Photomags: A Critique Request

I just got my first DSLR a month or so ago (Nikon D70), and am steadily improving with it. I shoot in RAW, and am trying to teach myself post skills. I learned on film, in a darkroom, so it is not easy for me. I have decent proficiency in photoshop, but I never learned the advanced stuff like curves.

Anyway, here are 3 versions of an image I shot at a friend's concert tonight. It is one of very few that I like, out of 50 shots. The first is a straight conversion of the RAW, the second is a change to tungsten white balance in lightroom, and the third is obviously greyscale, also done in lightroom. What other color modifications or modifications in general does this need to improve the shot?

(I think I like the B+W the best)

http://aycu09.webshots.com/image/265...7682439_rs.jpg

http://aycu03.webshots.com/image/296...7417547_rs.jpg

http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/298...5256228_rs.jpg

EXIF:
http://aycu17.webshots.com/image/275...6445879_rs.jpg
Nikkor 50mm 1.8D

I think color wise somewhere between the first and second would be best for this shot. I usually like to take most if not all of the warmth of lights out of my images, but when taking shots like this one, where a guy is on stage understage lights, I think keeping some warmth from the lights actually adds to the image. You can see almost a blue hue in the second image.

There are some highlights around the neck and forehead that seem to be blown. Remember that underexposing is better than over exposing. You'll burn and lose whatever data is on the file if you overexpose, where as when you underexpose its there, just not exposed fully (which gives you more noise when enhanced, but better than not having the data at all).

I think the black and white is mostly flat, try adjusting the levels on the image in PS and you should get a better range of black to white

All of that of course is MPO...

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Originally Posted by brice618

I think keeping some warmth from the lights actually adds to the image. You can see almost a blue hue in the second image.

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I agree, I think some warmth is good for a stage shot. I also see the blue.

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There are some highlights around the neck and forehead that seem to be blown. Remember that underexposing is better than over exposing. You'll burn and lose whatever data is on the file if you overexpose, where as when you underexpose its there, just not exposed fully (which gives you more noise when enhanced, but better than not having the data at all).

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The D70 has a documented problem of blowing out highlights, and it's fucking annoying. I guess underexposing by 1/3 stop would help, but I really wish it wouldn't blow stuff out so often. Those spots on his face and neck are pure white, according to lightroom.

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I think the black and white is mostly flat, try adjusting the levels on the image in PS and you should get a better range of black to white

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This is what I'm looking for. HOW do I do this is really why I made this thread. I don't understand the curves tool or any of the other levels beside your basic brightness/contrast/color balance/saturation tools.

a) I am a photography jong
b) I don't know how converting to B&W works in Lightroom

I do know that you can't expect good results by simply converting to grayscale in Photoshop. There are a bunch of different methods including using the lightness channel in LAB mode and using the channel mixer. Here are a few links to discussions of these methods. I'll leave it to the experts on this board to offer any direct recommendations though.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...lack-white.htm
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutori...w_better.shtml
http://www.bythom.com/bandw.htm

I like the photo by the way.

I like the first version the best. It has a nice warmth to it, and I like that the cymbals are almost the same color as the body of the bass.

I would try playing with the levels before you start messing with curves. When you open up the levels window, it shows a histogram with three little triangles under it. By moving the one on the left, you adjust the shadows. The middle one is midtones, and the one on the right is highlights. I usually boost the shadows a touch and then play with the midtones. I normally leave the highlights alone on digital pictures because it's too easy to blow out sections of the photo. Don't get carried away with the levels, because too much adjustment can distort the image or add noise. I usually push the arrows into the extreme so I can see how it affects the image, then pull it back to where it looks good. I don't mess with any of the other options on the levels - someone more experienced in Photoshop or Lightroom can tell you what those do.

As far as curves go, I just started experimenting with that, so I don't know a lot about it yet. Just play around with it, and make sure you're not distorting your original too much. I'm sure there are others here who can tell you about curves, or else there are probably some good tutorials online.

Edit: I don't have Lightroom, but I'm guessing the levels and curves options are pretty similar to Photoshop...

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Originally Posted by dbp

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...lack-white.htm
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutori...w_better.shtml
http://www.bythom.com/bandw.htm

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These are useful, thanks.

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Originally Posted by amyzilla

I like the first version the best. It has a nice warmth to it, and I like that the cymbals are almost the same color as the body of the bass.

I would try playing with the levels before you start messing with curves. When you open up the levels window, it shows a histogram with three little triangles under it. By moving the one on the left, you adjust the shadows. The middle one is midtones, and the one on the right is highlights. I usually boost the shadows a touch and then play with the midtones. I normally leave the highlights alone on digital pictures because it's too easy to blow out sections of the photo. Don't get carried away with the levels, because too much adjustment can distort the image or add noise. I usually push the arrows into the extreme so I can see how it affects the image, then pull it back to where it looks good. I don't mess with any of the other options on the levels - someone more experienced in Photoshop or Lightroom can tell you what those do.

As far as curves go, I just started experimenting with that, so I don't know a lot about it yet. Just play around with it, and make sure you're not distorting your original too much. I'm sure there are others here who can tell you about curves, or else there are probably some good tutorials online.

Edit: I don't have Lightroom, but I'm guessing the levels and curves options are pretty similar to Photoshop...

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Thanks for the advice. Lightroom is basically most of the most commonly used photoshop functions grouped into one place, and combined with an album function. I have photoshop as well, camera RAW looks a lot like lightroom.