Help w/ Final Photo? My Cat Died

twokatmew · 03-04-2010, 09:57 AM

I had to put one of my cats down this morning, and I was just looking through my photos of him. The last "good" one I got was when I was trying out my new K-x with the kit lens. It's certainly not the greatest, but I'd like to spiff it up (if I can). I'm attaching the original photo as well as two crops. I realize composition is not good, and the photo could be a lot better. But even though Boris was very sick, it does capture the essence of his personality.

TIA for your advice!

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

Alfisti · 03-04-2010, 10:18 AM

Please link to a full sized original image.

JeffJS · 03-04-2010, 10:20 AM

That's a shame

Here's my go at the photo.. Corrected exposure a little bit, corrected the WB some, and a little USM to sharpen his hair up. I could probably do a lot more with the RAW file.. if it exists..

Peace Boris..

_

Ira · 03-04-2010, 10:30 AM

Poor guy--sorry. I really like the close-up on the lower right.

My African Grey parrot died suddenly just last week--only 7 years old--and I cried like a baby.

twokatmew · 03-04-2010, 10:33 AM

Originally posted by Alfisti

Please link to a full sized original image.

I'd been working on the JPG, but after reading Jeff's post, I poked around on my backup drive and found a PEF! The camera was so new when I took this shot, I'm surprised I'd had RAW+ turned on.

Anyway, here's a link to the original file.

Original PEF of Boris

The photo & crops I posted previously already had some (too much) exposure correction done in ACDSee....

sterretje · 03-04-2010, 10:34 AM

Sorry to hear, twokatmew and Ira. My sympathies, I know how it feels when good friends have to go.

twokatmew · 03-04-2010, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by JeffJS

That's a shame

Here's my go at the photo.. Corrected exposure a little bit, corrected the WB some, and a little USM to sharpen his hair up. I could probably do a lot more with the RAW file.. if it exists..

<photo snipped>

Peace Boris..

Thanks Jeff. I'm glad you mentioned the RAW, because I went looking for it after reading your post -- and found the original PEF on my backup drive. The shot was underexposed, and I managed to overexpose it using ACDSee's auto exposure correction. I really have to work on PP skills as well as photography!

Would you use the whole shot rather than cropping it? Or did you just work on that one because it was (relatively) untouched?

Boris was a sweet guy, but he had a hard life. The vet thinks he was about six. I took him in not quite two years ago, as he was wandering the streets looking for someone to let him inside. At least I was able to give him a warm and comfy home for a couple years.

atupdate · 03-04-2010, 10:43 AM

I really like your last crop also. However, if you have decent cloning skills, there are other options.

PP on my crappy work computer.

My software won't open the KX PEF file but if you want to link to a full size JPEG (Minimize the highlight blowouts), I would be glad to work on it this weekend.

Tim

twokatmew · 03-04-2010, 10:46 AM

Originally posted by Ira

Poor guy--sorry. I really like the close-up on the lower right.

The photos show up in a vertical line on my monitor. Do you mean the crop of his face?

Quote:

My African Grey parrot died suddenly just last week--only 7 years old--and I cried like a baby.

I'm so sorry, Ira. I'm not sure what's harder -- when they die suddenly or deteriorate slowly over time.

Yeah, my eyes are all puffy and sore.... The vet shaved a strip of fur off his hind leg so she could give him the shot. Before I left, I wrapped that little bit of soft fur in a kleenex and put it in my pocket. I can't even bring myself to take it out.

twokatmew · 03-04-2010, 10:57 AM

Originally posted by atupdate

I really like your last crop also. However, if you have decent cloning skills, there are other options.

PP on my crappy work computer.

<photo snipped>

My software won't open the KX PEF file but if you want to link to a full size JPEG (Minimize the highlight blowouts), I would be glad to work on it this weekend.

Tim

Wow, Tim, you even fixed his feet! Looks great! It hadn't occurred to me to erase the couch, though I've done erasing before.

My cloning skills are not the greatest, but perhaps I will get some practice now that I found the PEF. (Just the other day I set the camera to write DNGs, so I can now open them in any of my apps.)

Here's a link to the original JPG -- before I messed with it.

Original JPG of Boris

JeffJS · 03-04-2010, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by twokatmew

I'd been working on the JPG, but after reading Jeff's post, I poked around on my backup drive and found a PEF! The camera was so new when I took this shot, I'm surprised I'd had RAW+ turned on.

