About the Image(s)
I went to a photoshoot organised locally by a person who arranges the backdrops and books the models to illustrate a theme. There’s only 4 people taking pictures as it is a small studio, but it is excellent -if expensive! Gwyneth is the model and she was beautifully dressed and there were lots of different props we could use.
I chose the one with the white dove and the backdrop was a white textured cloth. I selected her and put her against a shot I took in Drygalski fjord on the island of S Georgia, taken when we went to Antarctica I had only just bought a digital camera and didn’t know I should have been taking in RAW . It was dark by the time we sailed into the fjord but the mountains were spectacular. I took pictures and never thought they would be usable till I got Photoshop and finally worked out how to change the exposure and the colour. This one has been turned to mono and improved a lot initially to increase contrast and detail.
However to use it here, I needed it to be as pale as the model, so I reduced the exposure and then when I merged the two, I reduced the opacity. I used a mask to remove the mountains from showing on her face with a blend mode of overlay (I think).
I took the image of the model into Nik and used the high structure smooth to pick up the edges a little and then High Key to soften it and remove the harsh blacks.
I really like the effect as it looks quite dreamy. It was very easy to do though maybe I need a little more definition on the bird’s tail feathers.
Stephen Levitas
Extremely interesting, the story of going to a professional model photo shoot. Sounds like this one was very successful. You also did a lot of work to compose your final image.
Sure, you could use a little more definition on the tail feathers, but that is not where my eyes go. They go to the face of the model. Her calm and steady gaze, head very erect, is well posed, and she projects well, perhaps an experienced model and or actor.
But her complexion is not good, and it is very noticeable that she is not a magical ice maiden. Posted: 12/07/2024 02:58:43
Diana Magor
I could easily remove the marks on her cheeks and chin. I suspect these were brought out in the processing. I should have noticed and done it before. Thanks. Posted: 12/07/2024 10:15:18
Diana Magor
I have improved her skin and added a little more detail to the dove's feathers but can't think how to improve them a lot except by going back to the original. Posted: 12/08/2024 12:29:27
Stephen Levitas
Wow, so much better. Now her skin matches the pose and the fantasy perfectly. Posted: 12/15/2024 04:48:12
Wes Odell
Very well done. All the components work together nicely. I like the Hi Key effect. and the model's face is well preserved. No suggestions. Posted: 12/09/2024 13:28:53
Tom McCreary
I like the model pose and the high key effect. The mountain background is very appropriate and was blended in very well. The model looking at the dove was well done an a good prop to use. After Stephen's comments, your revised image shown as "original 3" is a big improvement. One idea would be to reverse the image, so that the model is in the upper right, and the dove leads the viewer into the image.
Posted: 12/09/2024 19:49:37
Diana Magor
OK I hadn't thought of that and it does work well. Thanks Posted: 12/09/2024 21:31:42
Somdutt Prasad
Very Nice Diana, I have to and learn how to blend images in PS, my PS skills are so basic! I really like the version that Tom suggested
Posted: 12/10/2024 18:03:27
Diana Magor
I am not an expert at blending at all but I like 'playing' with images and sometimes they work well and I'm surprised. The difficulty is often finding a background or a texture which fits with the foreground. Then it may just be trying different blend modes to see what happens. For this one, I had already used the mountains in another shot which was very creatively altered so I knew they worked well and so it was just a question of keeping the low key element to match the foreground. Posted: 12/10/2024 21:46:53
Diana Magor
I have since noticed that her hand is much darker than her face. I think this is a shadow effect but before I use it again, I ought to lighten the hand. Do you agree? Posted: 12/15/2024 10:13:02
Stephen Levitas
I had not noticed that because her face is so much the center of the image, but yes you could lighten the hand a bit now that you point it out. Posted: 12/16/2024 07:08:20
Diana Magor
I think that's why I didn't notice it. It was when we printed it that the hand came out darker. I decided to use this for my Christmas card this year, because it suggested peace and goodwill. So far no-one only one recipient has commented on it and she thought it was lovely ( and so clever) but she is not a photographer! Posted: 12/16/2024 10:23:39
Stephen Levitas
I have sometimes printed note cards from my color work for my wife. But the regular paper is hard to write on the backside. What paper do you use, and where do you order it from? Or do you use a service that prints you image for you? Posted: 12/16/2024 18:14:23
Diana Magor
It is called Printable greeting cards glossy from
Photopaperdirect.com . The bar code is XOOOXUUOSN. We do the A5 folds to A6. I know you have a different size in America from us for what we call A4. This may not be a worldwide company either.
Posted: 12/17/2024 11:30:02
Tom McCreary
Yes, I think that is should be a bit brighter. Posted: 12/21/2024 21:55:42
