Some work done in photoshop: My good friend is visiting her son at college in SF. She took some photos so I have been playing around with it. It is his 20th birthday. Rain here so...

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

My good friend is visiting her son at college in SF. She took some photos so I have been playing around with it. It is his 20th birthday. Rain here so inside for the day. Will put the original then as I work along.

ps: she is alright with letting me show this

The starting image

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Working along step at a time

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Another step

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Final image

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MMC Loc: Brooklyn NY

Very good job!!!

Mile wrote:

My good friend is visiting her son at college in SF. She took some photos so I have been playing around with it. It is his 20th birthday. Rain here so inside for the day. Will put the original then as I work along.

ps: she is alright with letting me show this

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

MMC wrote:

Very good job!!!

Thank you very much

trc Loc: Logan, OH

Mile wrote:

My good friend is visiting her son at college in SF. She took some photos so I have been playing around with it. It is his 20th birthday. Rain here so inside for the day. Will put the original then as I work along.

ps: she is alright with letting me show this

Mile,

You have slowly cropped it tighter making it appear the son is getting closer/larger, and you have brightened the side walls and the back wall. Now, is there enough detail in his black silhouette (hopefully a RAW original file) to bring out his face and uniform (?) when selectively lightening him?

Perhaps there is not, and it will become too grainy . . . but then you may try to reduce the noise and see what it produces.

You will have to be careful not to over brighten the archway to the back wall for I can see it may become way too bright for the rest of the image.

Best Regards,
Tom

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Mile, I am always amazed at the "purists" who are right out of camera people. I use PSE-13 and Topaz Suite to turn out master pieces of excellent IQ.

Your photo "Light and Good Man at End-of-Tunnel" has simplistic and stunning composition/story. See the lengthy free treaties on composition ...

Photographic Psychology: Image and Psyche
http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/article_index.htm

Treepusher Loc: Kingston, Massachusetts

Nice job on this, Mile! Love the glow in the walls around the figure.

Granddad Loc: UK

Very good.
Dave.

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

trc wrote:

Mile, br br You have slowly cropped it tighter ma... (show quote)

Thanks Tom appreciate all the help. It was a jpeg. Like the raw myself too. The dark areas do have noise in them. I did work on the face a little it had some large spots on. It was a good work out. Fun and learning experience.

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

dpullum wrote:

Mile, I am always amazed at the "purists" who are right out of camera people. I use PSE-13 and Topaz Suite to turn out master pieces of excellent IQ.

Your photo "Light and Good Man at End-of-Tunnel" has simplistic and stunning composition/story. See the lengthy free treaties on composition ...

Photographic Psychology: Image and Psyche
http://truecenterpublishing.com/photopsy/article_index.htm

gosh!! thanks so much. I bookmardked the page. Will go back and read it for sure. It looks wonderful thank you thank you

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

Treepusher wrote:

Nice job on this, Mile! Love the glow in the walls around the figure.

thanks was lots of fun working on it

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

Granddad wrote:

Very good.
Dave.

thank you

trc Loc: Logan, OH

Mile wrote:

Thanks Tom appreciate all the help. It was a jpeg. Like the raw myself too. The dark areas do have noise in them. I did work on the face a little it had some large spots on. It was a good work out. Fun and learning experience.

Mile,

I shoot in RAW format about 99.9% of the time finding it the best for capturing and keeping all the image data. The underexposed areas always have a lot of noise - no way around it that I am aware of; but in RAW format, often times a lot of the data can be 'recovered' and noise canceling programs (several of them) can usually do a fairly good job getting rid of the most distracting graininess in the image.

What were the large spots on the face? Just concentrated noise, or maybe something like dust spots on the sensor? Yes, I'll bet you had a worthwhile learning experience trying to bring the dark areas 'back to life' - resuscitate the image!

Best Regards,
Tom

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Mile wrote:

Thanks Tom appreciate all the help. It was a jpeg. Like the raw myself too. The dark areas do have noise in them. I did work on the face a little it had some large spots on. It was a good work out. Fun and learning experience.

The "man" needs no face ... the man is coming forward creating anticipation of who he is and if it is a confrontation or greeting.

Too often we photographers get hung up in micro perfection ... pixel picky ... grain... was OK years ago in film... is not seen if we are not looking for it. If the image were fleeting as you approached the tunnel you would have a fleeting feeling of fright and fear then "light at the end of the tunnel"

By the way, JPEG is quick, use only RAW if needed for special fix or technique. The guy at the end of that tunnel may grab you in the dark... you have a lot of JPEGs to finish and if you fooled with RAW ... you legacy would be lost ... "like tear drops in the rain" Keep up the imagination... creativity

Mile Loc: Crescent City Calif

dpullum wrote:

The "man" needs no face ... the man is c... (show quote)

Thank you so much. Sure made me feel like I am on the right track. Much appreciated

trc Loc: Logan, OH

dpullum wrote:

The "man" needs no face ... the man is c... (show quote)

d & Mile,

I may have presented my comments in an incorrect manner. I, by no means, was trying to say that he needs to be lightened. Heavens no, that would totally disrupt the meaning of the shot. I was merely saying that it would be cool to post process the image just to see how much one could draw out of the darkness . . . just as an exercise and not to keep the change.

I totally understand and appreciate the silhouette at the end of the tunnel. There is art and intrigue in that shot just the way it is, and it was very well executed for that purpose. My intent was not to be a pixel pusher and ruin the mood, message, and mystery of the shot. You did good, Mile. :-)

Best Regards,
Tom