Anyway, here's a link to the original file.

Original PEF of Boris

The photo & crops I posted previously already had some (too much) exposure correction done in ACDSee....

Actually, the RAW image gives a very nice photo by default (on my screen)..

Had to upload this one to my Flickr account. I don't think The forum gallery will accept it.

Full size here..

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4406208575_ee6473ac38_o.jpg

I didn't do any noise reduction or anything like that.. Just a slide of the Clarity tool (in acr), touch up the WB on his white fur, sharpen a little for the eye detail, crop, clone out the couch, followed by my standard black frame.

+

graphicgr8s · 03-04-2010, 11:12 AM

And since I too like cats heres my go

atupdate · 03-04-2010, 11:12 AM

Originally posted by twokatmew

Wow, Tim, you even fixed his feet! Looks great! It hadn't occurred to me to erase the couch, though I've done erasing before.

My cloning skills are not the greatest, but perhaps I will get some practice now that I found the PEF. (Just the other day I set the camera to write DNGs, so I can now open them in any of my apps.)

Here's a link to the original JPG -- before I messed with it.

Original JPG of Boris

What I did was add a white border to the bottom of the picture and cloned the carpet over the couch and the white border. A trick here is to rough clone first then blend the clonning by using a 50% opacity clone to add the texturer from the darker areas.

For the foot, I copied the back foot and pasted it over and blended.

I'll give it a good work over this weekend and if you PM me your email addresss, I'll send you the file to crop as you like.

Tim

pasipasi · 03-04-2010, 11:25 AM

Nesster · 03-04-2010, 11:56 AM

I'm so sorry for your cat.

I like the first image posted - the blue in the couch picks up Boris' blue eyes.

To my eye most of the reworkings lose something, there's too much contrast or the colors are off... seems the original light was mild and diffuse so there won't be deepest shadow or highlight.

03-04-2010, 11:12 AM	#12
graphicgr8s Guest	And since I too like cats heres my go Last edited by graphicgr8s; 07-30-2010 at 06:13 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
New K-X died?	bdtalley	Pentax DSLR Discussion	11	12-28-2009 07:21 PM
A photo of our cat taken by my wife. She requested I post it.	kcmadr	Post Your Photos!	5	08-28-2009 01:30 PM
Final PP work on my Fresh Morning Reflection Photo	Jimbo	Post Your Photos!	21	03-05-2009 07:44 PM
PSP died on me!!!	dudlew	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	2	03-21-2008 04:03 AM
Photo of my cat	fevbusch	Post Your Photos!	8	02-21-2007 03:08 PM

03-04-2010, 10:18 AM	#2
Alfisti Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Toronto (for now) Posts: 1,748	Please link to a full sized original image.

03-04-2010, 10:20 AM	#3
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	That's a shame Here's my go at the photo.. Corrected exposure a little bit, corrected the WB some, and a little USM to sharpen his hair up. I could probably do a lot more with the RAW file.. if it exists.. Peace Boris.. _

03-04-2010, 10:30 AM	#4
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	Poor guy--sorry. I really like the close-up on the lower right. My African Grey parrot died suddenly just last week--only 7 years old--and I cried like a baby.

03-04-2010, 10:33 AM	#5
twokatmew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lansing, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 509 Original Poster	Originally posted by Alfisti Please link to a full sized original image. I'd been working on the JPG, but after reading Jeff's post, I poked around on my backup drive and found a PEF! The camera was so new when I took this shot, I'm surprised I'd had RAW+ turned on. Anyway, here's a link to the original file. Original PEF of Boris The photo & crops I posted previously already had some (too much) exposure correction done in ACDSee....

03-04-2010, 10:34 AM	#6
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	Sorry to hear, twokatmew and Ira. My sympathies, I know how it feels when good friends have to go.

