Before I start this is NOT a complaint or criticism of the c-index :) but a genuine request for advice. I do take notice of the index as a indication of the quality of my work and hope to learn to differentiate between the good the bad and the ugly. I do not have an LCD monitor but occassionally get to view my pictures on one, and I am often surprised at what I thought was ok on my own screen looking far less acceptable. I uploaded two similar pictures THIS and
THAT which to me look of similar quality and I was pleased with the favourable comments left with them. One rates 65 and the other 44 so I am wondering if there is something not right about the red one that I do not see. To my eye this is the better of the two but maybe my screen is deceiving me. Or perhaps the yellow one is just a prettier flower LOL. If anyone could spare a moment to have a look I would be very grateful. :)
I have to say that for no measurable reason I can give you I do like the Yellow one better. It is not the quality of the shot or composition or anything I can put my finger on I just think its a nicer picture. Sorry not to be of more help but i think somtimes its just a matter of what you like better.
Thanks Kevin:) So there is not a horrible black mark on the petals or anything? LOL I guess I am pleased to hear that and maybe you are right it is just not a very nice picture, and further proof that everyone has different ideas as to what is and what is not pleasing. It still seems a big discrepancy but I can live with that. Perhaps the frame is a bit off too.
I am asking Santa for an LCD screen haha
First it can be because people like one color more than the other - and the other thing is, that you never know, who is voting. One would love flowers and give you a high note, others would think: "oh no, another flower" and give you zero - and there you have it.
My thoughts ... the yellow version's bloom is much nicer formed and fuller, in my novice opinion of the species and flowers in general.
Additionally, it would appear ... and I could be wrong here ... that the two photos were taken at differing times of the day? The reason I make mention of this is the red version has some areas within that are slightly ... slightly blown out, or overexposed. Consequently the contrasts in the colours of the bloom and background are not as complimentary.
Just took another look ... if it isn't differing times of day, the light play on the yellow flower looks to be less severe. Again, boosting the contrasts that much more nicely.
I always have problems with overexposure in red coloured objects :(
I have just checked the times taken - the yellow one was taken at 12.29pm and the red one at 12.30pm on the same day :) both on automatic.
Click Click :)
I appreciate your thoughts, thanks. :)
therein lies your problem
i'd ratchet down the aperture a bit.. also try decieving the processor by changing the white balance..and..and..big one! shoot reds on cloudy days..when i was still using my fuji, i had the same problem
Ok :) I shall be back in about 6 months when I have learned to to do aperture and white balance adjustments LOL.
In the meantime I shall avoid red except on cloudy days, and not cry any more :)
Blumie, re your comment - do people actually give zero for a vote? I never have.
I am screaming and crying again :( Two pics I just did Rohododendron Bud and Purity looked to have perfect black backgrounds on my screen - now I see on LCD they do not and that they look TERRIBLE!! Donations accepted for the purchase of an LCD monitor. Any currency. LOL
I do not dare to look at any more of my pics, too depressing.
You could probably check for that problem by just turning up the contrast in PS (or on your monitor). Personally I always use the eyedropper tool to fill in any area in a photo, even if it looks black , that way you can always be sure the clors will match at any contrast setting.
I have the monitor brightness turned up to its highest as from an hour ago and I can see more now :) The fact that I am almost blinded by the light is beside the point.
I can't for the life of me fathom how to use the dropper tool in PSP, depite having read the Help page. I can do the flood fill one but still have trouble isolating the area I want to fill. That stupid magic wand is not all that magic :)
I've stopped screaming anyway
Flood fill is pretty useless in photography manips. The eyedropper tool simply selects the color you have the dropper on when you right click anywhere in the picture, eg if you click on the sky the same blue shde will be selected in the palette. If you then changed to the flood fill tool (for example) it will fill using that color. Same goes for pencil tool or whatever.
I think that is what I do - click on the palette colour and then select from anywhere in the picture but there is another thing called dropper in the toolbox, along with 'colour replacer' I thought it was something different,I have a lot to learn.
THAT which to me look of similar quality and I was pleased with the favourable comments left with them. One rates 65 and the other 44 so I am wondering if there is something not right about the red one that I do not see. To my eye this is the better of the two but maybe my screen is deceiving me. Or perhaps the yellow one is just a prettier flower LOL. If anyone could spare a moment to have a look I would be very grateful. :)