Post-Processing Challenge #403

[kevinparis]

I do a bit of 'street' style photography, often shooting from the hip, taking a shot of a scene or a moment that feels it has something without using the screen or VF.

Of course I miss more than I hit, but even when I do hit, there will be a degree of post processing required to 'make an image' from the fleeting capture.

So for this challenge I present you with the original of an image I have worked up but never posted to my Flickr site.

At the end of the Challenge I will post my final image, but I want to see how you you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear

make a silk purse of a sow's ear - Wiktionary

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files can be found here

JPEG Dropbox - PB270018.jpg
RAW Dropbox - PB270018.ORF

This Challenge will close in three days at 11:00 AM, Thursday, July 12th, Belgium Time (CET).

72-Hour Post-Processing Challenge Rules

1. The Challenge Master provides an image or images to be "improved" upon by way of post-processing, as well as a closing date for entries.
2. Entrants are to post their entries, visible in this thread, at a resolution of 1000 to 1600 pixels in the longest dimension, prior to the closing date.
3. Each entrant is allowed two entries in the Challenge.
4. At the close of the Challenge, the Challenge Master will select a Winner and Runners-up.
5. The Winner of the challenge is honored as the Master of the next Challenge.

Notes:

• Any/all source images used for the challenge must be the Challenge Master's own images. They are posted solely for the purpose of this Challenge; not to invite critique or criticism nor for other uses. If Entrants post their entries at a photo sharing site, they should credit the owner of the original image.
• "Improve" is a subjective term, and may include many creative ideas, as well as traditional "fixing". The Challenge Master agrees that Entrants may make any changes they deem fit in their entries.
• Entrants are strongly encouraged to share the tools and techniques used for their entries, however this is not a requirement for entry.
• As we all know, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The Challenge Master is encouraged (but not required) to state the criteria used to decide upon a Winner. While we may not all agree with the result, the Challenge Master's decision is final. Please refrain from posting adverse comment.
• If the Winner is unable to post a new Challenge within five days, the honor passes to the next Runner-up.

 

[dlpruk]

I'll kick-off for a change as I thought this was a lovely shot to play with.

All in LR. I started by getting the colours and tones to look good on my monitor, levelling and applying a duplicated rad across the family and background so that I could enhance the separation.

Then I tried ever-tighter crops to exclude distractions but had to expand the one I liked best via a TIFF export to give a 2400 x 1897px original to upload to Flickr and reduce to 1600px wide here.

BTW I sometimes try street photography using my phone as the viewfinder and remote control but I've never succeeded as well as you did here!

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Original at Flickr

 

[Hendrik]

Down and Bummed in Beverly Hills. The story for me is that, for all the attempted glitz ... if the kid ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. Rather class-leveling, isn't it? Almost an exercise in schadenfreude. The context makes it for me, thus the loose crop. Google Maps tells me they're in front of the Chanel store on Rodeo Drive.

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Initial processing in Adobe Camera Raw to get some subject separation on one layer.

In Photoshop, two smart objects (via copy). One was reduced in exposure by about 2/3 stop from the other. The two were blended with a mask.

 

[BosseBe]

Using the .ORF file in DXO PL, straightened with Viewpoint, cropped to 1:1, some slight adjustments.

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And one in B&W with a tighter crop.

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[Sawdust]

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[Sawdust]

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[kevinparis]

Great entries so far.. and I am sure there are more to come !

Just a wee bump on the thread to say that there are still 48 hours to go

cheers

K

 

[AussiePhil]

Haven't played for a while.. Entry 1
Cropped to remove most distractions
circular filter applied in ACR to blur area around the family

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[Robert Watcher]

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​

I like the dynamic feel of the angle. A Red filter was used in the B&W conversion to brighten the inside (red) hood of the baby buggy, and draw attention to the family. The Jpg file processed on my iPad primarily with Snapseed and finished off with PS Express.

 

[AussiePhil]

Entry 2:
Started with the same straightened image as the first one, 8x10 vertical crop
ACR work
slight vertical perspective change to simulate an even lower angle, pulled it around to the right a little as well
PS work
not sure can remember all the steps
cloned girl in mini skirt out
did a fake IR convert but lifted the red channel to get some detail in the stroller, darken the sky a little more
selected the lighter whites then inverted the selection, smoothed selection by 5 pixels
applied oil paint effect to my own taste
cropped a little more to remove doorway on left

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[kevinparis]

Liking the range of approaches a lot

Keep 'em coming... just 24 hours to go

K

 

[dlpruk]

Entry 2
Looking at some of the excellent other entries, I'm beginning to think that I may have overcooked my first effort so I just reduced the overall contrast, darkened some of the red 'things' in the background and lightened the kid's face this time. (But nothing else).

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Original at Flickr

 

[WhidbeyLVR]

Entry #1 -- Shoot from the Hip at f/0.95

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Entry #2 -- Sunny Side of the Street

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Worked from raw through DxO to GIMP and Silver Efex Pro.

 

[kevinparis]

OK... closing the challenge

Thanks for all the entries.... will try and post the results later today

K

 

[kevinparis]

OK... so the judgement is in........

in 3rd place is AussiePhils first entry. Like the crop the colour and the vignette

in 2nd place is aKilters B&W version.. liked the composition and the punchy but controlled contrast

and the winner is ....(drum roll!!!!)

Sawdust for his sepia toned/ artificially enhanced DOF entry, that also managed to keep more of the background scene than some of the other entries

So congratulations to you Sawdust.... you're your it !!!

Thanks again for all the entries... hope you had fun.

K

 

[kevinparis]

oh... and as promised, here is my original take on the image. After viewing your entries, I might go back and revisit it, but here is how I processed it using Photos, way back last November

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cheers

K

 

[Sawdust]

@kevinparis

Thanks, Kevin.

A great bunch of PP went on here! I saw several that I thought were better than mine...really.

Thank you for a great image to work with, I had fun editing it, and learned a few things from others at the same time.

I have an image in mind for the next challenge, and will try to get it up as soon as I can...may be in the morning, latest.

 

[Sawdust]

Challenge #404 can be found here:

Post-Processing Challenge #404