What can one do with this Swan?

[mikemeister_admin]

Hi, I've just finished the Feb CM course and would like to continue to learn, using 'normal' shots.

So I thought I would put up an image that I would like to improve and see what could be done with it.  No doubt part of this will be cropping the image (particularly for this picture?) as well as improving the tone and colours.

I assume everybody will be using CM as part of this process, and I wonder if you could Copy the Curves and then add them to your post as a text Paste, so that people like me can learn from it, as well as say what else you did (or notice) in your workflow.

So here is the untouched original, apart from resizing.  It was taken today in the mid afternoon, so the light is kind.

I thought one should let this run for a week before drawing sticks and perhaps others will join with this idea of learning and post some images.

Thanks
Chris

[ianbowie]

Cropped and used lab mode to get rid of cast and saturate the colours.

[ianbowie]

Hi,

Saw that the image was very large in CM. So created a smaller image.

No changes to the curves.

Ian

[mikemeister_admin]

Thank you Ian, for your rendition - I actually learnt from loading your curve, because I had started off setting the 3 points in Lab, and then found I could not dial in as much blue as I wanted.  Your solution was so much neater.

I think there is some chromatic aberration in this image along the top of the far wing (blue tinge) and in the shadow between the wings.  I find it impossible to remove.  Also that gray area between the wings has a lot of variation in colour.

One can do so much with this simple image, depending on the emphasis one wants to put on the colour of the sun.  I also tried to bring out some detail in the feathers.

I think one reflection (!) I prefer my second offering.

The curves were...

Lab Swan_8648.jpg:
;Lightness:  (3,0) (56,54) (75,69) (86,82) (95,94) (99,100)
;a:  (-128,-128) (-3,-6) (24,29) (127,127)
;b:  (-128,-128) (-28,-127) (6,-17) (23,16) (54,42) (127,127)

Lightness: (0.030,0.000), (0.558,0.536), (0.746,0.694), (0.859,0.819), (0.948,0.940), (0.989,1.000)
a: (0.000,0.000), (0.492,0.479), (0.597,0.615), (1.000,1.000)
b: (0.000,0.000), (0.392,0.004), (0.525,0.434), (0.594,0.566), (0.715,0.668), (1.000,1.000)

and


Lab Swan_8648.jpg:
;Lightness:  (4,0) (38,28) (46,39) (62,58) (83,83) (91,91) (98,100)
;a:  (-128,-128) (-2,-3) (26,31) (127,127)
;b:  (-128,-128) (-6,-82) (0,-30) (24,33) (50,47) (127,127)

Lightness: (0.044,0.000), (0.378,0.279), (0.456,0.392), (0.616,0.581), (0.834,0.826), (0.906,0.906), (0.978,1.000)
a: (0.000,0.000), (0.494,0.491), (0.605,0.623), (1.000,1.000)
b: (0.000,0.000), (0.478,0.181), (0.503,0.385), (0.597,0.630), (0.699,0.687), (1.000,1.000)

I fear you may think I've put in too much colour, but I just love the saturation one can get from slides and so tend to go that way.

It is also interesting that my crop, with more top and right space, gives a different impression of size and angle the picture was taken of the bird.

Will somebody else have a bash?

Chris

[ianbowie]

Chris,

Really liked your first image. Felt that in the 2nd one, the swan was too yellowish.

Interesting difference in the crops


Ian

[mikemeister_admin]

I started with the swan , to see or there is indeed blue  cast on the Swan edges.
I make several markpoints and set the sample size on 1 point.
So, I see very little till no blue cast.
You can draw such a mark alongside and see the changes.

But , if there is a blue cast, you have strengthen that in some pictures.

Frits

p.s. you could see the numbers in the MARK-info and the  blue part of it.

[mikemeister_admin]

So , I begin with the easy part and do a HNB.
I set the neutral point on the spot, with the blue(?) cast

[mikemeister_admin]

I have seen the swan's with the blue water.
In my live I have seldom see, a swan on such blue water.
And here in holland there is lot's of water.
So I was thinking, if this photo makes part of my collection, should I make the water so blue.
So, i did first saturation on the picture and  have seen there where more warm red colors.
The picture is taken in the afternoon and the  Temperture color of the sun is then 4500 till 5000 Gr Kelvin. It could be lower.
So there are warm colors. You can see that on the swan, what we mostly interpret as white , till pure white.
so i let the colors from the swan, and give the picture a little more saturtion for the water.
I make it not blu or so.
This is my result.

frits
P.s. I give it a little more blue for the second result.

[mikemeister_admin]

Very well explained Fritzs and your swan-04 is almost exactly as I think I saw it.

Interesting about the blue cast to the edge of the wing - I think that must be a bit of camera chromatic abberation.

With your gift for seeing and explaining things, you should really join Greg in giving help in the classes and pass on your knowledge!

Thank you
Chris

[mikemeister_admin]

Interesting about the blue cast to the edge of the wing - I think that must be a bit of camera chromatic abberation.

With your gift for seeing and explaining things, you should really join Greg in giving help in the classes and pass on your knowledge!

Thank you
Chris

Chris,
I don't now it is a chromatic abberation. In the Curvemeisterlessons, the first picture of the house has a big
chromatic abberation. Make the picture very large and you see it.
But , because you said that I make lots of markpoints to see the abberation.
what do you think.
It could be a very. very.............. small skey cast. You must buy a loupe to see it.

on the other hand, I am very busy to make my pictures well, to assist GREG.
and my english is not so good. I am dutch. I am must often consult a dictionary, what is now BABYLON fo me.

Frits