Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Beginner's Questions => Topic started by: grouchomarx on December 08, 2010, 01:11:53 pm
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Hi,
Can someone help me making this picture better?
The out-of-camera jpg is overexposed and blurred:
(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_ZGmzcXMSIJI/TP_KAKeZzsI/AAAAAAAC5KY/eGIkETIwdw4/s640/IMG_2287b.JPG)
I tried to change some settings w/ picasa to get a better picture:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZGmzcXMSIJI/TP-X6hdWNlI/AAAAAAAC5JM/IZai7HmQO6s/s640/IMG_2287.JPG)
Maybe someone can give it a better look (color or BW)?
Thanks!
grouchomarx
PS: link for out of camera jpg:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OHZfDesZ1-PR7lOX6e8Rh7cgSrQj-_Z1CRErbtRXyeg?feat=directlink
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Grouchomarx,
It would help if you could explain what you mean by making the image "better." If you mean the overexposure and blurring, a couple of things can be done.
If you shoot RAW, you can reduce the effects of overexposure using your RAW developer.
You can sharpen the image (reducing blurring) using software like Photoshop.
I'm not familiar with Picassa's capabilities, but "fixing" this image may not be possible with it.
Paul
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thanks for your reply.
i haven't got the raw file, jut the jpg.
i tried to fix both the bur and overexposure and my modest result is the BW picture...
don't know if there's something more that can be done...
regards,
grouchomarx
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Hi Grouchomarx,
Like Paul wrote, I can't be sure what you mean by "better", but here's what I did (in the GIMP):
* Sharpen edges with "Unsharp Mask" on default settings. This sharpens anything that looks like a soft edge, including actually-soft edges, and is often not desirable for faces.
* Correct for overexposure by reducing gamma. I reduced it from the 1 the original file is deemed to be to 0.75. This is like increasing contrast but more sophisticated. It corrects the gradation of tone. It does not restore "blown" completely whited-out areas, nor can it restore blacked-out areas; rather, it shifts, say, light and very light areas to bolder mid-tones and light areas.
* Correct for now reddish color of face by decreasing saturation of red.
* Correct for overall lack of saturation without affecting face much by increasing saturation of green.
Each of these effects could be applied to a discrete area for more control.
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hi,
many thanks for the time you took answering me and fixing the photo.
I see it's not easy / straightforward... but thanks for the tips - i'll download GIMP and try it.
regards
grouchomarx