Get rid of the string/thread that's hanging down on the right side of the chair's back, and perhaps the chair name, if that's in the finished frame. The pre-mentioned tight crop is a must.
Some of that signage may need to be cloned out depending on where it falls in the newly cropped frame.
Different crop, some lens blur, and added some warming cast (masked).
The geometry is a tough gig to minimize or eradicate because it has so much contrast within itself. Since color casts steal clarity ... which I typically strive to remove for the reason, I instead added some cast to try and reduce the clarity ... masking the boy's face somewhat to a lesser degree to try and create a bit more differential to pull you toward him.
Still, plenty of detractors / business competing in the scene.
Much prefer the monotone version presented expertly by rustybug, as well as his crop. Some might disagree, but I think color in this image is a distraction. It makes your eye wander away from the main attraction here, the expressive quality of the boy's gaze.
You could desat the foreground and background and adjust FG/BG exposure/offset/gamma in PP to place color emphasis on the subject and reduce the distraction of the bright colors of the FG/BG.
RustyBug wrote:
Different crop, some lens blur, and added some warming cast (masked).
The geometry is a tough gig to minimize or eradicate because it has so much contrast within itself. Since color casts steal clarity ... which I typically strive to remove for the reason, I instead added some cast to try and reduce the clarity ... masking the boy's face somewhat to a lesser degree to try and create a bit more differential to pull you toward him.
Still, plenty of detractors / business competing in the scene.
This version really emphasis the eye. I had the feeling that the focus might have been the hair but more likely it was just fairly deep dof.
I don't care for the technique on landscapes, but it is effective here. I have used to extensively for birds and flowers.
eeneryma wrote:
Much prefer the monotone version presented expertly by rustybug, as well as his crop. Some might disagree, but I think color in this image is a distraction. It makes your eye wander away from the main attraction here, the expressive quality of the boy's gaze.
I think these have evolved in the right direction.
Dramatic cropping to reduce distracting elements. BW conversion to reduce distracting color "information".
Of the last two offerings:
I prefer the crop in the first. In the second my eye is pulled to the balancing but extraneous dark area upper right corner.
I prefer the less blurred "apron" in the second. Might go somewhere between the two.
I think the "apron" is too bright in the second.
The toning works for me but I like the cleaner look of the BW. Purely taste.
Definitely an image worth the work. A keeper. As is the "subject"!
sbeme wrote:
I think these have evolved in the right direction.
Dramatic cropping to reduce distracting elements. BW conversion to reduce distracting color "information".
Of the last two offerings:
I prefer the crop in the first. In the second my eye is pulled to the balancing but extraneous dark area upper right corner.
I prefer the less blurred "apron" in the second. Might go somewhere between the two.
I think the "apron" is too bright in the second.
The toning works for me but I like the cleaner look of the BW. Purely taste.
Definitely an image worth the work. A keeper. As is the "subject"!
Scott
Thanks Scott,
Yes, a WIP and partially an exercise to see where others might take it.
