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Lonely cow picture

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SRP

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I took this picture today, and I was hoping to get some opinions on it. I took the picture in color with an Olympus E-20n and converted it to B&W in Photoshop. I was thinking about printing the B&W version and taking it to a local gallery to see if it sells.

What do you guys think about it?

Thanks.



 
"What do you guys think about it?"> >

Well.....I think it's a picture of a cow.


SRP said:
I took this picture today, and I was hoping to get some opinions on
it. I took the picture in color with an Olympus E-20n and
converted it to B&W in Photoshop. I was thinking about printing
the B&W version and taking it to a local gallery to see if it sells.

What do you guys think about it?

Thanks.



Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/ Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
 
Hi SRP

IMHO the photo is OK, but not exceptional. The exposure is a little off (see blown highlights and low detail of the cow itself from the side lighting).. What kind of photos does the gallery usually show?

Drew
David M. said:
Well.....I think it's a picture of a cow.


SRP said:
I took this picture today, and I was hoping to get some opinions on
it. I took the picture in color with an Olympus E-20n and
converted it to B&W in Photoshop. I was thinking about printing
the B&W version and taking it to a local gallery to see if it sells.

What do you guys think about it?

Thanks.



Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/
Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
Click to expand...
 
SRP:

I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected "Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around 35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


SRP said:
Click to expand...
 
Paul,

Good job! I, too, thought the pic could use a little help and worked on it a little. Mine isn't as good as yours, but I thought I'd throw it up here as an alternative approach...

I also made a couple extra layers. I selected just the sky in one, used multiply as the blend mode. Wasn't quite enough so duped the layer. Now too much. Backed opacity on that one off to about 60%.

I also thought the cow was a little dark. So on the second layer I selected the cow and used levels, contrast, and curves to lighten it up a little. Not completely happy with the result, but serves to show that there's some detail there. Also had to smudge the edges of the cow a little because of the sharpening artifacts - nuclear, glowing edge syndrome. ANyway, then I ran Fred Miranda's B&W conversion action with a green filter to lighten up the grass a little and here you go.

With a high res original, some PS talent (not me for sure!) and some more time, this photo could be pretty good.
Lance

 
Thanks for your help (most of you). I took Pauls advice and reworked it a little. I'm taking it in for a 4x6 test print this morning.

I understand that it needs work, but I'm curious if others think it is an interesting picture. I know a lot of people like 'cow' things.
 
SRP said:
Thanks for your help (most of you). I took Pauls advice and
reworked it a little. I'm taking it in for a 4x6 test print this
morning.

I understand that it needs work, but I'm curious if others think it
is an interesting picture. I know a lot of people like 'cow'
things.
Click to expand...
I'm not going to offer any post processing advice on this photo, since some good suggestions have already been offered.

I'll be honest, I don't think this picture is interesting enough. It needs something. A fence on the left side might give the image balance, but it might also add to the "loneliness" story you are trying to tell.

I also think it could be improved either with a different camera position, or cow position, or both. What I'm saying is, I think the cow is too static. Granted, we're not trying to shoot a sprinting cow here, but I believe that some kind of behavior is important in getting winning animal shots.

I have an idea. I know this may not be the easiest thing to try, but it won't be your most difficult model to work with either. OK, here goes. Tell me what you think of it:
  • Get a fence on the left side.
  • Plant a distraction on the far side of the fence, but out of the camera's view. I was thinking of a person (with a cow bell) that could get the cow to look in that direction.
  • Shoot the cow (with the camera :))
I think the resulting image, with the cow looking towards the fence, would tell a story of loneliness/boredom. ALSO, the cow's head would be turned to allow for more detail in her face, possibly even a catchlight in the left eye!

I think this scene provided you with good opportunity for a great "Lonely Cow" photo. But I don't think the story is clear enough in this example.

Hope you don't mind my critique.

--
markE
pbase supporter

Remember the Oly Exx battle cry:

'Though we've been known to make a little noise now and then, the colors here are true!'

-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/natural_world
 
Is Image/Color Select a new feature for PS7? I don't see it in 6, and I have'nt upgraded yet (still have loads to learn in 6, much less taking on any more to tax my underdeveloped brain with in 7).
Thanks
pbleic said:
I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit
with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't
benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this
with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected
"Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle
slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten
and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and
selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved
the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending
mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around
35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all
three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


pbleic said:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/ Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
 
OOOPS... did it from memory:

Select ---> Color Range

Paul
David M. said:
pbleic said:
I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit
with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't
benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this
with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected
"Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle
slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten
and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and
selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved
the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending
mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around
35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all
three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


David M. said:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/
Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
Click to expand...
 
