Here I am asking again!
My Pink Stars were too soft so I decided to make these begonia sharp and do away with framing. CLICK
37?
Is it that bad?
I am going away for a few days - maybe I will be more able to see its faults when I return but at the moment I am quite happy with it - in the minority :) :)

Too soon, you just posted this image two days ago.

A question ... how do you resize your images Lyn, to the 1600 X 1200 resolution?

Outline your steps and software used, if you could.


And unless I am incorrect ... you shoot JPEGs? What quality setting?

6 MP - 2576 x 1932
JPEG ( have no other option)

Resized in PSP to 1600x1200 using 'Smart Size' option. Aspect ratio locked.


This one I then converted to PNG as per the 'Hint' on the upload page.

:)

...did you save the 1600x1200 JPEG first, then convert to a PNG file? Every time you save a JPEG, the file gets compressed and you lose information. PNG is a lossless format that you can save over and over and you still retain the data. If you take the JPEG's from the camera and save them as PNG first, then you can make whatever edits you need to (including resizing) and save as many times as you want without compromising quality.

I know others can rattle off all the technical aspects of this, but this is basically the methodology I use. RAW format is still the best, but I don't use it because I don't like my RAW editing software...I use the high quality JPEG format in my camera and save as PNG files, which seems to work for me.

For your consideration:

http://www.digital.mississippi-photo-gallery.com/resizing/

And there is mention of performing most of your edits prior to resizing. Just an aside. Although, the author of the above linked article uses an Unsharp Mask step between those of resampling or resizing if performed multiple times (why? I have no idea).


To clarify, and bear with me here ... you open your JPEG image in PSP ... do your post work/post sweetening ... resize and then save as a PNG? Which then gets uploaded or posted by you?


Finally ... nice shot. :o)

Ha! Fooled ya, eh? :oP

Here's a quick rework of sorts (I left out a small border which I would consider, simply an Outer Glow effect of an interior selection ... pixel size 1 or 2 ... colour; white or gray'ish) ... to illustrate a couple of things.

Here's the rework.

Outside of the visual distraction in the upper right, which I cloned out ... I think ... think, that given the nature of the plant ... it needs some context (background broad leaves are quite nice), as well as something within the frame to flesh out the ... and forgive me here, the word/phrase that is stuck in my craw is ... spindly branches of the plant itself.

So ...

1) Get closer.

Or ...

2) Boost the colours a tad, as I did and then provide a setting for the flower and branches of the plant by bringing some of the detail in the shadows out.

Framed with a simple border ... and ... done.


Slightly ... slightly overexposed in a couple of spots (hence the boosting of colours to compensate, sort of kind of). And I can't tell if you did some clone work yourself on one of the flowers or if there was some motion blur.

Referencing the upper right area, once again ... four flowers below the one most upper right ... second from left. Perhaps some Burning on your part? Something is there. As I said, not sure.

Just my humble opinion.


And by no means is it worth 37.

I would offer up the same counsel as was offered at the outset and my first post to your request for comment here ... wait ... and see where things level out at.

"The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 has a 6.37 megapixel, 1/2.5 inch CCD that delivers 6.0 effective megapixels. There are three aspect ratios on offer (4:3, 3:2, 16:9) with a range of image sizes (4:3 Aspect Ratio: 2816 x 2112, 2304 x 1728, 2048 x 1536, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 pixels, 3:2 Aspect Ratio: 2816 x 1880, 2048 x 1360 pixels, 16:9 Aspect Ratio: 2816 x 1584, 1920 x 1080 pixels). Images can be recorded as either Fine or Standard quality JPEGs, or TIFFs."


Check which quality setting you are using, as a suggestion.

Furthermore on just the aspect of image quality ... it appears that you can shoot TIFFs. Which, as is PNG ... is 'a lossless format'.

Depending on the size of your memory card, shooting TIFFs will reduce the total number of images that can fit on your card. Files are much larger.

Then, once in your image editing program of choice ... you can then save as PNGs.

So, an option is apparently available to you to avoid the recompression issues made mention by Stephen. And admittedly, at least on an experimental foray of your own ... following the 'hint/tip' to upload in PNG format.

For your further consideration:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/fz7_pg2.html

Towards the bottom of the page is a chart calculating number of images, depending on the choice made as to the 'quality' setting ... and then, with any given size of memory card.

Eve - OK I'm going to give you the info you seek right in between the eyes, Hold Still Please while I aim! C-index which seems to bring you a pain in the Rump is immune to any type of definable explanation and or cause. There is NO CURE for this type of pestilence. It would be far better to suffer from hemeroids, because at least there is a cure for them. I looked at your picture, and I noticed it had been viewed 83 times, (thats good) and downloaded 57 times (even better). If you get out your good chalk and chalkboard, you will scribe the 57 downloads and divide it by the 87 opportunities to download (scribe - scribe - screech) Uugh! that comes out to 68.6% or lets just say 69% of the viewers liked your picture so much they saved it to their files. Thats GOOD! Why sweat the pain in the Rump C-index ? I dont know! must be an artist thing! I would be Very Pleased to please 69% of my shoppers. C-index is for Proctologists, dont sweat the small stuff! Pay attention to your shoppers! The last time I commented on your post, I endured 35 sec of your stress, as a offering of help. The thought of helping you with your rump, . . .well Uggh! . . . the matter is out of my hands. :)

Thanks so much for all your input :)

First off Les - yes you were correct it was way too soon - it has now dropped further lol! Thank you for the rework - yours certainly has more impact. I can not rememeber if I did any burning or cloning - just searching for the original to compare.

Thanks to Les and Stephen for info about Jpegs/Tiff etc. I did know that I was loosing quality working with Jpegs - one of those things you know but ignore :) From now on I will immediately convert to PNG for post work. With the new computer I now have plenty of room to keep them. I have to confess I was unaware I could shoot in TIFF format - after looking at the chart (it is also in the back of my manual, I am not a great manual reader) I see on a 1GB card I can get 51 TIFF images as opposed to 320 Jpeg in Fine quality so I will be staying with Jpeg. One of the failings of the FZ7 is the lack of RAW option - but then I probably would not know what to do with it anyway !

Jerry- well what can I say - Perhaps I should consult a Proctologist - but much easier to take note of what you say - although I dont think the number of downloads means people have saved the image, just that they have viewed the full size so I will be grateful for small mercies.

If you are interested HERE is the original and it does seem I did some jiggery-pokery in the corner Les spotted the aberations.

So, 35! back to the drawing board, and leave this bummer begonia to sink 'gracefully' to the bottom of the heap.
Having learned a lesson to change in my back to front way of saving/converting it may have served its purpose.

I may even read the camera instruction manual :) after all it does say on the front "Before use, please read these instructions completely"

But . . . 35!! . . . . still rankles

Shut Up, LynEve!!