Activity for User 69 - Tom Pickering - info@photopicks.net

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1433 Comments / 1336 Replies Posted

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Group Round C/R Comment Date Image
24 Sep 23 Reply More blur might have separated the flower too much from the background. I think darkening a bit is the better choice. Sep 23rd
24 Sep 23 Comment I think Frank has a valid point about the left side, but the crop he chose is perhaps too tight on the foreground flowers. My suggestion is to remove the soft flowers on the left and, like Frank suggests, darken the background slightly. Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Comment Nicely done with your closeup. While it would be better if the lavender petals were also in focus, the eye is drawn to your chosen focal point and the detail is great there. Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Comment Great job, Frank! There's nothing like focus stacking to really get up close. Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Comment Because the focal point of the image is at the top center, a crop is called for, though perhaps not as much as Fred suggests. Here's my take: Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Comment Great composition and lovely flower. My only suggestion is to add some clarity to the flower as it is a little soft. Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Reply I like your choice of crop, but you didn't enhance the image enough in my opinion. I added some clarity, sharpening, and vibrance. Thoughts? Sep 15th
24 Sep 23 Reply It wasn't a close-up, actually. I sometimes use my macro lens as a regular prime lens as in this case.

I agree about darkening the background - that will finish it better.		 Sep 8th
5 comments - 3 replies for Group 24
53 Sep 23 Reply Yes, adding darkening to areas that would be deeper in the scene. I add a blank layer and change the blend mode to Overlay, then paint with a black brush set to 5% opacity. To Dodge, simply change the color to white. Sep 17th
53 Sep 23 Comment Those eyes really pop! Because of the shallow DOF, they are really disconnected from the body of the insect. Not sure what to suggest to improve it. Sep 15th
53 Sep 23 Comment Lovely flowers in a very busy scene. It's somewhat difficult to focus on the flowers with all the conflicting colors and shapes surrounding them. I did a quick selection of the flowers and greatly desaturated the background and slightly darkened them Sep 15th
53 Sep 23 Comment I like monochrome for this image - brings out more textures. In some ways, I see the couple as a distraction and even a potential focus thief. You could actually do 2 images: one of the landscape and one of the couple. Here's what I mean: Sep 15th
53 Sep 23 Comment Lots going on in this image. I found the composition a little off, so cropped a bit from the top and right to give more balance. Punched up the yellows slightly and added a pinch of sharpening. Thoughts? Sep 15th
53 Sep 23 Comment Lovely scene you've captured. In some ways, I like the deeper greens of the original, but you definitely improved the sky with the replacement.

I added a bit of sharpening, adjusted the greens some, added some vibrance, and then did some targeted burning to add some dimensionality. Thoughts?		 Sep 15th
53 Sep 23 Reply Anything I could do to improve it? Sep 15th
5 comments - 2 replies for Group 53
95 Sep 23 Reply My first real forays into macro were with a set of extension tubes, which I still use on occasion. Because the tubes push you into being closer to the subject, the only path to sharpness is with a sturdy tripod. Sep 28th
95 Sep 23 Reply The soft legs are on the far side, so that's expected. I could never get such a good result without using a tripod. Over all, I think this is a good result. Sep 28th
95 Sep 23 Comment Congratulations to the world of focus bracketing. I think you did a very good job considering you had to rely on the camera to figure things out for you. Keep practicing - the more you do it, the more you'll succeed.

One thing to be mindful of is the lighting. It's best to start with a single shot to get your lighting right, and THEN do your stack. It actually saves post-processing time.

I added more desk surface and removed the halo using Generative fill and the new remove tool.		 Sep 28th
95 Sep 23 Comment Without reference to the whole piece, it's definitely difficult to discern what we're looking at. Your image is clear and has plenty of detail. Definitely an interesting choice of subject, captured well. Sep 28th
95 Sep 23 Reply You’re so right. I rather rushed this one. Sep 11th
95 Sep 23 Reply I wasn't really going for a look, actually. I wanted the focus to be on the nail and surrounding cuticle. Sep 8th
95 Sep 23 Reply Thanks, Carol. d:¬{D Sep 8th
95 Sep 23 Reply I guess I oversharpened, causing the dark lines. My focus was on the nail and area surrounding. Sep 8th
2 comments - 6 replies for Group 95
12 comments - 11 replies Total

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