'air-brushing' photos

[Pauline]

There are some amazing photographers on this site and I know some of you have software for making slight adjustments to photos. Now this is my dilemma. I have a photo I really like - not great by your standards but I like it - apart from the blade of grass which I didn't notice at the time!!! Does that ever happen to any of you? Is there any way this grass can be 'removed' or is it just not possible? I doubt I will ever return to this site as it is just too far from me so I would really appreciate your expertise on this one.

[Trev Sawyer]

Hi Pauline,
Your photo is very nice - and you have got into the right place to take it (ie directly from the side). It is always annoying to notice a blade of grass after you get home, but it is possible to "remove" it quite easily with software. Such additions or deletions are not allowed in our competitions, but there is nothing wrong with doing this for your own satisfaction. I am sure someone on here could do it for you if you gave them permission to do so. Don't ask me as I would probably make a real hash-up of it, but someone will take up the gauntlet I'm sure.

Trev

[Pauline]

Trev you have given me some hope as it is purely for my own pleasure and a memento of the day. Does anyone on this site have the expertise to 'pick up the gauntlet' as I would be very grateful?

[JKT]

Something like this?

Edit: Something funny going on. The colors in the two files don't match in the browser. They do match in PS, though. Both are supposed to have the same color space, so I'm quite confused.

Edit2: The original may have had AdobeRGB color space. I don't have a clue how that got changed as PS didn't complain about mismatch or missing profile.

[Pauline]

Hi JKT

I haven't a clue what you're talking about with the technical stuff but that result is amazing!! How do I get my altered photo back again and at its original size? Do you need to email it to me? SEnd me a pm and I'll give you email address.

Must ask you what you used to achieve that as I might buy it - then I could take great pictures all the time - lol!!


Thank you so much for your help.

Pauline

[JKT]

For the record: the program was PhotoShop, but PhotoShop Elements would have worked as well here. Based on your PM, you already have the original size picture...

[Gruditch]

Good job JKT.

Such additions or deletions are not allowed in our competitions,

If done well, there is no way of knowing if someone has done a bit of digital gardening. Not allowing something we shouldn't actually be able to detect, doesn't make a lot of sense. The cloning out of an annoying bits of foliage, is all part of natural history "digital" photography.

The adding of content, now that's a different matter.

Regards Gruditch

[Lee Hurrell]

Removing or adding things either way, I've never seen any rules on UKB about post processing?

At last year's photo workshop there were even examples of switching images around and moving things (the actual butterfly!) about the frame of a shot...so in my mind it would at least be accepted, if not usual practice - although I couldn't do it to be honest, or even know how to.

Should photos, particularly those in competitions, list any amendments that have been made to them?

Cheers

Lee

[Pawpawsaurus]

Something like this?

Nicely done, JKT.

Though if I were being really picky, I could point out that the removed blade of grass has left a tell-tale shadow behind.

Paul

[Pauline]

D'you know what Paul? KJT was kind enough to do this for me and I would not have expected him to spend a lot of time on it. In a PM to me he was critical of his own efforts but I am delighted with the result. I am tempted to suggest that if you can do better then please go ahead but ......... I am more than happy with what KJT has achieved and would like to thank him again for being so prompt in responding to my plea.

[Trev Sawyer]

Don't worry Pauline,
I'm certain Paul's remarks were made strictly tongue-in-cheek.
We do have a bit of joky banter on here to prove we are (well in most cases) human
I can understand that you may think he was "having a go" as you are quite new to the forum, but you will soon get used to us.

Trev

[Pawpawsaurus]

Oh, my goodness me. and

I'm certain Paul's remarks were made strictly tongue-in-cheek.

They were, Trev, and I hope that JKT realises this too. It didn't occur to me that my post would be taken as an attack, especially given its opening sentence. Maybe I under-used the emoticons.

Fortunately, my Kevlar suit is always close at hand. and

Paul

[Pauline]

Oops! Sorry Paul! Given recent exchanges on this forum I obviously misunderstood. Apologies guys.

[JKT]

I'm certain Paul's remarks were made strictly tongue-in-cheek.

They were, Trev, and I hope that JKT realises this too.

I certainly do. Besides, you DO have a point. I thought the large shadow was from the head, not the blade. Or more precisely: I didn't think about it. If you want to be really picky, there is also a small edge left near the foot...

[NickB]

...however-much processing like this you do to a picture, you always think (probably rightly) that if you'd spent another few minutes, then it could have been a bit better......

There is always the purist versus digital-gardening debate; something that has continued from those dark-room compositions in the days of film, right through to today....