I so wish this was advanced editing. Basic sucks for portriats.
Shot with the 420 as a slave off a silver umbrella to the upper right. The 580 was on camera angled to shoot just over her head to light the white muslin background. Let me just say that it is so hard to get a 3 yr old to face the camera and then "look over there" without moving her head. The glasses are mommy's old prescription.
PP - RAW conversion, multiple selective color, hue/sat and levels layers to get the high key effect, NI, resize, USM.
We have found that Rowan just works well in high key. I would have preferred to keep this in color, but because its a basic challenge I couldnt clean up her eyes like I wanted to in color. Their always seems to be a slight blue tint in her whites of her eyes that I can't get rid of in basic. To tweak the color in her pupils means to tweak the color in her whites. So black and white it is.
And 7 hours into the challenge I a pleasantly surprised at a 6.88 with 45 votes or so. 2008 may be a good year.
Post Challenge - Whooh hooh! I am beginning to like 2008. So glad this scored as well as it did. High key kid shots dont normally do so hot. Thanks for the comments and votes. A part of me was hoping to yellow ribbon as I dont have one of those yet. But I can settle for blue. ;)
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 209 Avg (all users): 7.0662 Avg (commenters): 7.8261 Avg (participants): 6.6512 Avg (non-participants): 7.2438 Views since voting: 7047 Views during voting: 482 Votes: 287 Comments: 72 Favorites: 11 (view)
I think everything ... the mood the lighting the DOF the expression ... but sheesh ... that really really really hard sharpened edge under the top lip makes me cringe. It seems such a small fault with an absolutely gorgeous portrait.
Please don't get me wrong ... it is actually INCREDIBLE in all other ways ... It just looks like the bottom of her top lip was cut with scissors IMO.
... sorry ... but I thought you would like everyone's opinion ... please send me an email to tell me if you agree or disagree so I don't feel so guilty?
Edited later ...
oh ... STUPID me. I did not even think about looking at the editing rules allowed for the shot and did not notice it was Basic Editing Rules. I can see how this happened now and LOVE the shot and now realize that that lip halo would not be there on a full size image. It IS a beautiful image and something else that I just realized ... a PERFECT example of how rules should be broken in some instances and better for her looking OUT of the shot rather than in.
Not sure why this took first place, it's burned out and not very interesting. Hmm
Perhaps, some "spectacles" may help??? :)
Lovely shot Tim! This must have been a difficult capture! Three year olds are notorious for sitting still at the best of times, let alone when trying to focus and get lighting right! I find this an interesting shot because it's quite a "natural" look on this child's face, even though it likely took about 50 shots to get it "right" *smile* Congratulations! Very well deserved!
nice high key effect. also glad to see that it was in focus. the past several that i have voted on were making me think i need to check my monitor or have my eyes examined.
I was delighted when I saw this - the skillful lighting is so delicate. Everything is so soft, smooth, and lovely. And that expression is perfect. ;) I LOVE it!
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