Post processing images - The final step to getting that awesome click

[nac]

Lm2k, Lens profile? Something like a downloadable file. If yes, please share us your lens profile of SX150. I can use it with my camera SX130. (Both are pretty much the same camera)

 

[lm2k]

LCP Canon PowerShot SX150 IS (5.0-60.0 mm f3.4-5.6) - RAW
I had made this one long time back. 14 focal lengths are included . it replicates the in camera jpeg distortoin correction faithfully to a large extent .
I hope u kno how to install and use in in acr and lr. I still think there is some room for improvement .

Lm2k, Lens profile? Something like a downloadable file. If yes, please share us your lens profile of SX150. I can use it with my camera SX130. (Both are pretty much the same camera)

 

[nac]

Thank you Lm2k.

 

[izzikio_rage]

I've just recovered from a serious case of "post process the hell out of everything" . Got flamed at forums and a number of sites due to that. So like an addict limping towards recovery I guess I can start touching this thread again

 

[sujoyp]

Ha ha ha ...we new days photo enthusiast PP all the time ...there is a thin line between overdone PP and natural looking PP

 

[nac]

I could use some tips in PP. I would like to get shallow depth of field as good as a DSLR can with my compact for a portrait work. We all know that it's not possible with small sensor compact. So I tried to get "the blur" in PP. I don't know I could clearly explain it, so with the help of photograph I hope you guys will get what I am trying to ask.

*media.digitalcameraworld.com/files/2012/09/Outdoor_portraits_camera_tips_DCM128.feature.spread3_dof_1.jpg

In this picture, the focus is on her left eye. Things gradually started to blur as the distance from the camera increases. Her right eye is blurred and her hair is blurred even more and the background is creamy. If the same was taken with compact everything (the girl and the background) will be in focus and my editing was selecting the girl (including hair) and just end up blurring the background.

Is this possible to get "the dslr" effect in PP without working for hours in editing

Note: Picture is not mine. Courtesy: Google search.

 

[srkmish]

I could use some tips in PP. I would like to get shallow depth of field as good as a DSLR can with my compact for a portrait work. We all know that it's not possible with small sensor compact. So I tried to get "the blur" in PP. I don't know I could clearly explain it, so with the help of photograph I hope you guys will get what I am trying to ask.

*media.digitalcameraworld.com/files/2012/09/Outdoor_portraits_camera_tips_DCM128.feature.spread3_dof_1.jpg

In this picture, the focus is on her left eye. Things gradually started to blur as the distance from the camera increases. Her right eye is blurred and her hair is blurred even more and the background is creamy. If the same was taken with compact everything (the girl and the background) will be in focus and my editing was selecting the girl (including hair) and just end up blurring the background.

Is this possible to get "the dslr" effect in PP without working for hours in editing

Note: Picture is not mine. Courtesy: Google search.

Bhai. Its a time consuming effort to do this and not worth your time as one can still figure out lens blur from gaussian blur. It requires constant zooming in and lassoing only the part you want in focus and then unselecting the rest of the parts and applying gaussian blur to it. Here is one of my efforts. *500px.com/photo/8742413

At the end of the day, its a "fake" photo and enthusiasts can easily make it out. Better to invest in a cheap system like used dslr + 50mm prime than wasting time on this IMO.

 

[Gen.Libeb]

In this picture, the focus is on her left eye. Things gradually started to blur as the distance from the camera increases. Her right eye is blurred and her hair is blurred even more and the background is creamy. If the same was taken with compact everything (the girl and the background) will be in focus and my editing was selecting the girl (including hair) and just end up blurring the background.

Is this possible to get "the dslr" effect in PP without working for hours in editing

Note: Picture is not mine. Courtesy: Google search.

Take a look at alienskin Bokeh.

You will still need to put in a lot of time carefully selecting the person (to make sure blur is applied only to the right places)
You might still need to use a layer mask with a b/w gradient to make the further most portions have max blur & less on the closest portions.

Did you edit that picture? I never get so much eye detail on my compacts.

 

[sujoyp]

I donno how people get soo much details in eyes...I find eyes all same...maybe coz we indians have black and dark brown eyes mostly..

Nac the pic looks like taken with f1.4 lens ...as people suggested u have to recreate the thing in PP

 

[izzikio_rage]

I can answer the eye detail question: one of the most post processed part is the eyes. The shot is usually taken with softboxes or ring lights that show up as attractive catchlights in the subjects eyes. This is further improved in post by dodging the eye (to lighten it), making the catchlight brighter (to give it that nice shine) and finally by sharpening it to get the details out

There are plenty of plugins that allow you to create a fake bokeh effect (I liked topaz lens effects the best). But you'll still have to spend a lot of time telling it how far different parts of the image were with respect to each other.

 

[sujoyp]

Thanks amlan ...but all that setup need a proper studio

I took this shot of my eye with macro lens

*farm9.staticflickr.com/8388/8600295262_0b8e01d0c4_c.jpg
Eyes of the devil by sujoyp, on Flickr

but had to do selective coloring coz some red lines where in eyes which didnt look good

any tips to improve on this ...I mean when we shoot somebodies eye our reflection is bound to seen on the eye ...

