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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 86: The HEAT is ON >> Exhibition > 3rd: Gets Me Hot! by Bigpikle
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13-MAY-2005 Bigpikle

3rd: Gets Me Hot! by Bigpikle

My beautiful wife at Raymond Blanc's hotel on our 10th wedding anniversay in May.

Canon EOS 20D ,Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC
1/40s f/8.0 at 35.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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ctfchallenge02-Aug-2005 00:06
well ok then....I think this shot is a beautiful one of a lovely lady doing what i truly love taking a hot bath. Nothing like the heat of a warm bubble bath to melt away tensions. I might suggest the experience is repeated by some of my friends here....aaaahhhh there goes the tension, down the drain Yvonne
Rod 01-Aug-2005 11:32
You have a hide Abs to post a post processed shot that's worse than the very good original. I will also repeat in case you missed it that a shot that works very well doesn't need tarting up again in Photoshop as a suggestion for improvement. That has nothing to do with Ansel Adams or the fact that post processing is a tool we all use & need to learn more about. This is just a red herring you're throwing in to cover your tracks for butchering a great shot. "how do you know unless you try it" you say. What a load of codswallop I can look at a good shot & know it needs nothing else, why should I try the water colour filter or any other filter or technique on it just to prove to myself it needs nothing else. What a silly statement. Yes Abs you made a statement..........................I think.
ctfchallenge31-Jul-2005 20:41
Rod, i will repeat this...looks like you missed it in the earlier comment.
" i agree that this photo is better in color but it certainly has elements which suits certain type of pp. unless you try it, how would you know, it doesnt work? also, by trying the pp you get better at working with the program, which in turn helps processing other photographs."
photographs where the program can *actually* enhance the shot.
i am sure, Ansel adams didnt perfect his post-processing technique during his first attempt. anyways...i appreciate if you will be careful about making 'direct' statements about someone else's pp-attempts and references to grahic artists. -Abstract
jude28-Jul-2005 14:47
Beautiful photo.. love the detail and the "feeling" here.. she is quite beautiful, as is the lighting..
I love PS.. i think it can not only enhance, but "save" some photos.. But I'm VERY excited every time i have a photo that doesn't need a thing..
Rod 27-Jul-2005 11:45
Abs, I've been using PS for over 10 years but only on the desktop. I do lots of post processing so don't start mixing up post processing with creating in PS. Photos are made in the camera NOT in PS. PS can improve our shots but you have to learn when you have a good shot it needs very little PS. If you don't have a good Photo then chuck it in the bin because sh#t in is normally sh#t out in any program. You didn't recognise what a nice shot this already was & wanted to do tricks you learnt in PS for no apparent reason in my view. It's like a musician who just plays licks they have learnt instead of playing music from the heart. If you start overdoing looking at photos with an eye on what you can do to it in PS instead of just appreciating the photography then it’s your loss mate:-)
ctfchallenge26-Jul-2005 15:37
Rod, "learn by experiment"...its not only true with photography, it is also true with post-processing. so if you please think logically you would understand, post-processing is not only for graphic artists, its for photographers too. (btw thats the part of the comment that made me write this)
i agree that this photo is better in color but it certainly has elements which suits certain type of pp. unless you try it, how would you know, it doesnt work? also, by trying the pp you get better at working with the program, which in turn helps processing other photographs. just my 2 cents.
-Abstract
ctfchallenge24-Jul-2005 07:44
The color version is perfect! I'm a big fan of B & W conversion but, I think the image "looses someting" in B & W. Forget all this talk of PS (and BS :-) the iamge is beautiful as it stands, IMO. Markjay
janewigginsphotography24-Jul-2005 00:44
My vote is "as is". I like it much better in color. It's a beautiful photo of your wife. You could PS this until the end of time and it would still be a beautful capture. jano
Paul 23-Jul-2005 10:42
Me too. Too many bubbles:>)))))
Rod 23-Jul-2005 03:17
Oh my gawd, what a mess below. The original shot looks so natural & conveys the feeling without the superfluous PS work. Stick to photography Pickle & leave too much PS work to the graphic artists mate.
Techo 22-Jul-2005 23:06
I also forgot to try and blur the foreground a bit.
Techo 22-Jul-2005 22:56
This is a lovely photo. I like it in color. If I may suggest an alternative to a soft filter, try a warming filter image adjustment. But if you prefer b/w, it's very simple to convert and not blow the highlights. You would need to work with two layers. The first layer would be simply desaturated. Copy that layer and apply some contrast and a color tone. If some whites are blown no worry there. Take the erase tool, set the opacity and flow half way, or even less. And slowly erase away the blown highights revealing the layer below. Erase away till you are happy with the result. You may also want to sharpen the eyes and lips a bit and crop. And lastly blur the background a bit.


Hope you don't mind I post a few samples. Will remove them whenever you wish.

1st try, used the warming filter twice. First try on the whole photo, the second selectivly, selected the bubbles only and inverted selection. Apply filter. Since you don't want the bubble bath looking too yellow/orange. I also burned the background a little bit. If you like you can also selectivly desaturate the skin tones.



b/w, with a little sefia. Just plain b/w does look a tad cold

Guest 22-Jul-2005 20:01
Thanks Abstract - it's good as I learned a new approach and that is the reason I entered. Never even considered it before.
ctfchallenge22-Jul-2005 18:44
i also like the warmth, especially the beautiful skin tones, in the color. does more justice to her beauty. i suggested the alternate pp treatment because imho the shot has nice elements that can make the 'dream-look' work. -Abstract
Guest 22-Jul-2005 17:53
Really beautiful. Great Shot, Bigpikle.
Guest 22-Jul-2005 16:59
I do like it and definitely better than my attempt, which I'll have another go at, although I like the warmth of the original slightly more. I guess it was the feel of the actual moment with the late afternoon sun through the windows, that brings the emotions back for me.
ctfchallenge22-Jul-2005 16:30
you got the right idea but looks like you just went a little over board with the contrast. here is something i was able to put together really quickly. i am at work, so couldnt process the image precisely and thouroughly. hope you like it. -Abstract
Guest 22-Jul-2005 15:36
here is the best I could do to follow your instructions. I added a feathered selection to select the face area, feathered and inverted it and then used levels to darken etc. Wasnt quite enough for the towles behind so I used the burn tool on those to darken them. I know its not quite there but any feedback.....
Guest 22-Jul-2005 14:53
Abstract - I have tried a B&W conversion but simply a fairly standard attempt, that somehow lost the 'warmth' of this shot. I have to admit, your description is probably a little beyond my typical level of use of PS and I'd be grateful for an example or little more detail on exactly what to do. I'll have a quick go now....
ctfchallenge22-Jul-2005 14:36
Bigpikle, apart from all the elements of the photo, i think that "look" suggests the 'heat' is really on here...a perfect shot for the challenge theme. wtg. -Abstract
ps: btw this shot is a very good candidate for PS treatment involving b&w, high-key/contrast with soft-glow on foam/fixures. keep the face really sharp and get the background dark. you might know that already though.
Rod 22-Jul-2005 12:24
Wot a lovely shot Pickle & as you know she looks a lovely woman too. Well done mate.