Christopher Harkins - Editing Advice

[dlowwa]

Hi,

I would like to submit a photo for prescreening process:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24628[/ATTACH]


I know I already uploaded this, but got sidetracked with editing this photo with other stuff. I finally got time to editing this photo and would like thoughts.

As far as my comments. It looks like I added a bit too much contrast and the sky looks too blue.

There is some noticeable chromatic aberration visible, so borderline for color. Other than that, should be ok.

[Chrishark]

Hi,

I would like to submit a photo for prescreening process:




I know I already uploaded this, but got sidetracked with editing this photo with other stuff. I finally got time to editing this photo and would like thoughts.

As far as my comments. It looks like I added a bit too much contrast and the sky looks too blue.

[dlowwa]

Ok sorry about that, I was following a guide on youtube and for some reason when I followed the steps, It gave me a more yellow image. I redid the edit and came up with this. Now I can definitely notice the yellow in the first image (not the very yellow one that was poorly edited)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24473[/ATTACH]

This would be acceptable for me.

[Chrishark]

Ok sorry about that, I was following a guide on youtube and for some reason when I followed the steps, It gave me a more yellow image. I redid the edit and came up with this. Now I can definitely notice the yellow in the first image (not the very yellow one that was poorly edited)

[dlowwa]

Apologies for last night, I got home really late and was growing more tired and impatient the more time I tried to work on this. I have applied the suggested changes above and would like to get your opinions for this corrected image:


[ATTACH=CONFIG]24468[/ATTACH]

Very yellow now, much more than previously. White balance definitely needs adjusting.

[Chrishark]

Apologies for last night, I got home really late and was growing more tired and impatient the more time I tried to work on this. I have applied the suggested changes above and would like to get your opinions for this corrected image:

[dlowwa]

Ok I made some corrections, At this point, Im just asking for opinions because I am lost and dont know where to go.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24457[/ATTACH]

As far as photo conditions, I could have sworn that it was a bright sunny day. Maybe a little bit of haze but I thought that enough light was shining down on that day to give acceptable photos.

Still a slight yellow cast, but would be acceptable for me. Also, even though it wasn't mentioned in the original rejection, you might want to give it a tiny bit of CW rotation.

[jvdl]

At this point, Im beginning to realize that all of these photos look almost exactly the same and I have no clue what effect my changes in lightroom have on these photos.


EDIT: Im trying not to get frustrated at this point but its becoming more and more difficult. Im trying to do more research, but at this point, Im running out of time for the night.

Hi Chris. To tackle the white balance issue that Dana mentioned: there is a tool in Photoshop (not sure about Lightroom) that looks like an eye-dropper, if I remember correctly. You click on an area that you know for a fact should be white, i.e., the fuselage in this case, and it will adjust the other colours appropriately.

Your last photo looks a little dark again, but I'm not a screener, so don't put too much stock into my opinion.

[Chrishark]

At this point, Im beginning to realize that all of these photos look almost exactly the same and I have no clue what effect my changes in lightroom have on these photos.


EDIT: Im trying not to get frustrated at this point but its becoming more and more difficult. Im trying to do more research, but at this point, Im running out of time for the night.

[Chrishark]

Ok I made some corrections, At this point, Im just asking for opinions because I am lost and dont know where to go.



As far as photo conditions, I could have sworn that it was a bright sunny day. Maybe a little bit of haze but I thought that enough light was shining down on that day to give acceptable photos.

[dlowwa]

I recently had a rejected photo and wanted to ask about it:

https://www.jetphotos.com/viewqueued_b.php?id=7285943

The comments say that the image is underexposed/too dark so I applied the necessary fixes but got this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24456[/ATTACH]

What the heck??? Both images look almost identical but I could have sworn that when I edited the image, It looked a lot better before I exported it from lightroom.

Im kind of stuck at a dead end at this point because I am unsure of what to do.

Looks more like a contrast/white balance issue. There seems to have been high cloud or something else filtering the light. The fuselage should be white, but it's a dull greyish-yellow. Brightening it alone might not be enough to do the trick.

[Chrishark]

I recently had a rejected photo and wanted to ask about it:

https://www.jetphotos.com/viewqueued_b.php?id=7285943

The comments say that the image is underexposed/too dark so I applied the necessary fixes but got this:



What the heck??? Both images look almost identical but I could have sworn that when I edited the image, It looked a lot better before I exported it from lightroom.

Im kind of stuck at a dead end at this point because I am unsure of what to do.

[dlowwa]

Hi,

I would like to ask for a prescreening request, but also have questions regarding these three photos:

1. Original [ATTACH=CONFIG]24102[/ATTACH] 2. Edited with Lightroom with a little more contrast [ATTACH=CONFIG]24103[/ATTACH] 3. Edited photo what I think is ideal contrast (even more). [ATTACH=CONFIG]24104[/ATTACH]

Second edit is better, although still a bit dark, and needing a little tighter crop on left.

I previously uploaded a photo which got rejected due to contrast reasons here: https://www.jetphotos.com/viewqueued_b.php?id=7254824
back then, I wasn't aware of Jetphotos's strict guidelines when it came to the quality of photos and certain things they should/shouldn't have. Since then, Ive been really strict about my photos and also have been going back and forth playing with the slider in lightroom to determine the ideal contrast of the photo. I have also been looking at photos of the same exact aircraft and comparing them side by side with my photos. Im relatively new at photography so its possible that these three images I have uploaded here aren't good enough but wanted to ask about them anyway. In addition to asking about these three photos, if these photos aren't good enough due to contrast reasons, what good techniques can I use to help me better understand ideal contrast of any plane photo? is this something that just takes experience to get used to?

You can use the histogram, although it is more reliable for exposure issues than contrast, as it provides data for the whole frame, and in aviation photography we're almost always concerned just with the subject (aircraft). Also, you'll need to seperate contrast issue into two categories for here: technical (lack of or excessive tonal range), and aesthetic. The latter is much more subjective and might take a little time to figure out.

[Chrishark]

Hi,

I would like to ask for a prescreening request, but also have questions regarding these three photos:



1. Original 2. Edited with Lightroom with a little more contrast 3. Edited photo what I think is ideal contrast (even more).

I previously uploaded a photo which got rejected due to contrast reasons here: https://www.jetphotos.com/viewqueued_b.php?id=7254824

back then, I wasn't aware of Jetphotos's strict guidelines when it came to the quality of photos and certain things they should/shouldn't have. Since then, Ive been really strict about my photos and also have been going back and forth playing with the slider in lightroom to determine the ideal contrast of the photo. I have also been looking at photos of the same exact aircraft and comparing them side by side with my photos. Im relatively new at photography so its possible that these three images I have uploaded here aren't good enough but wanted to ask about them anyway. In addition to asking about these three photos, if these photos aren't good enough due to contrast reasons, what good techniques can I use to help me better understand ideal contrast of any plane photo? is this something that just takes experience to get used to?

[Chrishark]

General adjustments to brightness/contrast are not considered manipulation.

Ok thanks, I know jvdi already mentioned that but I just wanted a confirmation from an actual team member.