Request for Critique on new image in the Gallery

Hi

I would really appreciate comments on a pic posted in the gallery of a butcher at work. I just posted it. It's for an article in a local newsletter.

Many thanks

For an illustration to a news article I think it works OK. The only remark would be that the product itself (meat on top of counter) could have been better lit.

A tad more light on the faces would be nice, Is the pic going to be posted in colour or B/W? if B+W then convert it yourself and see how it looks.

On the whole though a good shot.

Compositionally it works nicely. The problems with lighting are easily fixed in post production - as well as the differential white balances

I've had a really quick go at it - three curves layers:
1) "Hill shaped" curve to change gamma and lighten butcher's face. Then "hid all" masked and painted back in with soft white brush.
2) Fairly steep "S-shaped" curve to increase contrast in the shadows - blended this in for the counter only.
3) Very slight "S-shaped" curve to give a bit of extra pop

Then, a "Color Balance" layer to try and balance the top lighting (masked).

Link to image: http://www.pbase.com/image/108563121

That's about it
Matt

PS If you want me to email the Photoshop PSD file then I'll happily do that. Just PM me

nice one MattMatic. i don't have PS yet and what you describe probably would have taken me two hours haha...and when I do get it my missus will be not just a camera widow but a PS widow.

I think you really brought the produce up in the chiller really well for what you did there, and can see what you you are doing with the butcher himself would work well, not sure if its my pc screen but that part looks a bit blown out, but I still get the picture.

You've kind of made the picture look more like it was shot on film with what you have done there. I like that.

I will probably have to send this as is to the folks, they have a design company who will presumably tweak it a bit themselves.

just got back from snapfish my original version of this before I was trying to drop the reddishness down, and it actually looks fine. So go figure, I guess if I wanted full control I'd have to use photoshop and calibrate with the printer snapfish use.