Gym shoot

[Justin]

So, my assignment was to get shots of someone so you knew what their passion is.

Not being used to models, and also the crowded environment of the gym I struggled with this one. I think the last shot is the one I will use for the assignment.

[Kyle]

I like the 2nd one best, personally

The last is good, apart from the flare

Nice work none the less justin

[Matt. K]

Justin
I like it that you get close and fill the frame. This gives your images impact. I like the hard edge style of the images. They work well and you can feel the heat.

[Alpha_7]

#2 and #4 are my picks.
Love the tightness in #2 and the muscle definition just a shame there's not face (a well placed mirror could of made for a cracker shot) regardless it's a high impact shot as Mattk said above.

#4 works on the level that you have your subject and the environment where she enjoys her passion, I think with some PP (you shot raw I hope ?) I think you'll have another winner, I didn't notice the flare until it was mentioned.

[Justin]

Alpha, help! What would you suggest on the PP front for #4 any more than this is beyond me!

[Yi-P]

Suggestion of PP for #4 is lowering exposure from RAW and then readjust the curves to save some midtone saturation.

May boost up the red and blue channel to bring up the saturation of her clothes and the gym behind it.

Flare can be easily cloned out in this pic, not much to worry about.

Then a layer of curves and level blending in Photoshop, save your day and the nice pic

[Justin]

Couple of questions

How do I boost the channels

What do you mean by blending?

[norbs]

I am supposed to critique the photos?

[Yi-P]

How do I boost the channels

In Nikon Capture, this is done just simplier. Go into Chroma correction, see the red part of it, creat a 'curve' rising on the red, and all red colour are saturated. Lowering = desaturating.

In Photoshop or the more advanced way, you can go into curves/level and select the RED channel, adjust the curves there for direct channel manipulation, may come out bit unexpected and affects WB harder than using 'chroma' correction in Capture.

What do you mean by blending?

In Photoshop, create a new 'adjustment layer' either be levels or/and curves. This will affect the image separately and can be removed, readjusted at all times. You will see them as separate layers on the layer pallette. Adjust the opacity of these layers to blend the effect more or less to what you want.

[Justin]

Here's my first stab - thanks! saved heaps and got quite a bit of sky back.

I think there is too much purple now, but I'm off to bed!

[Yi-P]

Very good first attempt.

Spent a few mins on PP, here are some fixes done:

adjusted colour balance
cloned out sky
slight tonal correction


Results:



Im sleeping as well now

[gstark]

Ok, the saturation has been improved, now we need to apply a bit of cropping.

We want the whole of her bag on the left, not not too much more on that side. Crop from there, and you'll have her walking into the image, with the "Fitness First" sign on our right.

There's your image!

[macka]

Hi Justin, just some of my thoughts for you.

I think the main problem with #1 is that there are too many distractions in the background; the men, the signs, and the weird pipes on the wall, which all take too much attention away from your subject (otherwise I think it would have been a good shoot composition-wise if it was just here against a blank b/g).

I really #2, and whilst I agree with Craig in that it's probably not the best for your assignment (can't see her face), I think it's a strong image (literally!). The high key outer areas of the shot work really well to focus all one's attention on her back, and there is a real sense of movement and strength looking at those muscles. Also I think this shot has a nice amount of saturation (not sure whether you've increased it or not, but it looks good to me).

#3 didn't really work for me, mainly because there just wasn't enough of the image in focus, and I found having her face (which in a 'standard' portrait one would normally focus on) motion blurred without having anything else really sharp to focus on just meant that the image didn't really work overall.

With #4 I think you've done a much better job the second time around, and I agree with Gary about the crop (no need to have more of those cars than is necessary in the b/g). I like the composition, you've obviously put some thought into it when asking her to pose and I think it's worked out well for you. Edit: you could also consider cloning out the light on top of the building.

Cheers

[Laurie]

fitness first at rockdale?
i personall like the symmetrical look of #2 and i like #4.
nicely done

[Glen]

Justin, Like your style. 4 is my least favourite shot as it seems more standard compared to the rest. 3 would be my pic if it was in focus.

[Justin]

Macka / Glen / Gary / Alpha /Matt - thanks for the feedback!

Yi-p - you are going to save my assignment with your advice, many thanks

#1 - I struggled with this envrionment, one of my favourite shots and it's just cluttered with c*&p

#2 - actually desaturated about 10% - trick I learnt from looking at Wendell and NNNNsic's photos

#3 - yes, as you and Glen have noticed it's one of those shots that nearly worked

#4 I am working on the new version will post soon I am procrastinating now not looking forward to fixing that sky

[Justin]

Ta-da!

[Geoff]

Great PP work Justin - well done

[Glen]

Impressive PP

[jethro]

I would blur the background to create depth of field on No 4. Someone here cloned the sky. WHY? Create a new one smooth it off. I also think its way to contrasty. Ill post tomorrow and show my thoughts
Jethro