Just got back from Dahab

[JAG]

Dear all,

Just got back from Dahab (trip report) and took some photos whilst there. The two that I have attached here are ones that I had hopes for when viewing on the camera display. Unfortunately not as good as I'd hoped. Have tried messing about with them but can't improve them really. Anyone got any tips or, I know it's cheeky, have go at them please and maybe advise to how you achieved the results. I have access to Photoshop 7.

I used a magic filter and found it very good compared against not using it, the colours seemed more natural and removed a lot of the blue.

http://www.digigreen.net/photopost/d...m/IMG_0344.JPG
http://www.digigreen.net/photopost/d...m/IMG_0337.JPG

Many thanks,

Ian

[Bombebit]

Hiya,

they are pretty good pics... are these the original version or the photoshopped ones...

I have done a quick play with them.. it is quite late after all.. but see what you think... I used PS CS2





B x

[TimIngmire]

Ian, I had a quick play with a range of tools and can honestly say that none of them made any significant changes to the image. They seem well exposed so playing with the levels has no appreciable affect for me. Contrast is fine etc etc.

Sorry mate can't really improve on them.

So, you like the Magic Filter?

[JAG]

Originally Posted by Bombebit

Hiya,

they are pretty good pics... are these the original version or the photoshopped ones...

I have done a quick play with them.. it is quite late after all.. but see what you think... I used PS CS2

B x

Hi, thanks for having a go at them.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by TimIngmire

Ian, I had a quick play with a range of tools and can honestly say that none of them made any significant changes to the image. They seem well exposed so playing with the levels has no appreciable affect for me. Contrast is fine etc etc.

Sorry mate can't really improve on them.

So, you like the Magic Filter?

Hi Tim,

Yep, I thought the filter was good value. Compared to shots I took without it, there was no competition.

Thanks for having a go at improving them, I'm relatively happy with them but could have done with a slightly faster shutter speed. I tried to get as much natural light as possible but wasn't enough as a lot of the shots are not as sharp as I would have liked (or that could have been my buoyancy ). Any tips on getting a faster shutter speed? I've uploaded the photos to my album at Albums/Diving/Egypt/Dahab
if you would like to take a look and make any comments.

Many thanks,

Ian

[Annie S]

I had a quick play as well....just a little difference, but not much.

I adjusted levels on all individual colours, including CMYK, and tweaked the shadow/highlights slightly, then added an unsharp mask.

[Annie S]

Considering colour is all in the eye of the beholder, I'm not sure if this is an improvement or not. Certainly the colours are different, but better, I don't know.....and I've just realised that the colours are different depending on which programme I am viewing them with, so all this becomes totally hypothetical because your monitor will no doubt be different to mine.

Anyway, nice pictures! As far as shutter speed is concerned you will have to go over to manual settings. I've been advised to go for f8 with exposure of 1/60th or 1/125 where possible and to use the flash, even in shallow water.
I will get to try this out for myself next week.

Was that Moray Gardens you were at - it looks really quiet?

[JAG]

Hi guys,

Thanks very much for your efforts in trying to improve the photos. I've spent ages tweaking here and there and really can't manage any noticeable improvement.

Annie - Next time out I will go for manual settings and see how we get on, and yes it was Moray Gardens, lovely and quiet. To be honest, for all but one of my dives out in Dahab, we had the whole site to ourselves. The only place we saw other divers (at a distance) was the Blue Hole.

[TimIngmire]

Hi Ian,

Remember that when using ambient light it is not necessary to use manual mode. Manual is necessary when balancing strobe and ambient light. If you are only relying on one light source (be it strobe or ambient light) then you can use the Aperture or Shutter modes.

When using the Magic Filters I don't use M at all

As Annie says, each programme does seem to treat the images slightly differently and with the monitor differences on top....

When converting from RAW I try the best photos in Nikon Editor, Rawshooter and PS to see which of them gives the 'best' colour.

[JAG]

Originally Posted by TimIngmire

Hi Ian,

Remember that when using ambient light it is not necessary to use manual mode. Manual is necessary when balancing strobe and ambient light. If you are only relying on one light source (be it strobe or ambient light) then you can use the Aperture or Shutter modes.

When using the Magic Filters I don't use M at all

As Annie says, each programme does seem to treat the images slightly differently and with the monitor differences on top....

When converting from RAW I try the best photos in Nikon Editor, Rawshooter and PS to see which of them gives the 'best' colour.

Thanks very much for that Tim. I didn't realise that. Will remember that in Gildy next week when practising.

Just out of interest, have you used the Auto Magic Filter in Green waters? If so what kind of result do you get/can be expected? (Purely out of curiosity)

Cheers,

Ian