Evaluate My Photo

[jukapot]

My nice sent this picture of her son, took 5 minutes to convert to an interesting sketch.

its a quick exercise in PS involving, desaturating, inverting, color dodge and finally motion blur. Instructions can be found at http://creativesuitepodcast.com/index.php?...p;post_month=10

Edited June 16, 2008 by jukapot

[The Vulcan]

Well, you've had a number of viewing and nobody has commented so I guess I should.

If this is the sort of post processing that appeals to you then keep at it. It's not actually my cup of tea but this is an "art" forum so I guess all interpretations are welcome.

The problem I have with you submission is the inclusion of the large (and inappropriate in my opinion) white splashes. Do they represent something to you?

I feel also that the contrast setting is a lot too severe and not really representative of a true sketch which you present as.

There's also some rather bad shadows crept into the boys face which I find unrealistic.

Having said all the above, I can see where you're coming from by converting an image to a sketch. I unsuccessfully played with this aspect myself some years ago but quickly gave up when I realised I had absolutely no artistic leanings!

Good luck with your thought pattern, and sorry if my comments are not so complimentary, but hopefully they'll push you on to a masterpiece

Hope to see some more

p.s Why doesn't anyone comment? The purpose of the sub-forum is to "guide" contributors with your views. If you hate it, say so. If you like it, say so. This is how people learn surely?

Just a thought!

Edited June 16, 2008 by The Vulcan

[gymshark]

I think you can do stuff like this with the inbuilt tools in Photoshop CS. Keep practicing, the more you use it the more stuff you will find, I've been using it for a few years and there is still a tonne of stuff I haven't used.

[Nordlys]

p.s Why doesn't anyone comment? The purpose of the sub-forum is to "guide" contributors with your views. If you hate it, say so. If you like it, say so. This is how people learn surely?

Just a thought!

I don't hate it, but not my cup of tea either.

I never applied photoshop filters to my photos, but use it for bare minimum (e.g., cropping, resizing, adjust brightness control), I barely even adjust contrast with photoshop.

[jukapot]

Should have taken my time, this process took 5 minutes to complete. This is no filter in Photoshop that does this sketching. The only filter used is the motion blur which will bring out the black on white background. I found the original picture to be boring and had some fun using it for a sketch.

Incidentally this process was presented by Justin Seeley at Photoshop World at Las Vegas last september.

The contrast is easily controlled by moving the slider for the motion blur filter. Sorry I didn't remove the the spots on the face, just sloppy. Really wanted to show the technique.

Can't understand why people avoid the filters- not all are "artistic" - some are very useful like the noise filter for cleaning old pictures, embossing and shadows for letters, sharpening and rendering etc.

Thanks for your comments,they are legitimate and well thought out. until recently I haven't contributed any photos. I have some favorite traditional pictures and look forward to your criticism.

PS I guess I better not submit the color pencil drawing of our Wat. I think it makes for a great picture and am going back there tomorrow to reshoot for better composition. Later I will apply the color pencil and have some fun.

[astral]

I am not sure about the sketch side.

I would have taken the original shot at a much wider aperture, to loose the background,

which is very distracting. Then used a fill in flash for the boy's face.

[jukapot]

I am not sure about the sketch side.

I would have taken the original shot at a much wider aperture, to loose the background,

which is very distracting. Then used a fill in flash for the boy's face.

My niece took that photo on her vacation last year. I would have gotten in closer to the subject and eliminated much of the background.

Your idea of a larger aperture to lose the background sounds great. However I don't have the same aperture range that I had with my old 35 mm, so I have been ignoring the depth of field. Often I blur the background with PS filters.

There has been one minor victory, I've been telling my niece to get closer to the subject and not try to include so much in the background. She now does and her pictures are 100% better.

I originally just wanted to crop this picture to achieve the same results and then realized it was a good example for sketching.

Thanks for your input, I'll practice my depth of field and use of different apertures.

PS My niece liked the original sketch I sent her. Now I wonder if she was just being polite by saying so.

Edited June 17, 2008 by jukapot

[astral]

Thanks for your input, I'll practice my depth of field and use of different apertures.

Depth of field control is quite difficult these days with the short focal length lenses normally used on an SLR

and virtually impossible with a point a shoot, where everything from 1 inch to infinity is in focus.

I think I need to follow Vulcan's approach and invest in couple of wide aperture primes for my Canon 40D.

[Nordlys]

I think I need to follow Vulcan's approach and invest in couple of wide aperture primes for my Canon 40D.

Or better yet, replace your 40D with full-size like 5D or 1Ds (or Nikon D3), along with EF-S lenses.

However, I'd imagine cropped size sensor dSLRs are more suitable for travel photography thank full-size, not only because it's smaller and lighter.

Edited June 19, 2008 by Nordlys

[The Vulcan]

Thanks for your input, I'll practice my depth of field and use of different apertures.

Depth of field control is quite difficult these days with the short focal length lenses normally used on an SLR

and virtually impossible with a point a shoot, where everything from 1 inch to infinity is in focus.

I think I need to follow Vulcan's approach and invest in couple of wide aperture primes for my Canon 40D.

If I was you Astral I'd just get a 50mmf1.4 and an 85mmf1.8 - given 1.6 crop you get an 80mmf1.4 and a 135mm f1.8 - very nice!

Both these lenses are highly affordable at c12k each

[astral]

If I was you Astral I'd just get a 50mmf1.4 and an 85mmf1.8 - given 1.6 crop you get an 80mmf1.4 and a 135mm f1.8 - very nice!

Both these lenses are highly affordable at c12k each

Thanks

That is much what I have in mind, the problem is finding the lenses on my travels.

Where I live the options are pretty limited.