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Poor Victorian Boy


M

markr

Active Member
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Check out my latest photoshop. Any feedback is more than welcome. I'm really trying to improve those photoshop skills.

I also made a speed art video: youtube.com/watch?v=dvqxj4J4myQ
 

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I think the poor boy needs shoes or boots (his tootsies must be very cold) and perhaps a shadow between the feet area, all in all though, it is very Norman Rockwell_ISH
 
iDad said:
I think the poor boy needs shoes or boots (his tootsies must be very cold) and perhaps a shadow between the feet area, all in all though, it is very Norman Rockwell_ISH
Click to expand...

Hey iDad, thx for your input. I had the same feeling about the feet. They look a bit odd don't they? Maybe I should indeed give him boots. And you're totally right about the shadow. Forgot that one...
 
Very nice job!

Ignoring the feet, to me, there is too much green and not enough contrast in the version you posted. I also felt it was a bit too bright.

With respect to the green, I suspect you wanted to show light spill from the (presumably) gas lights onto the scene, but I would confine their lighting, not have it spill onto so much of the scene.

I would also direct the viewers' eyes more to the subject by a combination of increased contrast and very soft vignetting.

I took the liberty to tweak your image to show you the direction I would go - see below.

Of course, these are just my personal preferences. I would also point out that if attempted to make final editing decisions (such as these) on an uncalibrated monitor, you will be seeing something different from everyone else in the world.

Again, other than my nit-picking suggestions, very nice work.

Regards,

Tom
 

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PS - FWIW, now that they are both viewable in the thread, comparing my version to yours, I think yours looks more like a postcard from that era, whereas mine is going in a more photographic direction.
 
Looks pretty decent mate..

I think with multiple light sources there should be multiple shadows. And what is that scribble in the top left corner?
 
That scribble top left corner looks to me like cast iron ornament thingy lol
 
Similar to the swirly cast-iron mounts for the lights across the street on buildings
 
It's a reallynice creation markr, though I don't like the greenish cast. But maybe that's just me.

One important thing in your image is not right. The dog shadow has a "strange" shape and is too big, but the boy has almost no shadow.
 
Thank you guys for all of your comments. Ok, so I tweaked it a little bit, taking all you guys comments into account. So, hopefully it's looking a little bit better. I also made a version without the snow. It's much cleaner then, but also less dramatic. What do you guys think? Oh, and I also removed the funny ornament. As iDad already suggested, it was a remaining of a street light from the original picture. Played around with the shadows, but I'm not really convinced. Pff, why did I had to bring in multiple light sources.

victorian boy2.jpg victorian boy3.jpg
 
1. Curve tool, reduced red and blue channel in mid tones to get rid of the green cast.
1.jpg

2. I made a quick selection with a very soft edge and put it on a new layer. With the curves I reduced the red and increased the blue channel again to get a more golden color in these areas.
2.jpg

3. I masked the windows and put them on a new layer. I masked the lamps (very soft edge) and put it on a new layer. I masked the moon and put it on a new layer. Worked with the curves as before.
3.jpg

Finally I made a shadow on a new layer for the boy (soft brush), added some gaussian blur. In the BG layer I corrected the Dog shadow.
Sorry about my english, it is not my native language. I hope I could help with the screenshots.
 
Nice work; I also love the postcard effect. I like the different edits, especially the one by Chris. Tom's is great too, but as he says, he takes it in the direction of photography and I prefer the old-fashioned Norman Rockwell effect. Your choice of course. I do think you made the overall image too dark in your second version. I think the details were better when it was lighter. Somewhere in the middle would work for my tastes.

As to why you need multiple light sources, it's because there are multiple light sources. The one you first use is from the street lamp to the left of the boy. There is also the moon which you show as very full and very bright, so it too would cast a shadow. Maybe that shadow would not be as deep as you made it. I'd be interested in other opinions on that.

Anyway, it's a super concept and a good composition. If you wouldn't mind, we like to see the collection of source pictures you used. Hey, we can ooh and ah even more when we see the adjustments, selections, positioning, and so forth; all the work you did to put it together.
 
Hey chrisdesign,

Thank you for taking the effort to give me a little tutorial. It's much appriciated. Gonna play with it a bit this evening :) And don't worry about your english. You made it perfectly clear. And english isn't my native language either :)
 
Hey ibclare,

You're totally right about the brightness. I'm looking at this picture on a monitor at work right now, and it's way too dark. I really have to calibrate my monitor at home. As for the original footage, you can always watch my speed art video to see how I made use of the original images:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvqxj4J4myQ

Normally I just google my images and use them directly into my work. Never keep a copy of them. But especially for you, I googled them again and found them back rather quickly. So here you go:

http://dcbellows.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/29-p-1-old-houses-aero.jpg
http://wallike.com/snow-wallpaper-widescreen.html
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/FullMoon2010.jpg
http://www.flagshipfancydress.co.uk.../images/poor-victorian-boy-costume-2683-p.jpg
http://solidgoldcreativity.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/dog-gr.jpg?w=640
http://www.pet360.com/Content/Images/Cms/cms_resized_large/Scared_Cat.lg.jpg
http://www.thevictorianemporium.com...ive_outdoor_ip44-bt5l-post_lantern__large.jpg
 
Hey ibclare,

I posted a bunch of links to the original footage, but I guess I'm not supposed to do that because the post did not showed up. So sorry about that, should have read the rules first :redface:. Anyway... Thx for your comment. You are absolutely right about the brightness. Looking at this picture on my monitor from work, it's way too dark. Really need to calibrate my monitor at home. As for the original footage, you can watch my speed art video to see how I made use of the original pictures:


And here is the complete collection of footage I used:
29-p-1-old-houses-aero2.jpgdog-gr.jpgFullMoon2010.jpglamp_lighting_old_classical_lighting_penant_wall_victorian_decorative_outdoor_ip44-bt5l-post_lan.jpgpoor-victorian-boy-costume-2683-p.jpgScared_Cat_lg.jpgsnow-wallpaper-widescreen.jpg
 
The houses don't strike me as being Victorian in design, which isn't helped by the velux windows, and what looks to be a communications junction box outside the first house on the right. The moon looks too big, the guttering strikes me as being UPVC and finally, that's a very clean healthy dog, considering the boy is meant to be poor.

Sorry!

Did you even get permission to use these images?
 
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I think seeing the stock that you use puts a little bit more of an emphasis on the work that was done, I'm impressed. You said you're looking to improve your skills, it looks like you're succeeding.
 
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