I've been messing with this rather ho-hum photo, and was inspired by Rense's much more accomplished photo (https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-your-photos/91124-nature-geese-treetops.html) to post up and ask for opinions. In Rense's photo, I noticed warm highlights in the trees, which I suggested desaturating, which is what I've been fooling with in this photo.

In the first image, all I've done is made the eyes pop out more, by selectively saturating and brightening the yellows. There are quite a few warm tones in the background. In the second image, I've desaturated and darkened the background. What do you all think?

Julie

[Iris]

I like the warm tones in #1, but I prefer the eyes of #2!

[SWEngineer]

Hi Julie.

Illuminating the eyes works well. But I think the cat gets lost in the darker background. And maybe only partially desaturate the colors?

[foxglove]

I like the warm tones in #1, but I prefer the eyes of #2!

Me too! I didn't realise until I posted them how much more intense I'd got the eyes.

Illuminating the eyes works well. But I think the cat gets lost in the darker background. And maybe only partially desaturate the colors?

Good point - she does sort of fade away... sort of like the Cheshire cat, only it's her eyes, not her grin, that are left!

My original goal was to make the background cooler/bluer, but I discovered that there are no blues in there, and ended up just desaturating it. Maybe I'll try toning the warm colours down a wee bit, and darkening, so that it's still a spooky dark forest but there can still be some contrast with the cat. Or maybe I should just stop wasting so much time on an otherwise rather ho-hum photo!

Thanks for your input!

Julie