Need help with first communion pic

[JohnG]

Ok,

I need some help fixing this pic up - it just looks wrong somehow. Any suggestions for how to fix it would be greatly appreciated:

[RodneyBlair]

You didn't get all the children in the frame is the only thing I see. The makeover forum is a better place for fixing up questions.

Good luck!

Rodney

[JohnG]

Rodney,

Thanks for the tip about forums - I see it has been moved. As for composition - unfortunately I was at the mercy of the venue (and 50 other fathers/mothers with cameras) and was never able to get into an unobstructive vantage point to get the whole group in the frame - I tried, but when I was in a vantage point to have the whole group in frame there would be parents in front.

Still, given the composition I have, I would still like some suggestions for what I can do to improve the photo - looks a bit flat. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

John

[Stevekin]

As Rodney said, it's a shame all of the children aren't in the frame and unfortunately for the two boys andone girl to the right, I have removed them. Also removed the distracting Beams (?) in the top corners and tidied up the sun/star burst thingy, top center. Levels adjustment and sharpened.

It would appear that out of all of the children, only the two in the middle are looking at the camera. Yours by any chance ?

Hope this is something like you imagined.

Stevekin.

[perdendosi]

First -- boost contrast and/or ensure that you're using the full contrast range (i.e. adjust levels or curves).

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Second -- its looks as though the flash is centered on the children in the middle of the picture in the first two rows... that part of the frame is slightly brighter. I would boost the brightness/contrast on a photoshop layer with the center slightly masked out to get even brightness distribution.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Third-- sharpening will make the picture look more contrasty.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"Fourth-- red eye must be eliminated.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #000000"I'd do it, but I'm at work without my handy photo retouching tools (i.e. photoshop, or really ANY good photo editing program)

[SinRastro]

Ok,.. here´s my try... I did a little cropping and some color adjustment...

Hope the boys on the left has nothing to do with you

To me the problem you see is the composition.

Tell me what you think

[JohnG]

Sinrastro,

That's a little more like what I was thinking. The color and contrast is much better. Did you use curves to adjust or just play with levels?

[SinRastro]

I use an S curve and use the Threshold to get the highes white and deepr black, then Apply that to the levels.

SinRastro

[JohnG]

Great thanks for the help!

[SinRastro]

Anytime