MISC

I'm still working on the editing- just a few left from my niece.  I've been putting off the under the apple tree one- I think I have been scared to do it! I worked on it some last night- but I wish I knew how to make the colors pop in the background.  I don't know cool techniques like that.  I love that apple tree.  When I get the pictures on here, you'll see.  There are some curved benches that are just perfect and the swoop of the tree branches makes the sweetest little alcove.  Some of the actual PORTRAITS aren't so great in that spot but I will probably post a few just because I love the setting so much.

I've been learning some other things that I keep forgetting to mention.  Maybe it will be boring to my straggly group of followers :)-- but at least I won't hear you sound bored or know if you skip over the stuff!

Actions- when you do a series of steps in Photoshop that you will apply consistently to many pictures- somehow you can create an "Action."  Then, you can just apply the action to your pictures and not have to repeat the same things.  These "Actions" are also marketed!  Different vendors have their own special blend of techniques and sell them as packaged "Actions."  The photography book I got for my birthday is great and I am learning a lot.  I was looking forward to gleaning from the editing portion- but a lot of what she recommends are certain actions that she uses.  As a professional it would be so worth the time!  I look at these images and see these amazing colors and effects and wish I could do that! But, they have to be purchased.  

Another thing I got in my "book" for my birthday is a cropping guide.  This is going to be super helpful.  When you take a picture there is an aspect ratio.  The most popular portrait sizes often don't fall into the same ration, unfortunately.  For example- 8x10.  Nope.  The camera records at a 2x3 ratio so when you go to print an 8x10 you will have portions of the image that fall outside of the range.  I have been learning this with Jenna's photos.  Thankfully, I have been double-saving with one copy being in Photoshop format so I can go back and adjust layers independently.  That's helpful because  a couple of time the text was getting cut off.  I'm kind of scared to run all the edited ones through the crop process.  For starters, while shooting I will have to begin to think about this and leave some extra room on the sides or top and bottom depending on the orientation.  Secondly, that crop guide will be so helpful.  It is a Photoshop document so it kind of loads into the program like a frame and then the picture is put into it so a "customer" can look at each shot and see how it will look in the size that they want.

Oh yeah- Sharpening.  A post or so ago I mentioned "sharpening" the eyes and achieving good results rather than lightening them.  Well, I have learned that sharpening is tricky ( I don't know the science and math behind this yet.)  Apparently, I can sharpen an image to a nice resolution on my computer screen but it won't necessarily transfer to a similar appropriate level in print.  There is a "plug-in" for sale that sharpens to the output source and that gives the necessary reliability.  Makes a lot of sense-but yet another expense.

Before and After

In the editing process I can turn off and on the different layers of adjustments I have made- it's fun to see the comparison so I thought I would share before and after here...jus' for fun..

before

Did the fancy skin retouch, removed sweat sheen and washed out parts on lips.  Did NOT whiten or brighten eyes- but they looked a little blurry so I did a mask, just selected that part and SHARPENED- I like it! It looks much better.  Added vignette around edges to give depth, added text box.

For some reason, I'm still just not satisfied with this one.  Somehow I wanted to make that background magical and it just isn't.  I did whitening, skin retouch, blurred the background, and removed sweat sheen- I don't know.  It's fine I guess.  Just nothing impressive.

Still working on the last of my niece's pictures but haven't had enough time to finish.  It doesn't help that I keep forgetting what I have already learned! Tomorrow is a holiday- I am feeling a little desperate to GET OUTTA HERE- but there's not many options.  A simple BBQ really doesn't seem too appealing.  I tried several angles to arrange a trip to the coast- with hopes of a nice family memory and refreshment for me.  But, it looks like it isn't going to work out.  Perhaps tomorrow will be a day of laziness, doing nothing but reading and working on photograhy? :) That's not going to alleviate my cabin fever- but it's better than nothing! And, I might finally get this editing thing done and behind me.