[MrB]

I quite like this photo of an autumn scene, shot in parkland in Buckinghamshire during this November (2013):

   

Then I remembered this one that I took back in April (2013), at a nature reserve in Hertfordshire:

   

As the boy and his dad were wearing the colours of an autumn scene, I thought it would be interesting to combine the images -

An Autumn Stroll With Dad:

   

No doubt some would regard this as a deception which is a post-processing step too far. However, the only motivation here was the desire to develop and practise skills and to make a better photograph.

Images recorded using a Pentax K-5 and processed in PaintShop Pro X4.

Philip

[Phil J]

Images recorded using a Pentax K-5 and processed in PaintShop Pro X4.
Philip

And let's be honest here Philip, done to a very high standard. It isn't my place to say it, but, well done, I'm impressed, photographic processing as it should be. Of course 'now' we're going to get EdMac raising the bar further!!

Best regards.

Phil.

[Dean]

Certainly makes the image stronger. But I think they are floating, just a little.

[Barbara G.]

Very nice! For those of us who are new to this kind of post processing, would you care to share in general how you accomplished this?

[MrB]

Thank you, Phil, Dean and Barbara.

Barbara, the general steps were something like this -

Starting with the 2nd image -
Slight adjustments to sharpness and lighting to make the man and boy a better match to the first image.
Select those two figures by drawing around them (PSP X4 has a "Smart Edge" tool to make this easier and more accurate), and then "Copy".

Then to the 1st image -
"Paste As New Selection" to put the figures onto the image, judging where their position should be by their size relative to the footpath, leaves and nearby trees.
Change the general colour balance to warmer tones, and then give an extra boost to the saturation of the autumn reds and yellows.
Increase the overall brightness and contrast, but darken the area under the man and boy - no sun so no detailed shadows to bother about.
Sharpen the whole image, using the simple default sharpening setting.
Resample the image for the web, maintaining the aspect ratio, down from 4928 to 900 pixels on the long side.
Final sharpening using the Unsharp Mask tool - radius=0.3, strength=100.

The adjustments I make during processing are usually gentle - i.e. small changes judged by eye, comparing the altered image with the original (I often have both on screen). If it needs more (or less) then I repeat the small adjustment. I know that a lot of this is a matter of subjective opinion, but I sometimes see images on the Web where parameters such as contrast, saturation, colour balance and particularly sharpness, have been modified too much to be realistic or pleasing to view, so I try not to go too far.

Philip

[Don Schaeffer]

I really like the ideas. You should feel no qualms about it. I agree that the figures seem to float in the background. Maybe it's lack of shadow.

[EdMak]

There is a line between Pics and Digital images. This, to me has not crossed it, a picture that could have been taken, as seen, looks like a well used path. Doubt if I would have realized it was composite, if not warned beforehand. Cloning some leaves strategically around the feet would help. Personally I would have added a bit more contrast/lightness, bring out a bit more detail, but, as Phillip says, his choice, and, Monitor calibration may come into this. A good pic. Approx how long to do this. Ed.

[MrB]

Thank you Don and Ed.

Approx how long to do this. Ed.

Probably not as long as it took me to type about it in my previous post!!!
I would guess about 15-20 minutes, Ed.

Philip

[kNox]

Wow! That's a really well edited photo, congrats!

The adjustments I make during processing are usually gentle - i.e. small changes judged by eye

That's my problem - I can't judge stuff by eye all that well yet.

[MrB]

Wow! That's a really well edited photo, congrats!

The adjustments I make during processing are usually gentle - i.e. small changes judged by eye

That's my problem - I can't judge stuff by eye all that well yet.

Thank you, kNox.

My camera is a Pentax, so I went to Specsavers - they put Pentax lenses in all their spectacles, which must help!

Philip

[johnytrout]

All it needs now is a perspective shadow then the floating will make it appear grounded ..... well done!

[EdMak]

The light does not indicate that shadows would be cast? Ed.

[Wall-E]

Certainly makes the image stronger. But I think they are floating, just a little.

I looked at this for a while to figure out WHY they appear to be floating.

The man and boy are too sharp compared to the leaves on the path.

[MrB]

Certainly makes the image stronger. But I think they are floating, just a little.

I looked at this for a while to figure out WHY they appear to be floating.

The man and boy are too sharp compared to the leaves on the path.

I think you are right - thank you.

Philip