7 or 8 photo. I hardly ever give out 9's or 10's. I think I still like the original better. Perhaps if you could manage it so the building and flowers were a bit lighter but keep the dark sky and brilliant rainbow? I agree with the suggestion to try adjusting the curves a bit.

Prof_Fate

06/14/2004 02:19:19 PM · #8

Of the two, i like the second one better, but something in between would be better yet. the flowers in #1 are better, the building in #2 color wise, but it is a bit overexposed. the sky is too dark in #1, a bit washed out in #2.
Overall, a nice shot.

jadin

Nikon D800

06/14/2004 02:50:38 PM · #9

Go with an in-between setting.

wwwavenger

06/14/2004 02:53:55 PM · #10

I agree, somewhere in the middle. I'm suprised you don't think the second print has an overexposed look. Is your monitor calibrated correctly?

06/15/2004 04:15:44 PM · #11

Originally posted by wwwavenger:

I agree, somewhere in the middle. I'm suprised you don't think the second print has an overexposed look. Is your monitor calibrated correctly?

I'm always moving between four different monitors... my office LCD, my home CRT, my personal laptop LCD, and my work laptop LCD... have GIMP on all of them. :D

Agreed, though... it certainly looks overexposed.

/Andrew

Trunkmonkey

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

06/18/2004 05:16:51 PM · #12

j0. You need to make a very simple decision when it comes time to color correct any image. What is more important?

1) Making the image aesthetically pleasing (faking it).
2) Accurately reproducing the colors that were present at the time.
3) Accurately reproducing the colors that the subject should be.

In the case of your two images, the colors in the original are probably more true to life for a stormy overcast day. The colors in the second version are closer to that of a sunny day, but the building is a bit too washed out. The second version also comes across as synthetic...it looks almost too crisp. As pointed out in a few of the previous comments, it would be interesting to see a happy medium between the two with a lighter sky but darker foreground.

On a slightly related note to the original, the darks look muddy but the colors seem to jump off the screen. This is the reason that a lot of foliage photographers prefer to shoot on slightly overcast days. When the landscape isn't so brightly lit the foliage has a much greater contrast to the background and, with the proper exposure, can look a lot crisper without any post-processing.

06/18/2004 05:53:46 PM · #13

Originally posted by Trunkmonkey:

j0.

Yow. Thanks for the comments and reccomendations. :D

Now I have a shooting buddy! Yay! :)

/Andrew

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/24/2004 07:27:53 PM · #14

Okay, so I finally cobbled the two together for a happy medium... what do you all think?

/Andrew

PhilipDyer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/24/2004 07:31:24 PM · #15

I thought that the first two photos were a bit extreme on the under- and over-saturated ends of the spectrum, so I think this happy medium looks great. Nice job, Andrew!

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

06/24/2004 07:34:46 PM · #16

In the first post I like the second one much better. In this latest version I think you are still too far to the over processed look. You may get better colors in the rainbow but the rest of the photo looks underexposed and it accentuates the splotchiness of the sky.

06/24/2004 07:35:44 PM · #17

Thanks, Philip.

Indeed, this image was a real experiment for me... as you all know, when you manage to catch a rainbow, and create some composition around it, if you don't have filters, the colors are very washed out. Post processing was the only hope for this one, and it looks like I've finally achieved the balance I needed between saturation, contrast, and brightness.

/Andrew

Kylie

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

06/24/2004 07:37:19 PM · #18

I really like the second of the original post and this new one. I want to look at it again tonight with my monitor at home (this one makes everything gray and darkish). I love this shot and I think you did a wonderful job on it.