03-04-2010, 10:40 AM	#7
twokatmew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lansing, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 509 Original Poster	Originally posted by JeffJS That's a shame Here's my go at the photo.. Corrected exposure a little bit, corrected the WB some, and a little USM to sharpen his hair up. I could probably do a lot more with the RAW file.. if it exists.. <photo snipped> Peace Boris.. Thanks Jeff. I'm glad you mentioned the RAW, because I went looking for it after reading your post -- and found the original PEF on my backup drive. The shot was underexposed, and I managed to overexpose it using ACDSee's auto exposure correction. I really have to work on PP skills as well as photography! Would you use the whole shot rather than cropping it? Or did you just work on that one because it was (relatively) untouched? Boris was a sweet guy, but he had a hard life. The vet thinks he was about six. I took him in not quite two years ago, as he was wandering the streets looking for someone to let him inside. At least I was able to give him a warm and comfy home for a couple years.

03-04-2010, 10:43 AM	#8
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,723	I really like your last crop also. However, if you have decent cloning skills, there are other options. PP on my crappy work computer. My software won't open the KX PEF file but if you want to link to a full size JPEG (Minimize the highlight blowouts), I would be glad to work on it this weekend. Tim

03-04-2010, 10:46 AM	#9
twokatmew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lansing, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 509 Original Poster	Originally posted by Ira Poor guy--sorry. I really like the close-up on the lower right. The photos show up in a vertical line on my monitor. Do you mean the crop of his face? Quote: My African Grey parrot died suddenly just last week--only 7 years old--and I cried like a baby. I'm so sorry, Ira. I'm not sure what's harder -- when they die suddenly or deteriorate slowly over time. Yeah, my eyes are all puffy and sore.... The vet shaved a strip of fur off his hind leg so she could give him the shot. Before I left, I wrapped that little bit of soft fur in a kleenex and put it in my pocket. I can't even bring myself to take it out.

03-04-2010, 10:57 AM	#10
twokatmew Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Lansing, MI Photos: Albums Posts: 509 Original Poster	Originally posted by atupdate I really like your last crop also. However, if you have decent cloning skills, there are other options. PP on my crappy work computer. <photo snipped> My software won't open the KX PEF file but if you want to link to a full size JPEG (Minimize the highlight blowouts), I would be glad to work on it this weekend. Tim Wow, Tim, you even fixed his feet! Looks great! It hadn't occurred to me to erase the couch, though I've done erasing before. My cloning skills are not the greatest, but perhaps I will get some practice now that I found the PEF. (Just the other day I set the camera to write DNGs, so I can now open them in any of my apps.) Here's a link to the original JPG -- before I messed with it. Original JPG of Boris

03-04-2010, 11:09 AM	#11
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	Originally posted by twokatmew I'd been working on the JPG, but after reading Jeff's post, I poked around on my backup drive and found a PEF! The camera was so new when I took this shot, I'm surprised I'd had RAW+ turned on. Anyway, here's a link to the original file. Original PEF of Boris The photo & crops I posted previously already had some (too much) exposure correction done in ACDSee.... Actually, the RAW image gives a very nice photo by default (on my screen).. Had to upload this one to my Flickr account. I don't think The forum gallery will accept it. Full size here.. http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4406208575_ee6473ac38_o.jpg I didn't do any noise reduction or anything like that.. Just a slide of the Clarity tool (in acr), touch up the WB on his white fur, sharpen a little for the eye detail, crop, clone out the couch, followed by my standard black frame. +

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

03-04-2010, 11:12 AM	#13
atupdate Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dayton, OH Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,723	Originally posted by twokatmew Wow, Tim, you even fixed his feet! Looks great! It hadn't occurred to me to erase the couch, though I've done erasing before. My cloning skills are not the greatest, but perhaps I will get some practice now that I found the PEF. (Just the other day I set the camera to write DNGs, so I can now open them in any of my apps.) Here's a link to the original JPG -- before I messed with it. Original JPG of Boris What I did was add a white border to the bottom of the picture and cloned the carpet over the couch and the white border. A trick here is to rough clone first then blend the clonning by using a 50% opacity clone to add the texturer from the darker areas. For the foot, I copied the back foot and pasted it over and blended. I'll give it a good work over this weekend and if you PM me your email addresss, I'll send you the file to crop as you like. Tim

03-04-2010, 11:25 AM	#14
pasipasi Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Oulu Photos: Gallery Posts: 532

03-04-2010, 11:56 AM	#15
Nesster Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 13,072	I'm so sorry for your cat. I like the first image posted - the blue in the couch picks up Boris' blue eyes. To my eye most of the reworkings lose something, there's too much contrast or the colors are off... seems the original light was mild and diffuse so there won't be deepest shadow or highlight.