Processing suggestions please.

[mr noble]

Hi folks,

I was asked by my best buddies to take some shots of their first dance on Friday night, as their "pro" photog left when we all sat down for food.

This is a nice one and there are 2 others (one head and shoulder) that are really nice too, but other than running them through noise ninga, I wonder if anyone has any ideas for making these "snaps" look great.


Please help.

I have PS CS and am getting noise ninga now. Also shot in raw and used RSE to pull the exposure back.

It was D70, 18-70 with SB800 and WB set to flash. I set ISO to 800 as the room was dark. Pretty happy with the shots considering the conditions.

Greg

[mr noble]

I'm thalking about pretty effects, like lassoing the couple and blurring the background like in Beechbuggies tutorial etc..............

Help me...........

G

[Gemm]

I don't think you'll need noise reduction to be honest.

[scalper]

mr noble said:

I'm thalking about pretty effects, like lassoing the couple and blurring the background like in Beechbuggies tutorial etc..............

Help me...........

G

what about simply removing the flash's shadow? it will certainly make the picture a lot nicer

[mr noble]

How do I do that? Think that would be darn difficult. No?

Greg


Just spent ages cutting out the couple and layering them out, then blurred the background, but when I put them back on there is a heavy line around where I lassooed that looks daft!!

I'm rubbish at this PS stuff!

G

[Gemm]

mr noble said:

Just spent ages cutting out the couple and layering them out, then blurred the background, but when I put them back on there is a heavy line around where I lassooed that looks daft!!

I'm rubbish at this PS stuff!

G

Did you feather the selection??

[mr noble]

No, but now I wish I had!!

I could ask a hundred questions, but I guess I should read my books and do the tutorials really.

I always hate usingPS when I am in a rush.

Taking the shots over to them now and just wanted to have 1 printed out that wes really good.

I'm sure they will love them anyway.

Thanks though.

Greg

[joust]

A few suggestions for next time.

Bouce the flash, you can use the dance floor itself (point the flash straight downwards when you have the camera portrait mode) to remove the shadows.

Slow the shutter speed down so you get some trails and set the apature mid range (f 10 ish) - gives a sense of movement and blurs the background - but the flash itself keeps the main subject clear.

Shoot unusual angles - dancefloors are great for this.

Improve the contrast to give a more initmate feeling.

Here's three that others have said look good from a wedding last week where I did the same 'job' that show the above.







I haven't colour corrected them to retain the tungsten light look.

J

[graham@reading]

That last one was close to going very very wrong

[joust]

graham@reading said:

That last one was close to going very very wrong

The photographer's skill is knowing just when to press that shutter button....

J