Thanks.

I know PS7 has a new color balancing feature (sort of an Auto-color balance?) that I've seen in my friend's version and was impressed with, at least for an Auto, and thought maybe this was another one I was'nt aware of.
Thanks.
pbleic said:
Select ---> Color Range

Paul
David M. said:
pbleic said:
I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit
with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't
benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this
with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected
"Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle
slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten
and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and
selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved
the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending
mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around
35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all
three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


pbleic said:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/
Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/ Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
 
Oh yes......how 'bout sum hawgs in there fer good measure?
Clicker said:
Clicker said:
David M. wrote:
Oh wow. A picture of 3 cows this time. Incredible.
Click to expand...
I'm workin' on getting CATTLE as the next Challenge... can't wait
to see yours! You know you like these "cow" shots.

--
Clicker
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/ Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
 
SRP said:
Thanks for your help (most of you). I took Pauls advice and
reworked it a little. I'm taking it in for a 4x6 test print this
morning.

I understand that it needs work, but I'm curious if others think it
is an interesting picture. I know a lot of people like 'cow'
things.
Click to expand...
What makes for an interesting shot does not always make for good art. I like it (which might best be taken as a warning), but I would be unlikely to buy a copy, frame it, and hang it in my home. I might buy it if in the form of a greeting card ("I'm still waiting…" or some such thing).

What makes "Good art" is a debatable subject. Most people seem to subscribe to the belief that art should communicate something (emotion, thought,message). A technically perfect image does not always make good art. A technically flawed image might make great art. Also remember that the printing technique and choice of paper can have an impact on the image and how much wow factor it brings. I've posted stuff on PhotoSig that got tepid response, but printed the same and gotten a fabulous response. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and art is in the mind’s eye of the viewer.
-Gene L.
--
My pbase galleries: http://www.pbase.com/genel
 
I think it is compositionally challenged, improperly exposed (loss of detail in black/dark areas) and not that interesting. If anyone buys this, they probably have a cow fetish.
David M. said:
Well.....I think it's a picture of a cow.


SRP said:
I took this picture today, and I was hoping to get some opinions on
it. I took the picture in color with an Olympus E-20n and
converted it to B&W in Photoshop. I was thinking about printing
the B&W version and taking it to a local gallery to see if it sells.

What do you guys think about it?

Thanks.



Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/
Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
Click to expand...
--
brett ferguson
 
Interesting technique Plebic. Thanks for posting it, I had'nt tried this particular method.

I should add that I've found it is first required to invert the selection from within the Color Range Selection dialogue box in order to make a Levels adjustment to that layer, as the selection otherwise will be "empty".
Nice recommendation.
pbleic said:
I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit
with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't
benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this
with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected
"Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle
slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten
and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and
selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved
the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending
mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around
35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all
three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


pbleic said:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/ Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
 
David:

Thanks. I invented it on the spot yesterday with this picture. I was really pleased with the result and contacted Uwe Steinmueller at Outback Photo - I am going to write it up as a workflow there.

Paul
David M. said:
pbleic said:
I hope you don't mind. I took your photo into PS7 and worked a bit
with it. The sky was already pixelated and certainly didn't
benefit from editing and saving, so I would suggest repeating this
with your original.

Here is what I did -

Made two new layers.

On the first new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and selected
"Shadows". I did a Levels on the selection and moved the middle
slider to bring out details. Changed the blending mode to Lighten
and the opacity to taste - about 35%.

On the second new layer, did an Image --> Color Select, and
selected "Highlights". I did a Levels on the selection and moved
the middle slider to darken the highlights. Changed the blending
mode to Darken and the opacity to taste - again, somewhere around
35%.

Flattened the image.

Went into Channel Mixer and made it Monochrome. Did a 33% on all
three channels (not my usual result, but it worked here).

Let me know what you think.

Paul


David M. said:
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
(DC's)/ Oly E20, Kodak DC4800's, (DV)/ Canon GL1, ZR25,(35mm)/
Minolta HTsi+
PBase supporter
Click to expand...
 
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