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Toddler with the Red Hat and Blue Eyes.
2nd PlaceToddler with the Red Hat and Blue Eyes.
sjhuls


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Babies and Toddlers (Basic Editing)
Camera: Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS
Date: Oct 18, 2011
Galleries: Portraiture, Children
Date Uploaded: Oct 18, 2011
[Oct. 20th, 2011 11:14:29 PM]

Had a hard time deciding if I should enter this. I really loved it but I knew that others might not see her as a toddler even though she is. Might be the long hair, at any rate she is a half year younger than my little girl who just turned 4 so she is still 3. I purposely didn't use my own little girl because she is 4 and I don't consider 4 to be a toddler.

But I think most people are looking past it and I am getting a really good score so I won't complain.(too much)

[Oct. 25th, 2011 11:19:39 PM]

I'm really excited about this score. I am excited that it has held up so well despite the fact that I have probably had a few points taken off for her age. I know some of you still won't believe me but she really is only 3.

Sofia asked me about the eyes, here is what I did:

Shoot in RAW this is one of those times that shooting in RAW is essential I wouldn't have been able to manipulate the eyes the way I did if I hadn't
In Photoshop RAW converter I took the temp of the photo way down so that I could enhance the blue in her eyes, luckily everything else was so warm I could take it cooler without making her look sickly.
Next I used the vibrancy tool in Photoshop RAW and upped it quite a bit until her eyes were a bright blue
Now I opened it to photoshop, the hat was way too red and the eyes still not blue enough so I opened up the saturation tab, here is where it is tough because in basic you can't just use a new layer and adjust the saturation where you want it, so instead I adjusted my colors separately. First I desaturated the reds, it helped the hat not be so bright but it took some pink out of her skin but I could live with that. Then I went to the blues and upped the saturation in the blues, since nothing but her eyes were blue it didn't affect anything but her eyes.

As far as the rest, well she has beautiful eyes to begin with and I lucked out and got great focus on them. Also I absolutely love Topaz In Focus. I use it on every photo I take.

Here are three steps I use on every single photo I enter:
1. Topaz Denoise(even if the photo isn't noisy it helps make a photo look better, I don't know why it just does)
2. Topaz In Focus
3. Resize to 800 Pixels and Use Topaz In Focus Again (when you resize your photo get a little soft, so a tiny bit of resharpening is almost always necessary)


Statistics
Place: 2 out of 88
Avg (all users): 7.3659
Avg (commenters): 8.5000
Avg (participants): 6.9333
Avg (non-participants): 7.5294
Views since voting: 7422
Views during voting: 375
Votes: 164
Comments: 39
Favorites: 7 (view)

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AuthorThread
 10/31/2011 08:16:18 PM
Such a cutie, and a beautiful shot. Congrats Jennifer.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/29/2011 01:01:38 AM
What a lovely little model and you photographed her beautifully - great lighting and great PP too! Congratulations on your ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/28/2011 06:20:16 PM
It's amazing how far you have come! Another strong entry by you, congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/27/2011 02:51:01 PM
Gorgeous image Jenn...with gorgeous light...and a gorgeous model. Congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/27/2011 08:11:11 AM
You're getting scary consistent! Congrats on a great image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 09:50:48 AM
When I browsed the thumbs for this challenge, this one stood out immediately. Surprised you didn't get 1st. I have a 3.5yo boy who can look much older if photographed a certain way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 08:39:41 AM
Congrats, Jenn! You deserve a ribbon for this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 08:35:28 AM
I think people who don't have or haven't had children think toddlers always are babies, but a toddler can look much more mature as she does. Glad this got the recognition it deserved. Bravo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 08:12:35 AM
Congratulations team-mate!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 07:18:35 AM
Who would give this a 2??? Great Shot, Congrats on the Ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 06:44:18 AM
Great portrait and a beautiful job with the limited processing rules. Congratulations on the ribbon.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 04:43:52 AM
congrats on your ribbon! Excellent!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 04:29:21 AM
Super shot of its type,had to be here somewhere,Congratulations you do so well here I look up to you.
Thanks for the info too,very helpful.

Message edited by author 2011-10-26 04:33:46.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 02:14:15 AM
Two names I expected to see on the front page: sjhuls and njsabs. Neither of you ever disappoint. Congratulations!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 12:24:48 AM
Very nicely captured, congrats on your ribbon :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 12:09:39 AM
Congrats on the ribbon! This one stood out during the challenge for me! Beautiful!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 12:06:57 AM
Great image, great score! Congrats on the ribbon!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/26/2011 12:04:11 AM
Thought this was yours, I still gave you a 9 even though i thought she was older, well done just gorgeous.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
10/25/2011 10:27:16 PM
Stretching this a bit far to be a toddler, she looks at least 4 or 5, but i do really like the pic.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/25/2011 07:41:35 PM
this is a really nice photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/25/2011 07:37:28 PM
i really like this head shot everything goes in very well (:
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/24/2011 07:41:06 PM
Great photo, great model
Congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/24/2011 02:33:29 AM
Timfy eyes. ;) Beautiful child; love her intensity. Good luck with the vote.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/24/2011 12:39:50 AM
It sure helps to have a beauty! The lighting is lovely, DOF is very nicely done with a background that does not compete for attention, very nicely done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/23/2011 09:52:22 PM
please PM after the challenge. but how did you process that eyes? great job!!! 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/23/2011 03:06:59 PM
lovely clean portrait.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/23/2011 01:43:12 PM
Pretty sure I've seen this red hat before? A sjhuls image? Very nicely composed and lit, so expect this to do well. Only minor issue I have is that she looks to be older than a toddler??
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/22/2011 08:17:10 PM
Great lighting, composition and the expression is prefect. You captured true beauty. Good luck!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/21/2011 03:44:44 PM
Beautiful girl!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/21/2011 09:16:38 AM
beautiful lighting- a favourite of mine.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2011 10:17:30 PM
nice shot but I'd hardly call this girl a toddler. She must be at least 5.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2011 06:28:37 PM
I really like this one. She looks so natural and real. And she is so pretty!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2011 05:14:34 PM
Lovely portrait, far better than than the standard you get from the so called professionals who visit schools. Top 3 for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/20/2011 11:47:10 AM
Quality work in a studio way.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 08:01:00 PM
want to arrange a marriage with my little boy in 18 years time lol, joking aside great shot and love the detail in the wool, maybe just a bit more light to the middle left area (hair on back)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 01:13:19 PM
If this shot is not worth a ten, no shot ever was. Great Job.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 10:26:06 AM
This is perfection. Love the tendrils and the red hat. Perfecr lighting. I love her honest expression and not a fake cheesy grin. My fav so far.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 09:33:15 AM
Lovely image, good lighting better model with good facial expression for this challenge
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/19/2011 07:51:43 AM
Very nice studio shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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