 

[nac]

Okay then, I drop that idea. I will look into those plugins topaz, alienskin bokeh... But it seems like there is no simple way to get what I wanted.

Gen, Did you edit that picture? I never get so much eye detail on my compacts.
Nope I didn't edit anything, directly pasting the link here

Better to invest in a cheap system like used dslr + 50mm prime than wasting time on this IMO
Sure, one day I will buy a dslr with prime lens. But I don't don't when that's gonna happen

 

[srkmish]

Sure, one day I will buy a dslr with prime lens. But I don't don't when that's gonna happen

Are you in college?

 

[Gen.Libeb]

Okay then, I drop that idea. I will look into those plugins topaz, alienskin bokeh... But it seems like there is no simple way to get what I wanted.

You don't have to drop the idea, its not that difficult either. I've done that often on the portraits I shot.
If the background is contrasting to the subject, the selection is easy. Most of the times you will have to take the photo keeping in mind you are going to do this later & if there aren't much distracting items in the back it looks natural.
btw what are you using for pp ?

I asked about the eye because atleast for me most of the portraits I shoot are waist up & while defocussing the background I keep the entire person in focus rather than just the eye as you posted (too much close up).

 

[a_medico]

Wasnt aware of this thread! Looks like lots of useful info. Will go thro it over next few days.

 

[nac]

Are you in college?

You don't have to drop the idea, its not that difficult either. I've done that often on the portraits I shot.
If the background is contrasting to the subject, the selection is easy. Most of the times you will have to take the photo keeping in mind you are going to do this later & if there aren't much distracting items in the back it looks natural.
btw what are you using for pp ?

I asked about the eye because atleast for me most of the portraits I shoot are waist up & while defocussing the background I keep the entire person in focus rather than just the eye as you posted (too much close up).

I am not finding "selection" tough. Just that I am getting hard edges around the selection and makes it look it's PPed heavily to the blur/bokeh. No, hard edge doesn't looks natural. I will work on a photograph and will show you guys. Then we will all get to a nice learning discussion I hope.

The tips I asked you guys for to work on PS.

With my camera, all I got is just center focus. The picture I posted was not mine and googled to show you guys a sample (you may know this, just I am saying it again). I checked that article, it was shot with 85mm lens @ f/2. I guess almost all the dslr (atleast those whose launched in the recent past) have some choice when it comes to pick AF points when shooting. So they have a luxury of focusing on the eye of the subject. There may be some enhancement, but sure "eye" focus can be obtainable with appropriate camera and lens, I believe.

----------------------------------

Here is what I could I get.
Top is original and bottom is edited. (applied lens blur)
*imageshack.us/a/img20/8632/h809.jpg

*imageshack.us/a/img822/4658/uh15.jpg

Image Source: Canon. It was shot with Canon compact camera.

See the hard edge? That's what I feel looks not natural.

 

[sujoyp]

no way nac ...its looking completely unnatural ....and why is that shaded line around the girl ...

u can perform this edit with a pic where there is slight blurry background and you want to increase the blurriness...but not where things are sharp and u want to blur them.

 

[izzikio_rage]

Sujoy, eye macros are really hard to shoot. I was reading up on a couple of shots of eyes and it seems the most important thing is to get plenty of light into the eye for the shot. I can see that you used two lights, you could have used your softbox (or umbrella setup) to get a single big highlight. A large amount of light would also have brought out the details in the brown portion of the eye and you could have used a fast shutter speed (the eye moves really fast, so you get blurs if the speed is low)

For post, you'll need to clone out all the red lines (all celebs have them, and unless you are shooting sunny deol types, the photographers remove them), Dodge the brown part to make it lighter and bring out the details.

If you are home do give it a shot. would like to see how a pro shoots it

*www.lightstalking.com/amazing-close-up-photographs-of-the-human-eye-and-how-to-make-them-yourself

Nac: You might want to blur the edges too (you use a feather setting when selecting). But even then it's really hard to get the same level of professional feel as you can get with a good lens.

 

[Gen.Libeb]

There may be some enhancement, but sure "eye" focus can be obtainable with appropriate camera and lens, I believe.

Also with our compacts ?

I am not finding "selection" tough. Just that I am getting hard edges around the selection and makes it look it's PPed heavily to the blur/bokeh. No, hard edge doesn't looks natural. I will work on a photograph and will show you guys. Then we will all get to a nice learning discussion I hope.

See the hard edge? That's what I feel looks not natural.

Yeah the hard edge isn't looking good. How did you do this , Did you blur the entire image including the girl or blurred just the selection that does not include the girl ?

The table blur is looking fake too, its too close to the girl to be blurred like that.
One of the other things with this image is the sofa, it is much closer to the girl (in focus) than the wall. so you can't put the same amount of blur on it. Either that or plan your images in a way to avoid these kind of situations.

Here's a quick attempt.
*imageshack.us/a/img513/8884/0d47.jpg

 

[sujoyp]

nac this one is looking much much better then previous one.

@amlan thanks for the input...I will really try ....do you know I shot my eyes by looking in the mirror and shooting with one hand ...and those lights are mobile led and cfl .....